The Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses' Union said Thursday it will put the latest contract offer from the provincial government to its membership for a vote, and it's recommending rejection.

The union said the rejection is not about the government's wage offer, but language issues such as market adjustment and extended earnings loss provisions.

"The money is settled here folks, right? We are down to two provisions that government is insisting be in our contract. These are not things we want," union president Debbie Forward said at a news conference.

"All we want to do is have a collective agreement that addresses recruitment and retention. If government would drop these two issues, they would have a contract with nurses."

Union officials said while they have a strong strike mandate, it will put the government's final offer to its members for a vote before taking job action.

Both sides resumed bargaining last week, under a media blackout. On Wednesday, the province took out a provincewide newspaper advertisement outlining its latest offer, and the union confirmed it was mulling it over.

The ad said the starting salary for a newly hired nurse would jump from $45,792 to $60,001 over a proposed four-year contract.

The government said its offer includes a compounded 21.5 per cent raise, in line with what most other public sector unions have accepted.

Forward calls agreement language 'offensive'

In a news release, Forward said the union presented a counter-offer to government outlining modifications to the language issues.

"We have said all along this is about more than money. In fact, we indicated to government in our counter-offer earlier this week that nurses are prepared to accept the monetary proposals, including the 20 per cent wage increase over four years, the step adjustments, and the increases to various differentials and premiums," she said.

"What nurses will not accept are the offensive language issues that government is insisting be added to our collective agreement."

The union said according to the market adjustment language, the province could pay an individual nurse higher wages or benefits than other nurses already working in the same area in order to recruit or retain that individual.

The province also wants the right to terminate nurses who are permanently disabled as a result of their job after two years of receiving earnings loss benefits.

Premier Danny Williams said he wasn't surprised by the union's news.

"We've said all along, right from the start, that we felt that the leadership of the nurses union wanted a strike, and it looks like they're going to get one," he said.

The vote is expected to be concluded in early May.