Alberta hospitals cancelled elective surgery earlier this week as they prepared for a possible nurses’ strike.
The 12,000 members of the United Nurses of Alberta were to take a strike vote March 4.
While it’s illegal for nurses to strike in Alberta, the nurses said cuts to health care have taken their toll. About 8,000 nurses have been laid off since 1993.
A recent Edmonton Journal poll said quality of health care continues to be the biggest campaign issue at 62 percent.
But the health-care cuts don’t seem to have affected premier Ralph Klein’s popularity. The poll taken midway through the election has the premier with a 77 percent approval rating.
