Case Study: 1988 Nurses’ Strike in Alberta

Case Study Overview

“The government can make all the laws they want, but they can’t stop people from going on strike… You could get the army out and march them to work, but can you make them work? No. You can threaten people. Maybe you can threaten to kill somebody if they didn’t work. But if they accepted the threat and said, fine shoot me, you still can’t make them work.” 

—Margaret Ethier, president, United Nurses of Alberta, 1980–1988

https://citymuseumedmonton.ca/2021/05/11/against-the-law-the-1988-nurses-strike/

On January 25, 1988, over 14,000 nurses across Alberta walked off the job. Contract negotiations had failed surrounding wage increases, among other demands. This strike affected 133 hospitals and nursing homes, save the University of Alberta Hospital, where the nurses were part of a different union. This would be the last province-wide strike the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) would initiate. 

What complicates this particular strike is that it was illegal. In 1983, Premier Peter Lougheed’s government passed Bill 44, making it illegal for hospital employees, including nurses, to strike. When the government of Lougheed’s successor, Don Getty, met the UNA for contract negotiations in 1987, strike action was prohibited. Throughout these prolonged negotiations, each party regarded the subject of rollbacks differently: the UNA held a policy to not give in to rollbacks, and the government saw the UNA in a weaker position at the bargaining table. 

In January 1988, during a UNA meeting, many nurses expressed their dissatisfaction with the government offer on the negotiating table. However, should they decide to strike, it would be an illegal strike action. It was posed to their members: 

“Are you willing to go on strike for an improved offer?”

Although the Labour Relations Board declared that even holding a strike vote was illegal, the vote was held on the morning of January 22, 1988. Bev Dick, who later served as UNA first vice-president, recalled that voting at Edmonton’s Misericordia Hospital took place in a motorhome outside (past votes that were deemed legal were held inside).

On January 27, acting Attorney General Elaine McCoy charged UNA with criminal contempt of court. Going even further, nurses began to be served with civil contempt of court charges individually. By the time the strike was over, over 75 individual charges would be brought forth.

On January 29, UNA was served with notice to appear at a criminal contempt hearing the next day. The demands from the provincial government included a $1-million fine, along with the seizure of the union’s funds and assets. By February 4, a court found UNA guilty of criminal contempt of court and fined it $250,000, to be paid within five days. If the nurses did not return to work immediately, they faced discipline, and even termination. Nurses insisted they would walk the picket lines until they secured a collective agreement that they negotiated and was fair. The union paid the criminal contempt fine on February 9. While they were at the courthouse at this exact time, they were served with a notice of motion of a second criminal contempt charge.

On Friday, February 12, 82% of nurses voted to accept a better offer and return to work. Although the efficacy of the strike can be debated, many saw it as a success, as no rollbacks were achieved. This had a positive impact on contract negotiations for nurses into the next decade. In the end, UNA was fined $426,750 as a result of the strike. In order to help pay the amount, donations were given by other unions.

By the time the Winter Olympic Games in Calagary began on February 13, Edmonton’s hospital emergency departments were open again except for the University of Alberta Hospital. Staff in this emergency department were given a three-week break after being the only fully operational hospital during the province-wide strike.