90% Say There is a Nursing Shortage in the Province of PEI

Toronto, ON - A new poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid for the Prince Edward Island Nurses' Union shows almost all (90%) PEI residents say that in their opinion there is a nursing shortage in their province. In order to retain and attract nurses to PEI, thereby reducing the shortage, 96 percent say that the provincial government should increase the salaries paid to nurses. Four in ten (37%) support the provincial government increasing personal income taxes to pay for more nurses.

On the issue of wages and benefits, three-quarters (78%) of Islanders (74% of decided PC voters) say that the province's nurses are "not paid enough." Two in ten (17%) say that nurses are paid "about right" and 5% "don't know." On average, residents believe the province's nurses should receive an increase of 17% over three years. And while, six in ten residents think a 15% (62% of residents) or 22.5% (63% of residents) increase over three years is "about right" -- nearly four in ten (38%) residents (57% of those age 18 to 34) believe nurses should get a total increase of at least 20% or more.

And when posed with a series of trade-offs, 91 percent of residents say that providing better pay and benefits for nurses should be a higher priority for the provincial government than investing in golf courses which attract tourism and create jobs. Eight in ten (83%) say that better pay and benefits for nurses should be a higher priority for the provincial government than hiring public relations firms to promote tourism and stimulate the local economy, and 72% think nurses' pay and benefits should be a higher priority than providing tax cuts.

Overall, seven in ten (69%) of residents believe that the nurses are being more fair and reasonable than the government in the current wage dispute and roughly the same proportion (73%) say that they would blame the government if the negotiations break down.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Prince Edward Island Nurses' Union between May 27th and May 28th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 400 adult PEI residents. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult PEI population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population.

90% Say There is a Nursing Shortage in the Province

PEI residents (90%) overwhelmingly say that there is a nursing shortage in the province. In fact, residents feel strongly about this with 64 percent who say "yes, definitely," while another one-quarter (26%) say "yes, somewhat." Only 9 percent say there is not a nursing shortage. When read a list of options to retain and attract nurses to PEI, thereby reducing the shortage, 96 percent say that they would support (68% strongly support) the provincial government increasing the salaries paid to nurses. A full 95 percent of residents say that federal government should increase the amount of money it transfers to the provinces for health care - a portion of which would be used for nurses.

Seven in ten (69%) say that the provincial government should increase tobacco taxes by $1 per pack to pay for better pay and benefits for nurses. Six in ten (63%) residents would support the provincial government increasing corporate income tax to pay for more nurses, and four in ten (37%) say that they would support the provincial government increasing personal income taxes to pay for more nurses.

• Women (69%) are more likely than men (59%) to say that there is "definitely" a nursing shortage in PEI.
• Men (42%) are more likely to support increasing personal income taxes to pay for more nurses than women (32%).
• Women (68%) are more likely to support increasing the corporate income tax to pay for more nurses than men (58%).

Three-Quarters (78%; 74% of Decided PC Voters) Say Nurses Are Not Paid Enough -- 72% Believe Better Pay and Benefits for Nurses Is A Higher Priority Than Tax Cuts, Hiring A Public Relations Firm (83%) Or Investing In Golf Courses (91%)

On the issue of wages, three-quarters (78%) of PEI residents (74% of decided PC voters) say that nurses in the province are paid "not enough." Two in ten (17%) say that the amount nurses are paid is "about right," and 5% "don't know." On average, residents believe the nurses should receive an increase of 17% over three years. And while, six in ten residents think a 15% (62% of residents) or 22.5% (63% of residents) increase over three years is "about right" -- nearly four in ten (38%) residents (57% of those age 18 to 34) believe nurses should get a total increase of at least 20% or more.

In terms of a trade-off between better pay and benefits for nurses and other provincial priorities, PEI residents were asked to rate which issue they think should be the provincial government's higher priority. Ninety-one percent of resident indicate that better pay and benefits for nurses should be a higher priority than investing in golf courses which attract tourism and create jobs. Eight in ten (83%) believe that better pay and benefits for nurses should be a higher priority than hiring public relations firms to promote tourism and stimulate the local economy, and 72 percent believe that better pay and benefits for nurses should be a higher priority than providing tax cuts.

• Those with a household income of $30k or less (60%) are less likely to say that better pay and benefits for nurses should be more important than tax cuts than those living in higher income households (76% of those earning $30k to less than $50k and 78% of those earning $50k or more).

In the Current Wage Dispute, Seven in Ten (69%) PEI Residents Say That The Nurses Are Being More Fair And Reasonable Than the Provincial Government

Overall, four in ten (42%) residents say that they are familiar with the current bargaining for a new contract between nurses and their provincial employer. In terms of a trade-off between the two parties, PEI residents were asked "thinking about what you've seen, read and heard about the nurses' contract negotiations, presently in the news, who do you think is being more fair and reasonable, the nurses or the government?" Seven in ten (69%) say that the nurses are being more fair and reasonable than the provincial government, while just 7 percent say that provincial government is being more fair and reasonable. If the negotiations break down, 73 percent say (64% of decided PC voters) that they would blame the provincial government, while just 8 percent say that they would blame the nurses.

• Residents age 18 to 34 (84%) are more likely to blame the government if negotiations break down than those age 34 to 54 (70%) or 55+ (69%).

To view the complete release and tables, please open the attached PDF file.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:

Chris Martyn
Senior Vice President
Public Affairs
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900

Sandra Guiry
Research Manager
Public Affairs
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900