The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, announced today that the Provincial Government has reached a tentative agreement with the Association of Allied Health Professionals (AAHP).

"We are pleased to have reached a tentative collective agreement with AAHP that allows the Provincial Government to provide a generous wage increase to health care professionals while ensuring the deal is in the best long term interests of the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Kennedy. "While the tentative agreement has to be ratified by members before it becomes official, we are pleased that the AAHP has tentatively accepted a wage increase of 20 per cent over four years."

The Provincial Government reached an agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) earlier this year, which represented the first agreement reached with its public employees. The tentative agreement reached with AAHP represents the second such agreement with public sector employees, and wage increases of 8-4-4-4 per cent in each of the following four years, or 21.5 per cent compounded over four years.

"Our government recognizes the valuable contribution that all of our public employees make to our province, including our health care professionals," said Minister Kennedy. "Our province�s health care professionals carry out their duties with the utmost degree of professionalism, which benefits the health care system and the people and communities of Newfoundland and Labrador. On behalf of Premier Williams and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, I would like to thank AAHP president Patti O�Keefe and the AAHP negotiating teams for their professionalism throughout the bargaining process."

Minister Kennedy will respond to media at a scrum to be held at 3:30 p.m. outside of the House of Assembly.

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