SUN's first major setback.

During its first few years, the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) experienced a great deal of success for such a new entity. There would come a time, however, when it would have to lose its first battle. It happened in 1978.

After the strike in 1976, SUN's membership, "seemed satisfied with ...contracts and with the union's operation. Few contentious issues were raised at the annual meeting in March 1977 and there were no concerns about the union's administration" (Slater-Smith, 59). Al Shalansky, SUN Chief Executive Officer attributed the quiet in 1977 to exhaustion after the last round of negotiations. SUN's leadership was not ready for another fight, but by only signing a one-year contract in 1976 SUN had set itself up for negotiations in only one year's time.

Improvements in hours of work and wages were SUN's 1978 primary objectives. Research had shown many nurses were working up to 10 consecutive days without a day off and that days off were grouped at the beginning and end of shift rotations...In 1978 wage levels had once again become a major issue. A Co-operative Wage Study conducted by Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Service Employees International Union, and the Saskatchewan Healthcare Association reclassified Certified Nursing Assistants(CNAs) upward, equal to orderlies, which resulted in wage increases for CNAs retroactive to 1976. Overnight the wage differential between CNAs and registered nurses was reduced from a hard-won 20 per cent to 11-12 per cent. The differential had been destroyed and SUN was determined to restore it (Slater-Smith, 66).

This became the major battleground for the 1978 round of negotiations.

The wage differential was something that the nurses had fought hard for and were not about to relinquish without a fight. Until 1978, nurses had been fighting a battle to be seen as professionals and to be respected as such. Wages similar to their assistants would be seen as an affront to nurses and an attack on their professional integrity. Negotiations proceeded and eventually most of the issues were agreed upon, but it was wage differentials that derailed the negotiations. Instead of taking job action, however, Shalansky recommended that they enter into arbitration.

The honourable Emmett Hall, known for his work on the Commission on Medicare in 1964, was chosen as chair of the arbitration board. SUN was holding out hope that Hall would see the valididty of their position. On September 13, "despite SUN's brief and supporting documentation, the award provided for increases that created only a 10 to 11 per cent differential between RNs and CNAs" (Slater-Smith, 73).