Saskatchewan's nurses who are members of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) have a weighty decision to make by Monday, June 23.

This is the day when SUN members in every local around the province will vote on the "final offer" made to them by their employers' representatives, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

This will be a very important vote in many respects, not the least of which is that it will settle the nurses' dispute with a four-year contract that brings them to parity (or very close to it) with Alberta nurses. It's also important because other health-care related unions also have had their contracts expire, and are watching to see how this offer comes out in the vote.

If the nurses vote down the contract offer and go on strike, then we're in for a whole new round of negotiations, and will have to deal with a summertime of nurses being on the picket line as the two sides try to find a solution.

One question that will certainly come up is, will the new Essential Services bill just passed by the Legislature be in effect? Some say as the strike vote was taken by SUN before this bill was passed, the bill should not be a factor. If it came down to it, this might have to be settled in a court - the hope is, of course, that this won't be an issue at all, if the nurses accept this contract offer.

If one can ignore some of the negotiating statements (like SAHO's insistence, "this is the best we can do "), the nurses really should take a careful look at the deal itself.

The monetary aspect is, by SUN president Rosalee Longmoore's own assessment, "very lucrative" and ought to be a big part of the consideration. In the first year of the agreement, not only is there a five-per-cent increase in wages, but an additional five per cent "market adjustment", to bring the wages closer to Alberta's levels, and for nurses who have 20 or more years of experience, another two per cent, for a 12-per-cent hike in that first year. This is followed by a five-per-cent raise per year for each of the following three years.

The comments by Longmoore that the money is all there is behind the offer is misstating things; if one takes a look at all parts of the offer, it's quite good. Premiums, like for shifts and weekends, are improved greatly, all overtime is paid double-time, and there are guarantees about numbers being maintained.

The idea is to attract more nurses here to fill our many vacancies; this offer will help make that possible, but only if the nurses vote to accept this contract offer. Knowing the economic climate we are currently in, and what other unions are looking for, the responsible thing would be for SUN to vote "yes" to this contract offer. - Greg Nikkel