BCNU Update Spring 2025

NBABARGAINING MAKEHEALTH CAREBETTER

A GROWING CRISIS BCNU CALLS FOR RENEWED ACTION ON VIOLENCE IN HEALTH CARE

CONVENTION 2025 PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS PLUS ON BEING INCLUDED BCNU’s 2024 HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY CONFERENCE

BC’s nurses are ready to fight for what is theirs

APRIL 28 DAY OF MOURNING

FOR WORKERS INJURED OR KILLED ON THE JOB

Let’s honour their memory by committing to work together to prevent injuries, illnesses, violence, and fatalities in the workplace.

DELIVERING QUALITY CARE MEANS

WORKING IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

BCNU

BCNU calls for

Worksite

Nursing

READY TO ROLL

BC’s

Reflecting on the past and imagining the future at BCNU’s 2024 Human Rights and Equity Conference.

Proposed

for what is theirs in Nurses’ Bargaining Association contract negotiations.

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MISSION STATEMENT

The British Columbia Nurses’ Union protects and advances the health, safety, social and economic well-being of our members, our profession and our communities.

BCNU UPDATE MAGAZINE is published by the BC Nurses’ Union, an independent Canadian union governed by a council elected by our 48,000 members. Signed articles do not necessarily represent official BCNU policies.

EDITOR

Eva Prkachin

CONTRIBUTORS

Jaelyn Bartnik, Juliet Chang, Tina Cheung, Laura Comuzzi, Neil Fisher, Joel French, Adriane Gear, Jim Gould, Lexi Huffman, Kent Hurl, Kath Kitts, Shawn Leclair, Lew MacDonald, Courtney McGillion, Conley Mosterd, Christa Tran

PHOTOS

Neil Fisher, Lexi Huffman, Kent Hurl, Kath Kitts, Emily Larochelle, Conley Mosterd, Eva Prkachin, Anthony Redpath

CONTACT US

BCNU Communications Department 4060 Regent Street Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P5

PHONE 604-433-2268

TOLL FREE 1-800-663-9991

BCNU WEBSITE www.bcnu.org

EMAIL EDITOR evaprkachin@bcnu.org

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Publications Mail Agreement 40834030

BCNU respectfully acknowledges its offices are located on the traditional, unceded and ancestral lands of Indigenous communities across the lands now known as British Columbia. Update Magazine is produced at the BCNU head office in Burnaby, which is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xwmə kwəýəm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səĺilẃəta (Tsleil Waututh) nations whose historical relationships to the land continue to this day.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION

SPRING BRINGS RENEWAL AND a sense of possibility as warmth returns and the days lengthen. But this year, the season feels overshadowed with the rise of hateful rhetoric, economic threats and attacks against our country’s sovereignty. Despite these challenges, I still have tremendous hope for the future for one simple reason: I witness the awesome power of nurses every day. Their power to heal extends beyond patients and provides a playbook for every citizen hoping to make things better.

You can witness that power in our bargaining preparations. Since the fall, BCNU has been hard at work hosting six regional bargaining conferences, one human rights and equity bargaining conference and a provincial bargaining conference. Members from across BC have been actively participating in these events, sharing their hopes for what we can accomplish in this year’s Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) contract negotiations. They’ve rallied through the streets of their communities demanding better from healthcare employers. I’ve been so proud to see these members – some of whom have never taken part in a rally before – take space at these events and share their powerful messages with decision-makers.

BCNU’s elected regional council members have also been leading the way, co-chairing joint committees for the implementation of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (mNPR) and upholding the union’s position and perspective. They have relied on the input of members who volunteered to monitor mNPR implementation in their workplaces, sharing critical on-the-ground evidence that ratios are making a difference. Their lived experience gives us serious leverage when we negotiate expanding ratios with the government.

At a grassroots level, members have been speaking out against unacceptable health

and safety conditions in their workplaces, sounding the alarm on violence in health care and forcing the media to pay attention. At our human rights and equity conference in November, BCNU members shared their innovative and powerful ideas about how we can make the union – and health care – more inclusive and safe for people from marginalized communities. Members have spoken out about ongoing ER closures and the imperative to improve staffing levels to ensure people receive care when they need it. And while much more work is needed on these issues, grassroots member advocacy is building the worker power we need to force change. In these dark times, perhaps more than ever, nurses need to recognize their worth and their power. I challenge every member to do their part to defend our health-care system, fight for what nurses deserve and advocate for our patients. One particularly impactful way to do this is to consider running for a steward position, which you can learn more about on p 45. Members under the NBA contract can do their part by keeping informed about bargaining – stay tuned for union updates and take the time to read the bargaining feature in this magazine for critical information on what is at stake in this round. Take our education modules on the BCNU Member Portal to learn more about the bargaining process. Share your innovative ideas at bargaining@bcnu.org. Attend meetings and town halls. Recognize the hard work your bargaining committee is putting into negotiating the best possible collective agreement for you and your co-workers. And, most importantly, if your union calls on you to take a strike vote, show up and vote. Remember, every BCNU member has power. They just have to decide when and how they will use it. If not now, then when?

ADRIANE GEAR

CEO/STAFF

OUR LEADERSHIP

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

JIM GOULD BCNU CEO

AS BCNU MEMBERS KNOW, the year ahead presents many significant challenges. We are living through unsettling times, where political upheavals are putting immense pressure on our daily lives. The newly elected provincial government is grappling with a substantial deficit that will be top of mind when Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) negotiations commence. Meanwhile, the United States,

Canada’s closest ally for over 150 years, has made threats to our economy – and our sovereignty. On top of these external pressures, our health-care system needs to add considerable numbers of nurses to fulfill minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Adding to the complexity, a federal election looms, the outcome of which may result in a government whose stance on unions and public health care raises concerns.

Despite these turbulent times, I remain buoyed by my experiences working with BCNU members. Their commitment, solidarity and integrity serve as a constant source of inspiration. Likewise, the hard work and agility of BCNU staff, particularly during our recent regional bargaining conferences, fills me with pride.

In times of crisis, there is always opportunity. Members of BCNU now have a unique

chance to define themselves on the public stage. And make no mistake – the world is watching. Minimum nurse-to-patient ratios have positioned BCNU as a world leader in improving the quality of work for nurses and quality of care for patients. The momentum from this victory has strengthened the trust and support we receive from the public. Behind the scenes, BCNU is undergoing a period of evolution, refocusing on traditional approaches that have historically proven effective. As an organization, we are more united and capable than ever, with renewed power to advocate for change.

“The world is watching.”

BCNU CEO Jim Gould

Now is the time to harness that power. I encourage members to keep advocating for improved working conditions, keep engaging with the union and keep getting involved in the political causes that they care about. We are seeking to harness BCNU members’ power and influence to advocate for better working conditions and a stronger voice in health care. The next chapter for BCNU will be shaped by the active participation of every member. When BCNU members work together, exercise their collective power and remain hopeful, there is no limit to what we can achieve. I look forward to continuing to work with members to build a future where nurses are valued, supported and empowered. As we move forward together during these challenging times, please take care of yourselves and look after each other. •

A FIGHTING SPIRIT Since becoming BCNU’s CEO, Jim Gould has worked to reimagine the union and build a bold future for nurses. Jim speaks to members at the 2023 BCNU Convention; Jim and President Adriane Gear wrap day one of this year’s NBA provincial bargaining conference; Jim bargaining with health employer representatives during negotiations for the 2022–2025 NBA provincial collective agreement.

DARLENE DALBY WORKS AS AN Indigenous health liaison with Fraser Health to ensure Indigenous patients feel culturally safe.

“Cultural safety depends on the Indigenous patient to say, ‘I feel culturally safe,’” says Darlene.

“Most of the time, our Indigenous patients feel very vulnerable, very unheard. We let the patients lead the conversation. I let them know that I’m there for them. We connect with Indigenous people to make them feel respected and safe in the hospital. I ask for consent, and we make sure there is a good relationship.”

Her team triages patients who need immediate support and visits those who have been in the hospital for a while,

GUIDING LIGHTS

BCNU ACTIVIST PROFILE

offering encouragement or prayer. She spends time smudging with patients and arranging Elder visits.

Darlene also works at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a facilitator for the Indigenous Cultural Safety Program. She facilitates workshops for future health-care professionals studying at UBC to learn about cultural safety in health care.

Darlene says she enjoys the work, as the school ensures that facilitators and Indigenous students feel safe. All students learn about Indigenous people and their experiences in the healthcare system.

“It fills my soul to know that these practitioners are being taught in a good way,” says Darlene. “We do a

lot of story sharing and cultural case scenarios of things that could be better in health care, giving them first-hand experience before they start their practice.”

As a new steward, she is learning from the rest of the steward team and has helped answer questions about case scenarios, minimum nurseto-patient ratios and the collective agreement.

“BCNU is a very strong union. We have a lot of backing if people feel vulnerable at work,” she says. “The steward role is essential in guiding members through the contract because it is massive. It’s a big undertaking just to pick it up and know your rights.” •

10 QUESTIONS WITH DARLENE DALBY

What is one word you would use to describe yourself?

Curious.

If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

The question doesn’t translate from an Indigenous perspective. You never really want to change something about yourself. If you see opportunities, you go for them; if you see things that could be improved, you just do it. As you see obstacles and challenges in life, you just overcome them.

What is one thing about you that people would be surprised to learn?

I didn’t start my nursing career until age 40, when I went back to school.

Where did you go on your last vacation? Italy, with my husband

Name one place in the world you’d most like to visit. Thailand.

What was the last good thing you read?

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, an Ojibwe author born in Ontario who has lived most of his life in Kamloops.

What was the best piece of career advice you’ve received?

My mom (Karen) always told me to work hard to achieve your goals.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

It is so versatile. I’ve worked in maternity, palliative care, hospice, surgical and ambulatory day care.

What do you like least about being a nurse?

Being short-staffed.

Name one change you would like to make to the health-care system.

Fraser Health and BCNU have made good commitments to Indigenous cultural safety and Truth and Reconciliation. But there is still work to be done.

CHECK IN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

TOUCHDOWN FOR MEMBERS

Nurses rush to the end zone at Vancouver’s Grey Cup Festival

LAST NOVEMBER, the BCNU campaign vehicle helped to build awareness at the Grey Cup Festival in downtown Vancouver. BCNU received an invitation to take part in the community celebrations, a week-long festival leading up to the 111th

Grey Cup CFL championship game played at BC Place Stadium on Nov. 17.

Dozens of members joined BCNU lobby coordinators Bal Fajardo and Cara Muller to volunteer their time at the Grey Cup Festival for three days in Vancouver from Nov. 13–16.

People lined up to give BCNU’s prize wheel a spin, answering health-related questions to win a prize. Volunteers also offered festival-goers free blood pressure checks and spread the word about minimum nurse-to-patient ratios coming to BC.

The union thanks those who volunteered and connected with members of the public. Watch for the BCNU campaign vehicle at community events around the province. Visit the events calendar at BCNU.org to learn more. •

OFFICE SPACE

In December 2024, BCNU announced the purchase of a new office space in Kelowna. Previously, BCNU rented an office space in the region, but unresolved safety issues, a lack of meeting area and limited opportunity for future expansion limited the utility of that space.

BCNU Council decided to purchase the property to allow the union to conduct more meetings onsite and reduce the need for hotel or venue rentals. Additionally, buying the property means members’ dues will be invested into equity rather than funding a lease, honouring the union’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and memberfocused investment.

The new office is a modern, two-storey building conveniently located at 1561 Sutherland Avenue, situated just off Highway 97, five minutes from downtown Kelowna and 15 minutes from the airport. The building includes 17 on-site parking stalls.

While the sale of the office space has been completed, the building currently has tenants in two of the units. Minor renovations to the building are slated to begin shortly and BCNU will move into the new space upon completion.

QUARTERBACKS BCNU lobby coordinators Bal Fajardo and Cara Muller pose with members at the union’s Grey Cup Festival booth in November.

Members at the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial bargaining conference wore pink on Feb. 26 to promote kindness, inclusion and respect in the workplace. The NBA provincial collective agreement contains Article 2, which commits to creating a culturally safe and welcoming health-care system. It also contains a memorandum of agreement on gender diversity and inclusion.

Employers have a legal responsibility to eliminate bullying and harassment and provide psychologically and culturally safe workplaces.

Pink Shirt Day also saw BCNU’s 2SLGBTQ+ caucus launch their Pronouns Matter campaign. The initiative promotes correct use and understanding of pronouns to affirm gender identity and avoid hurtful misgendering.

BCNU applauds members working to eliminate bullying.

ACCESSIBILITY WINS

BCNU members recently shared some great ideas for building more accessible and inclusive workplaces.

To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3, the BCNU Workers with Disabilities Caucus invited members to share suggestions to enhance accessibility at their worksites for those with visible and invisible disabilities. Health-care workers with disabilities, including nurses, face unique challenges and BCNU is committed to addressing these through advocacy, education and member engagement.

Three members who submitted winning ideas were randomly drawn to win a $200 gift basket. Congratulations to South Islands member Alison L., Richmond Vancouver member Taylor S. and Okanagan Similkameen member Kimberly B.

Thank you to everyone who shared ideas to help BCNU build an accessible, inclusive health-care system that respects everyone in it.

SPREADING HOLIDAY CHEER

BCNU connects with the community for the holidays

ON NOV. 30, BCNU South Islands region members took part in the 42nd Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade in downtown Victoria. Current and retired members joined President Adriane Gear and the regional executive team, marching alongside a festively decorated BCNU campaign bus.

South Islands region OHS representative Jocelyn Barr described the event as heartwarming. “It was wonderful to see kids waving at us and hearing people shout ‘we love nurses,’” said Barr. “Engaging with the community shows the

public that nurses are more than just people who work in hospitals. We have family and friends, we participate in the community and we are incredibly diverse.”

The festive atmosphere and warm reception from the crowd made the event a memorable one for everyone involved. As the parade wrapped up, BCNU members left feeling uplifted and proud to represent their profession. “It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do,” said Gear. “Nurses are at the heart of our communities, and it’s an honour to celebrate that with the people we care for every day.” •

MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT BCNU

President Adriane Gear joins South Islands members and their regional executive team at the 42nd Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade in Victoria.

THINK PINK Members celebrate Pink Shirt Day on Feb. 26.

CHECK IN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

BCNU campaigns for equitable workers’ compensation

PSYCHOLOGICAL injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or burnout, have become more prevalent in recent years, particularly among healthcare professionals who face mounting stress and trauma in their roles. Despite this increase, many workers pursuing compensation through WorkSafeBC encounter significant challenges when filing claims for psychological injuries.

In late November, BCNU launched its Break Down the Barriers campaign, aimed at addressing critical flaws in the workers’ compensation claims process for psychological injuries. The

campaign urged people from across the province to endorse an open letter from BCNU President Adriane Gear to the province’s newly elected Minister of Labour, Jennifer Whiteside, calling on her to prioritize legislative and regulatory changes to ensure fair treatment for affected workers.

When the campaign closed in late January, over 1,400 people from across the province had endorsed the letter.

“We were thrilled with the outpouring of support we received throughout this campaign,” says Gear.

“For too long, people filing claims for psychological injury have had additional documentation requirements, faced skepticism from

decision-makers and suffered lengthy adjudication times—obstacles not typically faced by workers filing claims for physical injuries.

“It’s clear that there is widespread support for a system that treats psychological injuries with the same seriousness and fairness as physical injuries.”

The union sent the letter and list of endorsers to Minister Whiteside in January. Interim Executive Councillor, Occupational Health & Safety and Mental Health, Denise Waurynchuk, met with the minister recently to follow up on the letter, asking her to reduce administrative burdens,

streamline claims processes and provide greater recognition of mental health conditions in the workplace.

“We want to create a more equitable workers’ compensation framework – one that acknowledges the profound impact of psychological injuries and ensures timely support for all workers in need,” says Gear. •

SENIOR NURSES’ NETWORK REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED

The newly created BCNU Senior Nurses’ Network will have strong member leadership after special elections concluded in January 2025.

The network will advocate for members who are 55 years and older and includes human rights and equity representatives from each of the union’s 16 regions.

Five members were elected and eight were acclaimed during this year’s election, including two alternates. Five regions

remain vacant, and there is one alternate spot. Melina Kerrivan was elected to the position of provincial network chair.

The Senior Nurses’ Network came about following a resolution passed at BCNU’s 2024 convention. The resolution called on the union to fulfill its constitutional obligation to promote human rights and equity and strive to eliminate barriers to members’ involvement and inclusion in BCNU activities. The resolution identified

multiple stressors on senior nurses, including taking care of children and elderly parents, their need to consider retirement planning and the influence of ageism as senior nurses enter the twilight of their careers.

Now that the network has member representatives, they plan to meet in the coming months to establish the network’s terms of reference and develop a strategic plan.

BCNU STUDENT MEMBERS MAKE CONNECTIONS AT CNSA CONFERENCE

STUDENT nurses from across Canada gathered in Halifax from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 for this year’s Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA) National Conference. This year’s theme, Together for Tomorrow: Driving Change for More Inclusive Health Care, challenged attendees to explore innovative approaches, actionable insights and meaningful dialogue to empower the next generation of nursing professionals. The student volunteer-run event featured an impressive lineup of workshops, panel options and keynote speakers.

BCNU sponsored students from each of its 16 regions, along with one Indigenous student nurse, reflecting the union’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to increase Indigenous representation in health care.

BCNU West Kootenay region student Alicia Pongracz, now in her second year at Selkirk College, University of Victoria, attended as an elected student liaison.

“This conference provides a space for students to think critically, discuss current

issues in health care and education, present research projects and leadership initiatives and advocate for social justice and policy change,” said Pongracz. “It inspired me to be even more active in my learning, the union and other nursing organizations.”

Throughout the conference, dozens of student nurses visited the BCNU exhibitor booth, learning about student membership and education opportu-

THE FUTURE clockwise from top: the full BCNU delegation for this year’s CNSA conference; BCNU employed student nurse

Danna Domasig, North West regional council member Teri Forster, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions President Linda Silas and student nurse Noel Joseph; BCNU student nurses Alicia Pongracz and Ashley Jakob.

nities and reviewing the current Nurses’ Bargaining Association wage grid.

BCNU North West regional council member and student nurse council liaison Teri Forster represented BCNU at the conference alongside Young Nurses’ Network regional representatives Mike Woywitka and Alisha Norris.

“I continue to be amazed at the interest nursing students have when they visit BCNU’s booth,” said Forster. “They ask good questions about working in BC, what nursing is like on the front lines and exhibit a real passion for starting their careers.”

BCNU student nurses will have a significant role in shaping CNSA’s future, thanks to a strong showing

in this year’s CNSA board of directors elections.

Several BC student nurses were elected to national positions. New South Islands region graduate Mackinlee Brisban was elected Psychiatric Nursing Director, Pacific Rim region student nurse member Christine Gustafsson as Environmental Sustainability Advocate and Pongracz was elected Indigenous Caucus Chair.

“These strong student voices will benefit their peers – and the profession –nationwide,” says Forster. I look forward to connecting with these newly-elected members and building stronger ties between BCNU and CNSA. •

CNSA 2025 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

HONOURING A LIFE LOST

BCNU West Kootenay region unites in memory of nurse

Lindsay Danchella

DECEMBER 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, is a sombre day on the Canadian calendar. Each year, people across the country commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 massacre at École Polytechnique in Montreal, when 14 women were murdered for seeking an education. Last December, the atmosphere in Montrose, BC, was particularly heavy in the wake

of the murder of local nurse Lindsay Danchella, 44, by her estranged husband in the village just east of Trail.

“We held a vigil immediately after we learned Lindsay had died, recognizing the impact that this had had on the community and on our nurses,” says Shalane Wesnoski, BCNU West Kootenay regional council member. “Coming from a small area, people were really hurting, so it was good to bring people together in that moment.”

The gathering in Danchella’s memory provided an opportunity for those who knew her to comfort each other and reflect on the life of their friend, family member, colleague and neighbour.

BCNU West Kootenay region lobby coordinator Tamara Roscoe was among those in attendance at the vigil and left the event wanting to do more. She began connecting with others in the community, including the Trail Family and Individual Resource (FAIR) Society, an organization that previously helped Danchella and her son get transitional housing when she was leaving her abusive relationship. FAIR was among 16 organizations, one for each BCNU region, to which the union made donations in 2024 to commemorate the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Roscoe also engaged with local elected officials at every level of government, who, along with Trail FAIR, agreed to support a memorial march in Danchella’s honour.

“I’m a nurse – normally, I don’t do this kind of stuff,” says Roscoe of her organizing efforts. “So, I am quite thankful that I had this platform to rally the troops. The community we live in is such a cool place. I was putting out flyers to raise public awareness

about the march. People were so kind.”

Supporters gathered on Dec. 5 and marched through the town of Trail wearing purple ribbons to commemorate Danchella and other victims of domestic violence. The march concluded in front of the Trail Riverfront Centre, where Roscoe and others spoke about the need for more government action against domestic violence and support for victims.

A CALL FOR CHANGE

Danchella’s death and the broader problem of domestic violence in the province motivated Roscoe to push elected leaders at every level to do more. She drafted a letter to her local MP and MLAs, as well as Premier David Eby, asking them to support legislative changes and to enforce existing laws focused on prevention and support for victims and communities. She asked march attendees to sign the letter to Eby, an action Roscoe felt was a fitting tribute to Danchella’s way of addressing issues.

“Anybody who knew Lindsay knows she was a very organized and thoughtful person in terms of taking action and advocating for herself,” she says. “Even though she did all the right things for herself

Content warning: This article discusses sensitive topics, including domestic violence, gender-based violence and murder. Reader discretion is advised.

and her son, the system still failed her. That’s why we have called for the government to take five important steps to address domestic violence, including education, public awareness and more support.”

(See the sidebar below to read the letter’s five calls to action against domestic violence.)

Statistics show that domestic

violence is far too common in BC. One in four victims of violence are victimized by family members. Victims are also three times more likely to be women than men, and 80 percent of those affected don’t report intimate partner violence to the police. The Canadian Women’s Foundation reports that one woman in Canada is killed

FIVE CALLS TO ACTION

every 48 hours due to gender-based violence.

“I think so much of what you hear around domestic violence and specifically around violence against women is that people feel shame,” says Wesnoski. “They don’t feel like they can talk about it. It’s sort of this hidden thing. That’s why it’s so important to bring it out to an

open audience.”

She adds that while BCNU members mourn the loss of Lindsay Danchella – one of their own – violence against women and gender-diverse people in communities across BC is systemic and demands action by leaders at all levels to protect their rights and to create safer spaces for them where they live and work. •

THE LETTER THE BCNU WEST KOOTENAY REGIONAL EXECUTIVE WROTE TO PREMIER DAVID EBY AND OTHER ELECTED leaders highlighted five changes policymakers should prioritize to address domestic violence:

Many shelters are underfunded and struggle to meet the demand for their services. Additional funding would help provide safe housing, counselling and resources that empower survivors to rebuild their lives.

This includes improved access to restraining orders, protection for survivors in court proceedings and ensuring that victims are aware of their legal rights and options.

Proper training helps ensure that law enforcement handles domestic violence cases sensitively and effectively. Educating police, judges and other officials about the complexities of domestic violence will promote fairer treatment, helping to enact preventative measures that protect survivors.

The legal system must rigorously enforce existing domestic violence laws, hold offenders accountable and ensure that victims receive the protection they deserve.

Domestic violence survivors often experience severe emotional and psychological trauma, and accessible mental health resources are crucial for their recovery. Increasing funding for community mental health services can ensure that survivors have the counseling and support they need. Additionally, providing mental health resources and counselling for abusers can be an essential preventative measure, helping individuals address the issues underlying abusive behaviours and reduce the likelihood of future harm.

BCNU encourages members to send their own letters to elected officials asking them to take action to address domestic violence.

ACTION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BCNU West Kootenay regional lobby coordinator Tamara Roscoe organized a memorial march in Trail on Dec. 5, 2024, to honour the memory of Lindsay Danchella and to push for policy changes to help address domestic violence in BC.

RATIOS SAVE LIVES

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

BCNU takes centre stage at national ratios summit

AS BC TAKES BOLD steps to implement minimum nurse-topatient ratios (mNPR), the rest of the country is taking notice.

Last fall, BCNU participated in two major national events showcasing the union’s leadership in securing and implementing mNPR in British Columbia. This innovative policy solution – the first of its kind in Canada – promises to dramatically enhance patient care while improving nurses’ working conditions.

At the inaugural National NursePatient Ratios Summit, hosted by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) in Ottawa on Nov. 27, BCNU’s experience was front and centre. As the first province to implement mNPR, BCNU’s work serves as a blueprint for nurses’ unions across the country, many of whom are grappling with staffing crises in their home provinces.

The summit brought together union leaders, policymakers and

frontline nurses to discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing ratios at the provincial level. Topics included legislative advocacy, funding mechanisms and the practical steps for introducing ratios in different health-care settings.

CFNU President Linda Silas applauded the progress made in BC, stressing the importance of addressing the national and international nurse staffing crisis. “The nurse staffing crisis knows no borders. We are facing a global nursing shortage, and safe nurse staffing is critically important,” said Silas. “Safe staffing models are being brought into effect in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and we know strong implementation is critical to success. Working together, we can solve the nursing shortage with tangible, evidence-based solutions.”

BCNU President Adriane Gear’s presentation, “Implementing Minimum Nurse-to-Patient Ratios: The BC Experience,” recounted the years of advocacy, research and

collaboration to secure mNPR in the province. She highlighted the union’s ongoing efforts to hold the government accountable for successfully implementing this critical initiative.

“This achievement is the result of years of hard work and leadership by BCNU members,” said Gear. “We’re proud to share our experiences and to learn from others. Together, we can build a stronger, safer healthcare system for nurses and patients everywhere.”

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON MNPR

Professor Jane Ball, a globally respected health-care researcher and head of the United Kingdom’s Institute of Nursing Excellence, also presented at the summit. Drawing from extensive international studies, she stressed that safe staffing is not just convenient – it’s a matter of life and death.

Ball’s research revealed a striking 11 percent reduction in the odds of mortality among surgical patients in hospitals with two fewer patients per nurse. Similarly, hospitals with more favourable nurse work environments saw a 13 percent decrease in the odds of patient deaths. When hospitals excelled in three areas – lower patient-to-nurse ratios, better work environments and more educated nursing staff – the odds of surgical

RATIOS WORK CFNU President Linda Silas, BCNU President Adriane Gear, and BCNU CEO Jim Gould attend Canada’s first national summit on minimum nursepatient ratios to share BC’s experience in support of a national framework.

patient mortality dropped by approximately 30 percent.

Ball also drew attention to the concept of “missed care.” These are the tasks that nurses struggle to complete when they are understaffed, such as patient monitoring, medication administration and emotional support. Studies have shown that essential care activities often go undone when nurses are stretched too thin. This missed care directly impacts patient safety, with a 10 percent increase in missed care associated with a 16 percent increase in mortality rates.

“Our nurses are doing more than improving health care in BC – they are also helping shape the future of Canada’s healthcare system.”

BCNU President Adriane Gear

BCNU MEMBERS SHARE INSIGHTS

BCNU West Kootenay regional council member Shalane Wesnoski, Pacific Rim regional council member Kelley Charters and BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby attended the summit. They described the atmosphere as momentous and filled with a sense of purpose among attendees who were passionate about developing a national framework for nurse-to-patient ratios.

The discussions over the two-day summit highlighted the shared challenges provinces face and the critical role of working together in finding solutions. Wesnoski found inspiration in the collective recognition of the progress being made in BC. “There was a real sense of pride in what we’re accomplishing,” she said. “But more importantly, there was an understanding that this work isn’t just for us – it’s for the entire country. The rest of Canada is watching and eager to follow our lead.”

RATIOS

The implications of missed care are far-reaching, affecting patient outcomes and contributing to nurse burnout and job dissatisfaction. However, as Ball’s research made clear, these challenges are not insurmountable. By implementing evidence-based solutions like nurseto-patient ratios, health-care systems can address these systemic issues and create safer environments for patients and nurses.

Charters described a particularly meaningful moment when presenters shared research demonstrating the long-standing benefits of nurse-topatient ratios. “The data presented was the same data BCNU cited over a decade ago during arbitration to stop cuts to nursing,” she explained. “It’s been consistent for years – adding nurses improves patient outcomes. Seeing that evidence reaffirmed was a full-circle moment for me.”

The summit also fostered collaboration among nursing unions and experts. Wesnoski noted that attendees from other provinces were eager to connect with BC nurses and learn from their experiences. “People kept coming up to us, asking, ‘What are you doing in BC?’ because they wanted to bring those strategies

JOIN THE RATIOS MONITORING TEAM

AS THE ROLLOUT OF MINIMUM nurse-to-patient ratios (mNPR) continues, BCNU has launched a monitoring initiative to collect data and first-hand experiences from nurses across the province. This effort will assess how well ratios are being implemented and pinpoint areas needing improvement.

BCNU CEO Jim Gould emphasized the critical role nurses play in this process. “Nurses in every health authority and care setting are essential to holding employers accountable. Your experiences will help us determine whether these ratios are properly enforced and identify where changes are needed.”

BCNU encourages members to get involved by joining focus groups, sharing feedback through surveys and monitoring how ratios are being applied in their workplaces.

Scan the QR code to participate.

CHECK IN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

home,” she said.

Wesnoski summed up the lasting impact of the summit: “This is legacy work. We are fundamentally changing how health care will be delivered – not just in BC, but across the country.”

BCNU INSPIRES ACTION AT CANADIAN HEALTH WORKFORCE CONFERENCE

The next day, Gear spoke at the 10th annual Canadian Health Workforce Conference at the University of Ottawa. This key event brings together researchers and health-care professionals to address workforce planning and staffing challenges. Attendees from across Canada expressed keen interest in how BC’s model could help address their staffing shortages and growing demands on the health-care system.

“Our nurses are doing more than improving health care in BC – they are also helping shape the future of Canada’s health-care system ,” Gear said. “By sharing our experience, BCNU members are contributing to

a stronger, more sustainable system for nurses and patients across the country.”

WORK CONTINUES

As BC moves forward with mNPR, the province is making a major shift in health-care policy at home while inspiring change in other provinces –and around the world. This initiative proves that real change is possible when people work together. But the work isn’t finished. Holding health authorities accountable, reporting staffing shortages and continuing to push for improvements will take ongoing effort.

This change is about more than numbers – it’s about improving the culture of health care in BC. It’s about creating a system that values nurses, prioritizes patient safety and sets a higher standard for care. There is still work to be done, but with continued effort, a safer and more sustainable health-care system is finally within reach.

NURSE HIRING DELAYS

their potential impact on staffing and patient care.

“This work isn’t just for us – it’s for the entire country. The rest of Canada is watching and eager to follow our lead.”

Shalane Wesnoski

While implementing ratios is an important step forward, success depends on having enough nurses in place. Unfortunately, BCNU continues to receive reports of qualified nurses facing delays in being hired by BC health authorities.

To better understand the issue, BCNU launched a campaign to collect firsthand accounts from nurses who have experienced hiring delays. New graduates, internationally trained nurses and experienced nurses transferring between health authorities have all reported long waits before securing employment, raising concerns about inefficiencies in the hiring process.

These delays raise serious questions about whether current hiring practices are helping or hindering efforts to address staffing shortages. BCNU is gathering these experiences through a confidential reporting system at bcnu.org, providing nurses with a way to share their concerns. This information will help build a clearer picture of the problem and support efforts to improve hiring practices.

“Addressing hiring delays is essential to making sure nurse-to-patient ratios improve care and working conditions across BC,” said Gear. “We cannot let unnecessary delays slow down our progress.”

The stories gathered will assist the union in bringing this issue directly to the Ministry of Health and continuing to advocate for a more efficient hiring process and real, tangible solutions to the nurse staffing crisis. •

SHARING SOLUTIONS BCNU President Adriane Gear attends the 10th annual Canadian Health Workforce Conference at the University of Ottawa, sharing insights on the work to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in British Columbia and

GEARING UP FOR A FEDERAL ELECTION

BCNU encouraging members to join CFNU campaign highlighting nurses’ priorities

From coast to coast to coast, Canadians take pride in our public health-care system, which provides care to anyone who needs it regardless of their ability to pay. While each province and territory administers its own health-care system, federal legislation and funding keeps it universal. That makes health care a key ballot box issue as the country heads into a federal election this year – and means this election is a critical one for BCNU members.

The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization and warns that underfunding and private sector interests that prioritize profit over patient care are threatening Canada’s public health-care system.

British Columbians know that threat all too well. For more than a decade, Vancouver-based medical doctor Brian Day attempted to use the courts to open the floodgates for private health care in Canada. His legal battle ended in 2023 when the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutionality of the BC Medicare Protection Act, which ensures equitable access to medically necessary services. BCNU was among the initial interveners in the case, fighting to maintain universal health care.

“Private corporations, particularly those in the United States that make enormous profits in health care, see a huge opportunity in Canada’s healthcare systems to make money for their investors,” says CFNU President Linda Silas. “We know every dollar that goes

to profit is a dollar not spent on care, so it’s a serious threat to universal care for patients across our country.”

As the parties lay out their priorities for the election, BCNU members can and should speak out on issues related to nursing. Nurses know the effects of Canada’s nursing shortage and the privatization of health care better than anyone. They are uniquely positioned to fight for more affordable, accessible and safe long-term care settings.

“Members’ voices should be front and centre in the next federal election because they are subject matter experts,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “They have the potential not only to fight back against attacks against public health care but to help build a better public health-care system.”

The need to advocate for more investments in public health care is especially apparent when it comes to affordability. For years, Canada has been the only country in the world with a public health-care system that does not include universal coverage for prescribed medicine. That began to change last year when the federal

ALL IN BCNU members have an important role to play in the upcoming federal election.

government passed legislation covering several contraception and diabetes medications, but far more remains to be done to ensure patients have access to all essential medicines. This federal election offers an opportunity for voters to hear from political leaders about whether or not they support public coverage for pharmaceuticals.

The growth of for-profit agency nursing is also a key concern, as it funnels public funding to private corporations, diverting those funds away from public investments in permanent staff. CFNU is calling for solutions including phasing out for-profit nursing agencies, introducing a cap on agency spending and retaining full-time, publicly employed nurses rather than paying premium rates to agencies.

Read more about the drawbacks of for-profit agency nursing on page 23.

RESPONDING TO THE RISE IN RIGHT-WING POPULISM

Canada’s political landscape has changed significantly since the election of Donald Trump in the US. In addition to the serious economic impacts that continue to unfold, the new administration’s approach has emboldened voices of intolerance, threatening progress related to diversity, equity and inclusion – core BCNU principles.

Even before the results of the 2024

US election were clear, forces advancing a racist, anti-2SLGBTQ+ agenda were coming to the forefront in BC, spouting ideologies totally in conflict with BCNU’s organizational values. The 2024 Conservative provincial election campaign pledged to roll back reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and supports related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Unfortunately, these attacks continue.

At the federal level, when a voter asked Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre what he thought about diversity, equity and inclusion at an event in 2023, he responded, “It’s all garbage.” Poilievre also made anti-2SLGBTQ+ comments Amnesty International Canada characterized as “shameful rhetoric,” causing the human rights organization to state that it “wholeheartedly condemns any attempt to scapegoat members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community to score political points.”

“It’s concerning to see the growth of intolerance and hate among some of our political leaders and in our public discourse in Canada,” says BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby, who also serves as the union’s provincial lobby coordinator. “Political leaders of all stripes should be united in condemning discrimination in all its forms, but unfortunately some are embracing it.”

BCNU takes a non-partisan approach to elections, though it does not shy away from looking critically at how the policies and records of political leaders measure up to the union’s values. BCNU’s regional lobby coordinators played a key role in the 2024 provincial election, engaging with candidates from all political parties to highlight members’ priorities. As the union’s point people on political action, they are poised to lead regional engagement in the federal election as well, connecting with candidates and encouraging members to be active participants in the election to push for a stronger public health-care system.

“Political leaders of all stripes should be united in condemning discrimination in all its forms, but unfortunately some are embracing it.”

BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby

“Our lobby coordinators are working diligently in their regions to make sure policymakers and the public are paying attention to issues that are important to nurses and the patients we serve,” says Newby. “Their efforts are key to our success and will be even more effective if our members everywhere are engaged and help to reinforce our priorities in their communities.”

CFNU has launched a new website at allforcare.ca, highlighting federal election issues that are important for nurses. BCNU encourages members to use this website as a reference for health-care priorities, sign up for its email list and use the “take action” tool to send email messages to party leaders about the need to strengthen the health-care system.

“We’re asking voters to go all in on in this campaign by fighting for nurses, defending public health care and protecting patients,” says Silas. “The election is too important for nurses to sit on the sidelines. We need to speak out loud and clear to political leaders and the public as champions of public health care, ensuring every person can receive the care they need.” •

Learn more at allforcare.ca

A PUBLIC PLEDGE BCNU Shaughnessy Heights region lobby coordinator Baljit Fajardo, MLA Adrian Dix and BCNU Shaughnessy Heights region council member Claudette Jut with BCNU’s 2024 provincial election pledge.

HEALTH & SAFETY

A GROWING CRISIS

BCNU calls for renewed action on violence in health care

FOR HELP

ON A ROUTINE NIGHT shift at Surrey Memorial Hospital last June, emergency room nurse Janice McCaffery was doing what she had done for years – caring for patients under high-stress conditions. As with most shifts, they were short-staffed that night, but that didn’t keep McCaffery and her colleagues from working as hard as they could to tend to over 30 people lined up in the waiting room and the dozens of patients who had already been admitted.

A nurse for over 40 years, McCaffery was in her usual work mode that night, unaware that she was about to become a victim of a violent attack that would change her life and career in an instant.

As she tended to a young male patient under the influence of a non-prescribed drug, the man lunged at her without

warning, grabbed her uniform and started punching her repeatedly in the head. Her colleagues, who heard her screams, came running to help and called a code white – an alert that someone was behaving aggressively. The brutal assault left McCaffery with serious head trauma, including a brain bleed, and ever since then, she continues to experience nausea, dizziness and double vision.

“It’s been absolutely devastating,” says McCaffery, who has been off work since the attack. “I’ve dedicated my life to this job, to helping people. But now I wake up every day with headaches,

“We must do more to protect the ones providing care.”

Janice McCaffery

dizziness and the fear that it could happen again.

I’m a masters-level educated nurse who is now facing the fact that my career is over because of an unprovoked attack. My life will never be the same. We must do more to protect the ones providing care.”

McCaffery’s story is sadly just one of many. Across British Columbia, violence in health-care settings has been escalating at an alarming rate, leaving health workers traumatized, injured and increasingly fearful for their safety. According to Statistics Canada, nurses report an average of 51 injuries per month due to an act of violence. That’s nearly two nurses per day, assaulted to the point that they must take time off work to recover. The number of reported assaults has risen from 43 in the period between 2019–2023.

While BCNU has been sounding the alarm for many years through campaigns, earned media, government meetings and public advertising, vio-

Content warning: This article discusses sensitive topics, including violence against health-care workers. Reader discretion is advised.

CALLING

Janice McCaffery suffered a life-changing injury after a violent attack at work.

HEALTH & SAFETY

IN THE WORKPLACE

lence against health-care workers continues to be a systemic crisis in need of urgent action. Recently, following a string of high-profile attacks in hospitals across the province, the issue has received widespread media attention, putting both health employers and the provincial government on notice that it’s time to confront the growing crisis.

A SYSTEM UNDER SIEGE

Violence in health-care settings is not a new problem, but McCaffery and other nurses working in the system say it’s getting worse. In the last few months, there have been multiple violent incidents in hospitals across BC, adding to the sense of fear and frustration among nurses and hospital staff.

In November, a student nurse on shift at Vancouver General Hospital suffered serious knife wounds to her arm and chin when a patient who was hiding a pocketknife in their bed attacked her. The nurse is recovering from her injuries, but the terrifying incident raised serious concerns about the lack of safety measures that were in place to manage the patient, who had already threatened staff earlier that day.

That same month, a nurse at Eagle Ridge Hospital suffered severe injuries after an agitated individual in the emergency department attacked her. Police later charged the man. Two months after that, nurses and health-care staff working in the emergency department at the same hospital were left traumatized when a man threatened them with a machete, prompting the first Code Silver – an alert for a person with a weapon – in the hospital’s history.

All three incidents received widespread media coverage and have exposed the concerning reality that violence in health care is a growing trend.

“These incidents are just the tip of the iceberg,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “We know that nurses are threatened with or experience violence like this every day, but many attacks go unreported. Unfortunately, there is still a culture within healthcare settings that sees violence as ‘part of the job.’

It’s time for that to end,” says Gear.

MAKING AN URGENT CALL

Over the years, BCNU has been actively raising the issue at all levels of government and was one of the first unions to call for Criminal Code amendments to help keep nurses safe. The union’s 2017 campaign, Violence: Not Part of the Job alerted the public to the frequency of workplace violence against nurses, and nurses’ unions across the country picked up BCNU’s message.

Last December, BCNU’s advocacy about this issue reached the Canadian Parliament. In a presentation to members of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, BCNU President Adriane Gear and Interim Executive Councillor of Occupational Health and Safety and Mental Health Denise Waurynchuk recommended that the committee accept Bill C-321, legislation that, if passed, would amend the Criminal Code to ensure stricter sentences for people who assault health-care workers.

Waurynchuk took the opportunity to reference key statistics collected in a province-wide, BCNU member survey commissioned in the spring of 2024 that garnered over four thousand responses.

“The findings of our Not Okay campaign survey are eye-opening and

show the extent of how violence is impacting nurses in this province,” she explained. “At least monthly, 39 percent say they are exposed to weapons. Sixty-one percent say they are exposed to illicit substances and half experience physical violence at least once a month .”

Unfortunately, the push to see Bill C-321 passed came to a halt late last year when the federal government prorogued parliament. And while the defeat came as a disappointment to many, it hasn’t deterred BCNU’s continued fight to shine a light on the issue.

“Thanks to the advocacy shown by BC nurses, there has been a significant increase in awareness about violence in health care – and we’ve seen some positive steps in the right direction,” says Waurynchuk. “Nurses’ occupational health and safety is a main priority for us as a union.”

VIOLENCE IMPACTING HEALTH-CARE WORKERS

The psychological and physical toll of workplace violence on healthcare workers is immense. Many who experience violent attacks suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Some leave the profession entirely, contributing to the staffing shortages plaguing BC’s health-care system. However, when workers with psychological injuries face file claims through WorkSafeBC, they often meet significant barriers preventing their access to speedy and effective care. Their experiences inspired a recent BCNU campaign called Break Down the Barriers. The campaign asked members to endorse an open letter from BCNU President Adriane Gear to newly appointed

BC Labour Minister, Jennifer Whiteside, calling for a fair and equitable claim process for those suffering psychological injury.

Over 1,400 people signed the open letter, which went to Minister Whiteside’s office in late January.

“We felt it was important to bring attention to a serious injustice affecting nurses and other workers in BC who have experienced critical incidents and cumulative stressors at work,” says Gear. “We will follow up with the government, and we look forward to hearing what steps it will take to ensure the needed legislative and regulatory changes are in place to make the WorkSafeBC psychological and physical claims processes as fair as possible.”

Danette Thomsen is BCNU’s North East regional council member. Thomsen says violence is taking a significant toll on nurses in rural and remote areas of the province who don’t have sufficient access to adequate resources or support services.

Despite requests for increased safety measures, equipment and personnel, many nurses in BC’s northern communities continue to provide patient care in isolated environments or in health-care facilities that are desperately short-staffed.

“Nurses tell me the mental strain of going back to an environment where they could be attacked is unbearable,” says Thomsen.” The fear of violence has led many nurses to take extra precautions or even contemplate career changes. The stress of not knowing if you’ll be safe at work is driving so many nurses away.”

BCNU’S MESSAGE TO EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENT

BCNU continues to ramp up pressure on health authorities and the provincial government to explore solutions, like expanding the number of relational security officers (RSOs) to smaller, community-based healthcare settings and facilities in rural communities. On Oct. 24, 2022, the provincial government announced the recruitment of 320 RSOs and 14 violence prevention leads, demonstrating the effectiveness of BCNU members’ pressure campaign.

These officers work in tandem with health-care teams, have hands-on training and are equipped to de-escalate situations when they arise. Since the move to bring RSOs to healthcare facilities, many nurses have reported feeling safer at work.

However, despite this positive step forward, there are hundreds of facilities across the province that rely on hired security personnel, many of whom lack the training required to manage violent incidents or situations involving individuals needing mental health and substance use care.

“As the number of people without a family doctor or access to community mental health services grows, we are seeing emergency departments act as the first point of contact for individuals needing care for mental health and addictions,” says Gear. “The nurses and health-care staff are often the ones who are in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

For McCaffery, she knows that violence can come in all forms. In her 40-year career, she’s experienced a long list of physical attacks.

“I’ve been bitten, spat on, have had human feces thrown at me and

A PROVINCE-WIDE BCNU SURVEY revealed startling statistics on the regularity and frequency of workplace incidents across all health authorities. These unsafe working conditions imperil recruitment and retention efforts while compromising patient care, and they demand a sustained and effective strategy from health authorities. From verbal and/or physical violence to verbal and/or emotional abuse and exposure to illicit substances and weapons, BC’s nurses are not okay.

ON A MONTHLY BASIS:

of members report working short-staffed.

of members’ units are exposed to illicit substances. of members say they experience verbal and/ or emotional abuse. of members report exposure to weapons. of members say they experience verbal and/ or physical violence.

More than 1/3

of members are seriously considering leaving the profession or are making plans to do so.

HEALTH & SAFETY

have been groped numerous times,” she explains. “You never know what to expect.”

SHORT STAFFING LINKED TO VIOLENCE

The violence plaguing BC’s healthcare system is not an isolated issue – it is a symptom of broader systemic failures, including the province’s chronic staffing shortage, which is the root cause of many dysfunctional consequences. Statistics Canada shows over 5,000 nurse vacancies in BC, depicting an inverse relationship between nurse staffing levels and workplace violence. As nurse staffing levels drop, violence against nurses rises, and so does the risk to patient safety.

In addition to managing the

staffing crisis to promote safer work environments, BCNU is also pressing employers for effective local-level reporting mechanisms that address the unacceptable levels of violence in health-care workplaces and, instead, foster a culture of worker safety.

The glaring challenges around reporting were on full display in BCNU’s recent Not Okay survey, which found that despite 99 percent of respondents admitting they’d experienced reportable incidents, more than half said they had not reported anything because they lacked faith that their employer would do anything about it.

“It’s unacceptable that health employers have created a culture where nurses don’t feel as if they can come forward and report these incidents,” says Gear.

Average Nurse Vacancies in British Columbia, 2017–2024

A CALL FOR ACTION

McCaffery’s story, and those of the thousands of nurses across BC whose personal and professional lives have been altered due to violence, is a tragic reminder of the human cost of inaction.

As reports of violence increase, BCNU continues to apply pressure on both health employers and the government, demanding decisive action and a focus on increased security, better mental health services, improved reporting options for nurses and stricter penalties for violence against health-care workers.

“We’ve been calling for action for years, and yet nurses continue to be punched, kicked, bitten and threatened on a regular basis,” says Gear. “How many more health-care workers need to be injured before meaningful change happens?” •

Nurse vacancies skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not yet come down. Short staffing increases the risk of violence against nurses and undermines patient safety.

Source: STATS Canada.

FOR PATIENTS NOT PROFIT

For-profit nursing agencies are costing the province millions while impacting patient care

JENNIFER MARTIN

didn’t think she would ever be a nurse, let alone one who specialized in geriatrics, working with residents at a long-term care home in her hometown of Sechelt. From the close-knit group of nurses she enjoyed working with, to the one-onone relationships she built with the elderly residents living at the home, she says the experience was rewarding and eye-opening.

“It definitely impacts the continuity of care.”

Martin

“I ended up loving it,” she explains. “I loved how close the nursing team was. It’s like working with an extended family because all of you are focused not just on the residents’ medical needs, but their quality of life, comfort and making their experiences worthwhile.”

For a year, Martin dedicated herself to providing compassionate care at Silvestone Care Centre, a privately owned long-term care home built by Trellis Seniors Services in 2017. Vancouver Coastal Health commissioned the centre to replace the community’s two older, publicly owned long-term care homes: Shorncliffe and Totem Lodge.

While she enjoyed forming deep connections with Silverstone’s residents and their families, she became increasingly frustrated by the

facility’s growing reliance on agency nurses – temporary nursing staff contracted by for-profit staffing agencies. When Shorncliffe and Totem Lodge operated, the facilities employed dozens of unionized workers. Today, only a handful remain.

Martin made the difficult decision to leave, trading the uncertainty of agency-heavy staffing for the stability of GoHealth BC, the province’s in-house travel nurse program. Today, she is providing care across BC while enjoying the security and benefits of a collective agreement.

GROWING RELIANCE ON AGENCY NURSES DRIVING UP COSTS

Across BC, the use of agency nurses has become a widespread trend in long-term care facilities and

Jennifer

UNION STRONG Jennifer Martin joined BC’s public travel nursing program after witnessing the negative effects of agency nursing in a local long-term care home.

THE PATH TO REDUCING THE province’s dependence on for-profit agency nursing is clear: invest in the nurses already working in BC’s healthcare system. Instead of spending millions of dollars outsourcing nursing jobs, BCNU is calling on health authorities to make publicsector positions more attractive and sustainable. That includes:

IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS to address burnout, unreasonable job expectations, inadequate staffing, lack of control over scheduling and regular exposure to violence in the workplace.

INVESTING IN COMPETITIVE WAGES can actually save money for taxpayers by preventing costly outsourcing to for-profit agencies.

STRENGTHENING RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND TRAINING with recruitment incentives, signing bonuses, career development pathways and mentorship programs.

IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM NURSE-TO-PATIENT RATIOS to ensure safe staffing levels that keep nurses in the public system and ensure better patient care.

rural communities

ensuring that travel

have good working conditions and job security.

hospitals struggling with staffing shortages. While these temporary nurses play a crucial role in filling gaps, overreliance on agency staffing comes with significant drawbacks, ultimately driving nurses like Martin to seek a different path.

of taxpayer dollars,” she explains. “Rather than investing in long-term recruitment and retention strategies, health authorities funnel money into short-term fixes that do nothing to address the root causes of nurse shortages.”

BC has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on agency nurses in the last few years, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. In the 2022–2023 fiscal year, the province spent a whopping $162 million on agency staffing compared to $8.2 million in 2018–2019 (Figure One). Each health authority saw massive jumps in costs, with Vancouver Coastal Health spending $24.5 million, Fraser Health $14 million, Interior Health $34 million and Northern Health Authority a whopping $52.3 million in 2022–2023 (Figure Two).

“When we have nurses at the home long term, they end up really getting familiar with the residents,” she explains. “But when we have a high turnover, they don’t know the residents’ routines or the nuances of their family members, and they don’t have a thorough history of why things are the way they are.

“It definitely impacts the continuity of care.”

The ballooning costs associated with agency nursing have raised alarms among policymakers and health-care advocates, including BCNU.

Union President Adriane Gear says that while agency nurses should be a short-term solution, in many facilities they’ve become the norm.

“Agency nurses cost disproportionately more than full-time staff nurses, and it’s an extremely inefficient use

“At my former workplace, it reached a point where agency nurses were making up a significant portion of the staff on any given shift. That created a lot of issues for continuity of care and teamwork,” says Martin. Because they have less stability and

Figure One: Rise in spending on agency nursing in BC, 2018–19 vs. 2022–23

Figure Two: Rise in spending on agency nursing in four BC health authorities, 2018–19 vs. 2022–23

security than unionized nurses, she says agency nurses are less empowered to offer critical feedback to their employers that keeps their coworkers and patients safe.

“My nursing licence requires me to speak up for patients and identify practice concerns, but that can be intimidating,” says Martin. “To certain employers, agency nurses are expendable. Out of fear of losing their work contracts, agency nurses often don’t speak up to report concerns.

“Knowing that my union is backing me up and encouraging me to use my voice helps me to act as an advocate and sound the alarm when I have to,” she says.

One of the biggest challenges of agency nursing is the lack of consistency. Because agency nurses are brought in on short notice and may only work a handful of shifts before moving on to a different worksite, residents often struggle to form meaningful connections with their caregivers. For elderly patients, particularly those with dementia or other cognitive challenges, seeing new faces day after day can be distressing.

“There is a specific type of work we do in long-term care that requires collaborative conversations and the use of assessment skills to figure out what residents need, sometimes without them always saying it,” says Martin. “Relying on temporary staff can prove difficult when providing patient care. We found that was one of the biggest challenges when there’s a large number of agency nurses.”

For-profit agency nursing can also harm workplace morale. Permanent staff members often find themselves

taking on additional responsibilities, such as orienting agency nurses to facility policies and procedures. This extra workload, combined with frustration over wage disparities – since agency nurses are often paid significantly more per hour than permanent staff – can lead to resentment and burnout.

“In small, rural sites, bringing in an agency nurse can often mean the difference between an open or closed emergency department,” says Gear. “However, I know that in many cases, permanent staff members feel as if they are doing more for less than their temporary counterparts.”

SEEKING SUSTAINABLE STAFFING SOLUTIONS

The increasing dependence on forprofit agency nurses is a symptom of deeper systemic challenges across the country – including retention struggles, inadequate funding and burnout among permanent staff.

A recent report commissioned by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) and Queens University has helped to shine a light on the skyrocketing use of for-profit agencies across Canada. Opening the Black Box: Unpacking the use of Nursing Agencies in Canada unveiled a sharp increase in agency spending and a concerning lack of regulations and transparency over how these companies operate.

The report found that more than $1.5 billion in public health dollars are projected to be paid out to for-profit nursing agencies in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The rise in spending has been rapid, with a sixfold increase over just three years, up from $247.9 million in 2020–2021

(Figure Three). These estimates are based on available data, but given the lack of transparency around the prevalence of for-profit agency nursing, the real costs are likely much higher .

The report outlines several key recommendations to address the costly trend, including immediately phasing out private for-profit nurse staffing agencies, implementing new regulations and oversight and addressing the nurse staffing shortage.

$1.5B

$247.9M

Figure Three: Rise in spending on agency nursing, Canada-wide, 2020–21 vs. 2023–24 2020–21 2023–24

“While we’ve seen the cost associated with agency nursing balloon here in BC, it’s clear this is a trend occurring across the country,” says Gear. “The solution shouldn’t be more agency nurses. Rather, it’s supporting and valuing permanent staff. We must ensure nurses feel valued, have the resources they need and see a future in their profession.

A BETTER ALTERNATIVE: GOHEALTH BC

For nurses like Martin who want the flexibility of travel nursing without sacrificing stability, the province’s GoHealth Travel Nurse

program is an ideal alternative. Launched by the provincial government, GoHealth BC offers healthcare workers the opportunity to experience rural and remote healthcare work with more control over their schedules.

Additionally, GoHealth BC’s travel nursing opportunities are within the public health system, ensuring that nurses receive the wages, benefits and pension security afforded by collective agreements.

GoHealth BC deploys nurses to communities in need across Northern Health, Interior Health and the Vancouver Island Health Authority. From Masset to Salt Spring Island, the model ensures that regions facing critical shortages receive support from skilled nurses while maintaining the standards and

GO HEALTH BC

protections of unionized employment. Unlike agency work, where assignments can be unpredictable and benefits are often nonexistent, GoHealth BC nurses enjoy fair wages and consistent scheduling.

Martin recently returned home from a short stint in Chetwynd, where she enjoyed meeting community members and providing care at the Chetwynd Hospital and Health Centre. This site has seen repeated emergency department closures due to a lack of staff.

In January, Northern Health placed Chetwynd’s ER on diversion for 10 hours. In 2024, a lack of doctors and nurses led to service adaptations that forced patients to drive over an hour to the nearest hospital.

“The GoHealth BC travel nurse program comes with a pension, ben-

efits, union rights and a lot more protection,” says Martin. “When you arrive, you are much more a part of the teams you’re with, and you have a lot more power behind your license, which we should embrace because it’s an honour to have that.”

Martin’s next deployment will be in Tumbler Ridge. She looks forward to doing her part for patients and working alongside fellow nurse colleagues – all with the protection and security of being a union member.

“GoHealth BC brings people into the workforce who are part of the union and part of the team,” says Martin. “Even though they live far away, their integration into the team brings more comfort and confidence when advocating for patients and colleagues.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Martin’s journey from working in a private long-term care home to providing care through the province’s GoHealth BC travel nurse program reflects the challenges and opportunities facing BC nurses today.

GOHEALTH BC IS A NURSE-APPROVED PUBLICLY FUNDED staffing program that allows nurses to work flexible assignments in rural and remote communities while remaining in the public system.

Unlike for-profit agency work, GoHealth BC provides job security with employer-paid benefits through Pacific Blue Cross, pension contributions to the Municipal Pension Plan and stable work environments where nurses can return to the same teams on repeat deployments. It also offers financial incentives, including recruitment and retention bonuses of up to $15,000, to attract nurses back into the public system.

Interested in joining GoHealth BC? Scan the code above to go to the province’s GoHealth portal.

While agency nursing may offer short-term relief for staffing shortages, it is not a sustainable solution. By prioritizing stable, unionized employment and investing in programs like GoHealth BC, the province can ensure better outcomes for nurses and patients alike.

“As BC continues to navigate its health-care staffing crisis, the government must invest in a stable, well-supported nursing workforce,” says Gear. “The future of patient care depends on it.” •

On Being Included

REFLECTING ON THE PAST IMAGINING THE FUTURE

2024 HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Members reflect on the past and imagine the future at BCNU’s 2024 human rights and equity conference

On Nov. 13, over 200 BCNU members took their seats in a Surrey hotel ballroom for the union’s 2024 human rights and equity (HRE) conference. The gathering was held on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo First Nations.

Members from across BC attended

the conference, along with BCNU’s elected leaders, including President Adriane Gear, vice president Tristan Newby, provincial treasurer Sharon Sponton, interim executive councillor of pensions and seniors’ health Meghan Friesen and interim executive councillor, occupational health and safety and mental health Denise Waurynchuk.

This year’s conference theme

focused on inclusion – the active, intentional and continuous process to address inequities in power and privilege, and to build a respectful and diverse community that ensures welcoming spaces and opportunities for all to flourish.

The conference invited members to consider what it means to be included – in the union and in health care – and to consider the histories, systems and processes that continue to function as mechanisms of exclusion. Several dynamic presentations from guest speakers inspired sharing, storytelling and reflection on inclusivity.

Gear welcomed participants to the conference, expressing gratitude for members joining the conference and re-asserting BCNU’s abiding commitment to redressing the ongoing harms of colonization through genuine reconciliation with First Nations,

SETTING THE TONE BCNU President Adriane Gear opens the 2024 human rights and equity conference.

HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY

STRONGER TOGETHER

Inuit and Métis peoples. Gear then welcomed Elders Dr. Roberta Price and June Shackley to give a traditional Indigenous blessing. Shackley is a founding member of BCNU’s Indigenous Leadership Circle who continues to guide its work and that of the union’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee.

Following the blessing, Gear focused the room on the day’s theme, asking participants to consider what it means to be included.

“Twenty years ago, members from historically oppressed communities challenged BCNU to ask itself this very question,” said Gear. “This important question, and the hard work of these members, led to BCNU’s first human rights and equity caucus in 2005 and the founding of the four equity-seeking caucuses who continue to shape BCNU profoundly.”

Gear reminded participants about the leadership of BCNU past President Debra McPherson and former BCNU Provincial Treasurer Mabel Tung, who contributed to this foundational work.

REFLECTING ON THE PAST

Debra McPherson is BCNU’s longest-serving president, holding office twice – from 1990 to 1994

“Change is a long road and there’s always opposition, but you should not give up.”

Debra McPherson

and again from 2001 to 2014. Her trailblazing leadership goes back even further: in 1981, McPherson attended the union’s inaugural convention. Mabel Tung served as the union’s provincial treasurer for 13 years and helped establish BCNU’s Multicultural Group and Indigenous Leadership Circle in 2005 and the Human Rights and Diversity Committee in 2007. McPherson and Tung joined Gear for the conference’s opening panel discussion.

Gear led the panel, asking McPherson and Tung to describe what led them to advocate for inclusion.

“I had just moved to BC in 1981,” McPherson began. “I walked into a room at the Empress Hotel and saw 200 nurses forming a union. All the women there were white. By contrast, I see all walks of life in this room today.”

Despite the lack of diversity at the union’s founding convention, McPherson found inspiration in the union’s struggle to build nurses’ power and a playbook to fight for inclusion. “Seeking social justice extends beyond our internal struggles for equality and participation,” said McPherson. “That means collaborating with our communities and supporting other social justice organizations. Our history is ripe with examples of how hard the struggle has been, but also how rewarding and successful it is.”

Tung’s union involvement began in 1989 during the first BC-wide hospital strike. “I met a lot of activists who helped me understand that we must unite to make things work,” she recalls. “I realized the effort for

social justice means we must stand up and speak.”

Tung also remarked that most of the members who attended in-person council meetings when she became BCNU’s Provincial Treasurer in 2003 were white. Even though many BCNU members came from diverse backgrounds, the union’s elected positions didn’t reflect that diversity. She recalled asking herself how the union could encourage a diverse cross-section of members to seek leadership roles and better represent members.

McPherson emphasized that change always requires struggle, reminding participants that holding the first human rights and equity conference was a radical act. “Many members opposed the conference and didn’t want to fund it,” remarked McPherson. “Change is a long road and there’s always opposition, but you should not give up. You recruit the best and the brightest to help you – and then you work your butt off.”

LEADING THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE

Following McPherson and Tung, Vivek Chibber took to the podium to speak to attendees about social domination, identity, class domination and class organizing. Chibber is an author, editor and sociology professor at New York University. His work explores the history and complicated relationship between the struggle for economic and social justice in the 20th century and how different forms of social domination thwart those efforts.

“Those factors are all related,” argued Chibber. “Though they

might diverge, they might also interact. These ideas are relevant for unions today.”

Born in India, Chibber grew up in a family committed to social justice. His father was the general secretary of India’s largest human rights organization, People for Civil Liberties, and helped found the People’s Union for Democratic Rights. His activism began in the 1990s, when he joined the fight for civil liberties.

Chibber has a personal connection to health-care professionals. His sister has relied on home care workers for 25 years. “The compassion and dedication of these working-class women shaped my understanding of the labour movement’s role in human dignity,” he said.

Like McPherson and Tung, Chibber emphasized parallels for building inclusion in the broader fights that unions take on for social and economic justice. “Everything we associate with fairness today –

the weekend, the minimum wage, the eight-hour workday – came out of the labour movement.”

However, he argued that economic gains for working people on their own are not enough to build an inclusive society. “A successful union must take on matters of race, gender and sexuality. There is a flip side that’s often ignored: movements for racial and social justice cannot succeed without being rooted in class struggle.”

Chibber believes there is a relationship between these concepts. “It is possible to combine the fight against social domination with the fight against class domination. Social domination occurs when one or more groups hold more power than others. Class domination occurs when wealth is concentrated and influences ideology or politics, and the wealthy become regarded as a ruling class.”

Chibber drew on fights of the past century to illustrate that social justice movements always position themselves against social and class domination. “From India’s independence movement to the U.S. civil rights struggle, the aspirations of the poor and working class diverged from those of their wealthier counterparts within the same racial or national groups.”

He pointed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s later years as a key example. “The civil rights movement began with a push for voting rights, but King recognized that political freedom without economic justice is a ‘truncated freedom.’ That’s why he launched the Poor People’s Campaign – because real justice meant uniting poor Black and white workers in a common struggle.”

Chibber proposed that the fight for fairness must be rooted in unions. “The essence of a union is trust. Because if you do not trust each other, you will not fight together,” he said. According to Chibber, the act of fighting together with other workers is at the heart of solidarity.

Chibber’s ideas around solidarity inspired a question from conference host and BCNU’s diversity, equity and inclusion director, hanif karim. “Solidarity is one of BCNU’s core values. How do you see the role that solidarity plays in a union?” asked karim.

“Solidarity is the lynchpin of any union, but it has two dimensions,” offered Chibber. “First, a union must have an internal culture of mutual respect – that’s the old-fashioned way of saying inclusiveness. The second dimension relates to the fight that happens when we work together – it is the element of victory, of winning. Why? Because nobody wants to stay in a fight if they keep losing. A union must fight for things it can win.”

Chibber continued, “Once people see that we are not just being nice to each other and mutual respect leads to victories, there is a culture of solidarity. There is a circle of winning, building more trust and confidence, taking on the next fight and winning it. We see the most success when solidarity contains both elements.”

As attendees considered how these elements work together, Chibber’s earlier message remained: economic and social justice are not separate fights. A genuinely inclusive labour movement must embrace both.

CLASS STRUGGLE Scholar Vivek Chibber illustrates the connections between social justice and working class movements.

HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY

“If we separate social liberation from economic justice,” Chibber argued, “we get a new elite – more diverse, perhaps, but just as disconnected from the working class. If we want real change, it has to be rooted in organizations like yours – unions, the organizations of the poor. Only they can carry everyone forward.”

We must listen to each other in order to include others. But what happens when we aren’t really listening?

ON ETHICAL LONELINESS

Conference presenter Dr. Jill Stauffer delved deeper into questions of listening and hearing, and how the experience of not being heard causes suffering. Dr. Stauffer is an associate professor and director of the Peace, Justice and Human Rights concentration at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where she leads a restorative practices program. In 2018, she authored the book Ethical Loneliness: The Injustice of Not Being Heard

Stauffer’s work explores why people fail to truly hear one another. Her book examines the complexities of the experience of being unheard through the lens of “ethical loneliness” – a term that describes the double harm when a person experiences unjust treatment, then experiences not being properly heard when talking about what happened. Being unheard may leave a person feeling excluded. In her presentation to attendees, Stauffer underscored a crucial point: inclusion is not just about the present – it’s deeply connected to how we acknowledge the past and envision the future.

For many, the past is never truly past. “If you’ve been mistreated, subjected to injustice or left unheard, the present can feel like a continuation of that harm,” Stauffer noted. “It’s as if the past is still sitting at the table, refusing to leave.” This presence, she explained, can make it harder for individuals, especially those who have faced oppression, to imagine a better future.

“Listening isn’t just a passive act. It is a responsibility.”

Dr. Jill Stauffer

In the workplace, ethical loneliness plays out in profound ways. Nurses, who often advocate for patients and colleagues, may

GOING

Queen Idanwekhai is a BCNU South Fraser region member and a member of the Mosaic of Colour Caucus. She shared her experience with the rest of the room. “My experience of being misunderstood STRONGER TOGETHER

encounter systemic failures of hearing. Whether it is a patient whose pain is dismissed, a nurse whose safety concerns go ignored or a union member whose rights are overlooked, the consequences of being unheard are real and lasting. “Some stories land easily. Others struggle to be recognized,” Stauffer explained. “And when stories of discrimination or harm are ignored, it creates what I call ‘ethical loneliness’ – the injustice of not being heard.”

But there is hope. “Listening isn’t just a passive act. It is a responsibility,” Stauffer emphasized. “And responsibility isn’t about blame –it’s about responsiveness.” When nurses and labour activists commit to deep and intentional listening, they can foster more inclusive workplaces that acknowledge past wrongs and make the present a place of genuine belonging.

There are obstacles, of course. Power dynamics, cultural frames and institutional procedures can all prevent understanding. According to Stauffer, recognizing these barriers must come first before dismantling them. Stauffer challenged attendees to “imagine the difference between a workplace where colleagues deny past injustices and one where they affirm them and commit to change. One keeps us trapped. The other sets us free.”

Stauffer encouraged participants to reflect on their experiences “when someone listened but didn’t understand.”

IT ALONE Dr. Jill Stauffer asks why it is so hard to be heard and so hard to listen well.

harm and delays us from hearing one another.”

Idanwekhai was not the only participant of colour who shared a story of confronting similar questions in the workplace. Other members shared some of the commentary they had received at work, including ‘Do you feel lucky to live in a peaceful country?’ These questions stem from patients’ – and coworkers’ – assumptions, which can be heavily biased towards people of colour.

depth of discrimination that Black nurses face – including unionized nurses. “I worked in non-unionized environments in the US, and yet I couldn’t imagine going through what these nurses described,” said Dordunoo. “They went to their union reps. They spoke to their managers. And nothing happened.” Her research evolved into a national, pan-Canadian study in collaboration with the Canadian

sometimes begins right when I enter the room and tell a patient that I will be their nurse. Often their first question is ‘Do you speak English?’ I look at them and say ‘No, do you?”

An eruption of laughter filled the conference room.

“If nurses’ human rights are not met, how well can they advocate for their patients?”

Dr. Dzifa Dordunoo

Dr. Stauffer illuminated the larger social context of Idanwekhai’s experience. “It has to do with racism in this case and all kinds of assumptions people may make just based on what someone looks like. It is unjust and a waste of time. It causes

Stauffer concluded by sharing further insight from her work on ethical loneliness. “It’s not just about two people in a conversation,” she shared. “It is also about the larger culture that provides the conditions for that conversation. Ethical loneliness is caused by people participating in a culture where important truths are unheard. We can remind ourselves to hear a story on its own terms, not our own terms.”

As we have seen, some of the stories we hear are about nurses facing discrimination on the job.

WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION PERSISTS

BCNU provincial treasurer Sharon Sponton introduced the next speaker, Dr. Dzifa Dordunoo, who shared her critical research on the stories of Black nurses in British Columbia.

Dordunoo is an associate professor at the University of Victoria’s School of Nursing. She has nursed for 20 years and is the founding president of the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in British Columbia.

Dr. Dordunoo was struck by the

FURTHER READING

Members who could not make it to the 2024 Human Rights and Equity Conference can check out the presenters’ published works to learn more.

Disembark: Stories By Jen Currin

Stories of navigating queer friendship and love and relating to the world.

House of Anansi Press, 2024

Ethical Loneliness: The injustice of not being heard By Jill Stauffer

This book elaborates on the experiences of abandonment embedded in ethical loneliness. Columbia University Press, 2015

Postcolonial Theory and the Specter of Capital By Vivek Chibber

A bold reimagining of postcolonial theory and the effects of capitalism. Verso Books, 2013

FIGHTING DISCRIMINATION Dr. Dzifa Dordunoo outlined the need to continue the fight against discrimination beyond the collective agreement.

THE PEOPLE

1. Fraser Valley region member Jade Sol. 2.  BCNU Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hanif karim speaks to participants.

3.  North East region member Hanna Embree. 4. Vice President Tristan Newby addresses participants.

5.  Past President Debra McPherson, President Adriane Gear and past provincial treasurer Mabel Tung.

6.  Okanagan Similkameen region member Mohsen Choudhary.

7.  Vancouver Metro region member Frances Beswick at the mic.

8.  South Fraser region member Sumoud Noubani.  9.  South Islands

region member Vin Quang.

10.  Student nurses gather with North West region council member and student liaison Teri Forster.

11.  Elder June Shackley and Dr. Elder Roberta Price performing a traditional greeting. 12.  Conference participants discuss important questions about the parts of their work that make them feel empowered 13.  South Islands region member Judith Zulu asks a question. 14.  Okanagan Similkameen region member and Indigenous Leadership Circle chair Sherry Ridsdale.

Nurses Association (CNA). The data from BC revealed troubling insights:

• Nurses under 35 reported higher rates of workplace discrimination –a unique finding in BC compared to the rest of Canada.

• Nurses born outside Canada experienced increased discrimination, as did those registered in multiple provinces.

• Master’s-prepared nurses reported the highest levels of workplace discrimination, particularly in career advancement.

• Nurses in academic and educational settings face higher discrimination than those in clinical environments.

• Racial minorities and those who preferred not to disclose personal details reported the most distress, burnout and workplace discrimination.

Dordunoo’s study underscores that systemic discrimination persists despite legal protections. “If we have laws against these things, why are they still happening?” asked Dordunoo.

She argues that workplace conditions depend on mitigating discrimination: “Improving nurse-to-patient ratios and addressing workplace culture can create safer environments.”

Dr. Dordunoo encouraged nurses to fight for the systemic change needed to retain and support diverse nursing professionals, asking “If nurses’ human rights are not met, how well can they advocate for their patients?”

CONNECTING THROUGH STORYTELLING

Local author Jen Currin led a reading and writing session near the end of the conference. Currin teaches creative writing and English at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Currin’s session of storytelling,

reflection and solidarity began with a reading of their 2024 book Disembark, a collection of short stories on themes of queer relationships, family relationships, addiction and climate change.

Currin read a passage that brought listeners into a poignant afterlife encounter between a nonbinary protagonist, Joe, and their mother. “It’s gone, sweetie. No more of that here,” Joe’s mother says, referring to the alcohol abuse that shaped both their lives. The scene explores love, regret and the unexpected ways healing unfolds.

Currin shared with conference participants that storytelling is more than art – it is a tool for resistance and renewal. “Just as frontline workers advocate for dignity in care, writers reveal unseen truths,” explained Currin. “Both demand presence. Both insist on human connection.”

After the reading, participants transitioned into a writing and mindfulness exercise. “Breathe into the soles of your feet, grounding yourself in the moment,” Currin instructed.

From this calm place, Currin instructed participants to think about a place where they felt safe, using sensory details to make the experience vivid. Currin prompted attendees to observe what they hear, taste, see and feel.

The room fell quiet.

After a few minutes, Currin asked participants to write about the place they thought of and write a letter to someone who had misunderstood them or didn’t see them for who they really are. This letter exercised members’ powers of self-expression and reckoning.

“When you think of a situation with that person,” guided Currin, “what do you want to say?”

When the exercise concluded, the once quiet room came back to life with excited chatter.

Currin closed their session by

remarking that moments like these remind us that stories connect us across distance, labour and struggle. They are, after all, how we ‘disembark’ and find each other again.

After Currin’s presentation, BCNU President Adriane Gear returned to close the conference and thank members for attending .

Members left the conference with renewed excitement toward building more inclusive workspaces – and a more inclusive union. Ashley Ogilvie, a student nurse who BCNU sponsored to attend the conference, remarked that “before today, I had an abstract understanding of marginalized communities’ challenges, but this conference highlighted the real, systemic barriers in access to and delivery of health care.”

Iris Yao, another student who attended the conference, shared a similar impression. “I learned that to be a good nurse, an engaged union member and a catalyst for change, I must understand our profession’s past, present and future.” •

READY TO ROLL

BC’s

NBABARGAINING MAKEHEALTH CAREBETTER

THE READINESS IS ALL.

After months of member surveys, six regional bargaining conferences across the province’s health authorities, a virtual human rights and equity bargaining conference, and informational town hall events, members of the newly elected Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial bargaining committee stood on the stage at the union’s final provincial bargaining conference in downtown Vancouver, looking

FULL STEAM AHEAD Nurses’ Bargaining Association members have completed extensive preparations ahead of contract negotiations.

steadfastly at the members gathered before them.

“We are strong and committed in the fight to defend what is ours,” said BCNU President Adriane Gear. “These preparations have shown one thing: nurses are united in our resolve for a contract that respects us as professionals.”

The two-day conference, held on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, gathered hundreds of delegates to identify the priorities their bargaining team will fight for in upcoming NBA contract negotiations. The event marked the exciting conclusion to an intense round of preparations – perhaps the most extensive in BCNU’s history.

Interim Executive Councillor of Occupational Health and Safety and Mental Health Denise Waurynchuk described the preparations in relatable terms.

“Over 13 conference days and more than 125 hours, members have come together to work out a plan,” she said. “It took just under 10,000 cups of coffee to fuel these 1,709 total attendees. We handed out 950-plus rally signs. Staff held over 87 meetings to get the job done.”

This preparatory phase brought together members across BC, representing nurses in all areas of the province and practice specialties to paint a complete picture of what NBA members need to see in their next contract.

It is no wonder that the union put such an intense emphasis on preparations for this next round of bargaining. The 2022-2025 NBA provincial collective agreement, which expired in March of this year, saw members gain the best nurses’ wages and benefits in the country.

The high-water mark achieved in the

We are strong and committed in the fight to defend what is ours.”

BCNU President Adriane Gear

2022-2025 contract will serve as inspiration in this next round. However, global uncertainty brought on by a potential trade war with the US, high budget deficits following the COVID19 pandemic and competition with the multiple other public sector contracts expiring this year, will make the task extremely difficult.

That’s why BCNU’s CEO and lead negotiator Jim Gould wants members to stay involved, informed and ready as the union heads into bargaining.

“The last round was a ‘unicorn’ with 25 to 42 percent monetary increases,” said Gould at the beginning of the conference. “If nurses in this province exercise their power – and you’ve got tonnes – we can do almost anything. But you’re going to have to be ready to fight.”

Gould went on to outline the economic context that may make this round of bargaining especially challenging. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government tabled a succession of significant budget deficits, the most recent exceeding $10 billion. He said that with the threat of US tariffs on Canadian goods, economists project a potential loss of $69 billion of economic activity between 2025-2028. And while the outcome of a US trade war is unknown, the province is moving into an era of fiscal constraint, uncertainty

and heightened risk.

Despite these challenges, Gould reminded delegates that they still have good reasons to be optimistic. This year’s bargaining preparations have shown a marked uptick in the number of new members getting involved and saw longer-standing members participating for the first time. Over 70 percent of members at the regional bargaining conferences were firsttime participants. When Gould asked the assembled members if this was their first time at a provincial bargaining conference, significant numbers of hands went up, showing that the increase in new member engagement and investment in the bargaining process carried through to this final step of the pre-bargaining phase.

Gould also pointed to the results from the member bargaining survey showing the initial impact of wage increases negotiated in the last round. Positive signs are beginning to emerge, he said, including reductions in the number of members reporting major problems with workload and incidents of working below baseline staffing. Fewer members reported regularly risking their nursing license due to low staffing in this round compared to the previous bargaining survey. Adverse outcomes for patients also declined slightly compared to previous years – a slight shift but in the right direction.

(To see more trends from the bargaining survey, go to p. 42.)

Finally, Gould reminded delegates that if bargaining reaches an impasse and members need to take job action, the public will be overwhelmingly on nurses’ side. BCNU’s research on the public’s opinion on nurses and the nursing profession reveals that support for nurses has reached an all-time high. Following BCNU’s holiday

advertising campaigns in 2023 and 2024, some 88 percent of polled viewers said they would support nurses in their negotiations – an increase from earlier polling in 2021, which found an already-high 82 percent of members of the public sharing their support for nurses. Gould noted these public perceptions can play an extremely powerful role in negotiations, as the union can tap public support to pressure the government into giving nurses the contract they need.

“Voters terrify the government,” said Gould. “The powers that be in British Columbia don’t believe that any government can withstand a hardcore BCNU NBA strike.”

The next item on the conference agenda made it clear that positive public opinions are not the only resource BC nurses can draw on. They also have tremendous support from other nursing unions across the country who have a vested interest in the outcome of this round of negotiations.

CANADA’S NURSES UNIONS: WE’RE BEHIND YOU

Following Gould’s presentation, Gear welcomed Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) President Linda Silas, Manitoba Nurses Union President Darlene Jackson, Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union President Janet Hazelton and New Brunswick Nurses Union President Paula Doucet for an in-depth panel discussion on bargaining strategies.

Much of the panel focused on the importance of members maintaining their current health and dental benefits through negotiations. Unlike most nurses in Canada, health employers in BC pay 100 percent of the cost of NBA members’ health and dental benefits. In this upcoming round, the union strongly suspects government nego -

If nurses in this province exercise their power – and you’ve got tonnes – we can do almost anything.”

BCNU CEO Jim Gould

tiators will pressure BCNU to enter into a joint benefits trust. Moving away from full employer coverage of benefits would almost certainly increase costs for members and force them to share liability for any shortfalls that could develop in the trust.

The panelists spelled out the risks of entering a joint benefits trust in stark terms.

“If there’s one thing I could change, we’d never join a joint benefits trust,” said Jackson. “Nurses in Manitoba are so unhappy with our benefits. I urge you to do whatever you can to stay where you are and don’t let them roll you back.”

“We are watching what happens in BC very closely,” said Doucet. “Do not give up what you have. People fought for what you have today; it’s your job to hang onto that.”

Panelists also applauded BC nurses’ trailblazing work to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and other inspiring ideas they have fought for.

“You push the banner ahead for all of us,” said Silas. “Who else has DEI language in their agreement? No one. I can’t wait to be invited to your ratification meeting and look back and see what you’ve done.”

Delegates had the opportunity to ask the panelists questions at the end of the

discussion. Many were curious about how to support bargaining efforts now that the first phase of the member consultation period has ended. Panelists pointed to the imperative to support and uplift their bargaining team.

Hazelton reminded delegates to give their bargaining committee grace. “Be kind,” she said. “Sometimes our bargaining teams take a hell of a beating out there. They are doing the best they can for you. You know what it’s like when a patient takes it out on you.”

The panel wrapped up by stressing the importance for members to stay informed and engaged with the union so they will be ready to fight if negotiations reach an impasse.

“Support your team, go to the right source of information and show up,” said Doucet.

Hazelton put it simply:

“If you go on strike, we’ll be here.”

CANDIDATES TAKE THE STAGE

Day one of the bargaining conference ended on a high note, as over 70 members with diverse nursing experience from across the province put forward their candidacy for positions on the NBA Provincial Bargaining Committee and Provincial Job Action Committee (PJAC).

Seven spots were open on the Bargaining Committee, representating large, medium and small acute care facilities, long-term care and community care. Committee members serve with representatives from the other NBA constituent unions, including the Hospital Employees’ Union, Health Sciences Association and BC General Employees’ Union.

The PJAC elections held seats for representatives from long term care, acute care and community care and two seats for members-at-large.

Candidates for both committees each

had just over a minute to make their case for election to a position. All spoke about their nursing experiences and the concerns they wanted to fight for in bargaining. They highlighted their organizing experience and their readiness to fight if job action became necessary. Some members had been nursing for years and had considerable union experience, while some new nurses put their names forward for the first time.

Following an open forum with Gould and Gear, day one of the conference concluded with an opportunity for delegates to chat with candidates.

A DEMONSTRATION OF READINESS

Day two of the conference started in high spirits. BCNU Provincial Treasurer Sharon Sponton took to the stage to deliver a presentation on the state of job action planning ahead of bargaining. Sponton laid out the plan for job action should bargaining reach an impasse, informing members about their roles and how they can best support the bargaining team.

Sponton emphasized that every member should prepare for potential job action ahead of time. She noted that BCNU has prepared two education modules members can access through the BCNU Member Portal. The first educates members on the plan for bargaining, offering insights into the process for those who haven’t been through a round of contract negotiations before. The second module focuses on job action, with a detailed description of what job action looks like, how members can coordinate and help the bargaining team and some information on the forms members will need in the event of job action.

(To read more information on the bargaining process, go to page 40. )

Sponton reminded delegates that,

while job action isn’t inevitable, they can rely on their fellow members, their peers from across Canada and other union activists if bargaining does reach an impasse. She also reminded members of the need to stay united in the event of job action.

“Stay together, stay united, stay positive,” said Sponton. “We’re in this together.”

Sponton’s message of unity set a positive and rousing note, inspiring members to get up from their seats and take to the streets.

the assembled crowd. Many members of the public stopped to watch the speech and share their support with the gathered delegates. The rally culminated in a rousing round of chanting, with BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby leading the way, shouting “So so so, solidarity!” before disbursing the crowd.

COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

Delegates returned to the hotel following the rally to hear the results of the Bargaining Committee and PJAC elections. Sponton called the elected Bargaining Committee members and PJAC members to the stage. Gear, Gould and Sponton all thanked all delegates who ran for a role and congratulated the elected committee members.

A CALL TO ACTION

Stay together, stay united, stay positive. We’re in this together.”

BCNU Provincial Treasurer Sharon Sponton

With representatives from Canada’s nursing unions and BCNU’s elected leaders at the head, members walked out of the bargaining conference midday to demonstrate their readiness and resolve ahead of the next steps in bargaining their contract. Delegates marched from the Hyatt Hotel, stopping traffic at the Burrard St. and Georgia St. intersection before proceeding to the Vancouver Art Gallery.

As they walked through the streets, members of the public cheered from the sidewalks while car horns rang out from traffic. The rally culminated on the gallery steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery, where Silas and Gear spoke to

Following the committee elections, Gear began her closing remarks by reminding members to take the education modules on the BCNU Member Portal. She also stressed the imperative for all members to stay informed and up to date as bargaining proceeds by seeking out legitimate sources of information, such as union eNews updates, the BCNU website and Update Magazine. Gear also reminded participants of the importance of investing trust in the bargaining committee and being supportive.

She renewed the union’s commitment to communicating early, often and strategically with members as it engages in bargaining.

Finally, Gear concluded the conference with a challenge for all members.

“There may come a day when our bargaining committee asks for a strike vote,” she said. “When that day comes, we’ll want 100 percent participation and 100 percent support. Why? Because unity in job action is power.” •

THE PEOPLE

1. Delegates listen at the provincial bargaining conference. 2 & 6 & 10 & 25. Members march in downtown Vancouver on day two of the conference.

3. BCNU CEO Jim Gould with Provincial Job Action Committee members Tannis Keteca, Julie Bodden, Sabrina Vogt, Jose Huberdeau, Gina Neumann, BCNU President Adriane Gear, and BCNU Treasurer Sharon Sponton. 4. A delegate asks a question at the microphone. 5. BCNU President Adriane Gear speaks from the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery. 7. Okanagan Similkameen regional council member Candi DeSousa. 8. Thompson North Okanagan regional council member Scott Duvall listens to presentations. 9. Simon Fraser region member Frank Martens speaks at the microphone. 11. South

Islands delegate Chris Linstead asks a question. 12. Hundreds of members who attended regional bargaining conferences posed for photographs as part of an art installation. 13. Members who work for affiliate health employers march in the rally on day two. 14. BCNU President Adriane Gear, CFNU President Linda Silas, Manitoba Nurses Union President Darlene Jackson, Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union President Janet Hazelton, and New Brunswick Nurses Union President Paula Doucet hold a panel discussion. 15. Simon Fraser delegate Queen Idanwekhai during the rally. 16. BCNU Treasurer Sharon Sponton speaks to delegates. 17. Delegates vote to approve the conference agenda. 18. Members who work for Vancouver Coastal

Health march in the rally. 19. CFNU President Linda Silas speaks at the rally. 20. Richmond Vancouver regional council member Sara Mattu with Pacific Rim delegates Amanda Tkachuk, Myra Noga, and Andrew Lamb at the pre-conference meet and greet. 21. Nurses Ben Woywitka, Mike Woywitka, and Kelly Woywitka with possible future nurse Izzy Woywitka at the rally on day two. 22. BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby speaks to delegates. 23. BCNU President Adriane Gear speaks to rallying members. 24. BCNU CEO Jim Gould with NBA Bargaining Committee members Jo-Anna Haner, Tracy Gadsby, Carly Koeppen, Jereme Bennett, Candi DeSousa, Roy Hansen, Scott Duvall, and President Gear.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Get to know the bargaining process. Here are the phases of bargaining, from early preparations to job action to getting ready to vote on a contract.

• Essential Services Planning: BCNU members create plans for job action, ensuring British Columbians will continue to receive health-care services. Worksite Essential Services Representatives (WESRs) and stewards collect data on staffing levels and distribute unit surveys to negotiate local essential services.

Establishing Bargaining Priorities

• Bargaining Survey: Members put forward their ideas to make their workplace better in a bargaining survey on the BCNU member portal.

• Regional Bargaining Conference: Members attend a regional bargaining conference to put forward their ideas, learn more about bargaining, and put their name forward to attend the provincial bargaining conference.

• Provincial Bargaining Conference: members elected at the regional bargaining conference can attend the Provincial Bargaining Conference. Delegates help establish the formal bargaining priorities that negotiators will use in 2025. Delegates also elect the bargaining committee.

Impasse: Escalation and Job Action

• Impasse reached: If the union and the Health Employers Association of BC cannot reach an agreement, the bargaining committee will brief members on the next move. This could include launching certain types of job action or taking a strike vote.

• NOTE: the union and employer may not reach an impasse. If that happens, skip to “Ratification Vote.”

At the Bargaining Table

• Negotiations: The union bargaining committee and employer representatives come together to exchange proposals and negotiate an agreement.

• Updates: BCNU will send members updated information as negotiations progress. Check your eNews regularly to learn what is happening and learn about actions the union may need you to take.

Reaching Impasse: Escalation and Job Action

To keep track of where we’re at in bargaining, don’t forget to sign up for eNews. BCNU will share important information and inform you of any steps you need to take to ensure a strong NBA contract in 2025.

Job Action

Job Action

• Job Action: The union can ask the membership to take job action to pressure the employer to give them a fair deal. Job action can include a partial withdrawal of services, intermittent withdrawal of services, targeted job action, escalating job action or a strike.

NOTE: The union will hold a strike authorization vote before holding a strike.

• If the union puts enough pressure on the employer, the bargaining committee may be called to return to negotiations.

DREAM TEAM

Ratification Vote

PROVINCIAL BARGAINING CONFERENCE DELEGATES

elected members to represent them on the bargaining committee. They will work alongside BCNU CEO and Chief

Negotiator of the Nurses’ Bargaining Association Jim Gould

Bargaining Committee

Community Care: Tracy Gadsby, Carly Koeppen

Long-term Care: Jo-Anna Haner

Large Acute Facilities: Jereme Bennett, Roy Hansen

Medium Acute Facilities: Scott Duvall

Small Acute Facilities: Candi DeSousa PJAC

NBABARGAINING MAKEHEALTH CAREBETTER

Ratification Vote

• The union will circulate the tentative agreement to members, who will hold a ratification vote over several weeks. The union will provide many opportunities for members to learn about the contract and ask questions ahead of the vote.

• If the agreement ratifies, the new agreement will come into effect shortly after.

• If the agreement does not ratify, the parties can return to negotiations, seek the help of a mediator or launch job action.

and BCNU President and Committee Chair Adriane Gear. They also elected members to sit on the Provincial Job Action Committee (PJAC), who will coordinate members if they need to take job action.

Community Care: Julie Bodden

Long-term Care: Tannis Keteka

Acute Care: Sabrina Vogt

Members at Large: Gina Neumann, Jose Huberdeau

VITAL SIGNS

BCNU’s NBA bargaining survey underpins the negotiating process, ensuring that members’ views, needs and experiences guide negotiations. BCNU conducted the bargaining survey between 2024 and 2025 to help the union identify the salient issues and priorities that matter most to members. All BCNU members who are under the NBA provincial collective agreement had the opportunity to participate in the bargaining survey.

SURVEY RESPONDENTS

BARGAINING PRIORITIES

KEY ISSUES

Did the improvements achieved in the last round help to retain you in nursing? without these improvements, I would have left these improvements mildly impacted my decision to stay these improvements did not impact my decision to stay I didn’t benefit from any improvements in the last round

WORKPLACE SAFETY

Of these respondants, improvements were most impactful for:

NBABARGAINING MAKEHEALTH CAREBETTER

said they felt coerced or compelled by management to work OT at least once a week

PARTICIPANTS’ VIEW

Members from across BC attended several regional bargaining conferences before sending delegates to the provincial bargaining conference in February. They brought a wealth of experience, insight and curiosity to the conferences, ensuring members’ voices stay front and centre in upcoming negotiations. Here’s what they had to say:

FRASER HEALTH

Melissa Stodola , Simon Fraser region

Hawthorne Long Term Care

This regional bargaining conference is the true definition of solidarity. We are all in this together and we’re all here to listen to each other, support each other and back each other up.

ISLAND HEALTH

Sicalia Wilke , South Islands region

Royal Jubilee Hospital

What I enjoyed the most was seeing that some of the sites are already implementing the nurse-to-patient ratio and they’re seeing successes, and so that makes me feel hopeful.

INTERIOR HEALTH

Julie Bodden , Thompson North Okanagan region

Vernon Urgent and Primary Care Centre

Being in a room with so many people who could explain things from our point of view was really valuable.

PROVINCIAL BARGAINING CONFERENCE

Diedre Knudson, Pacific Rim region

North Island Hospital Comox Valley

We’re worried about what the government wants to take away from us, and how hard we are going to have to fight to maintain those rights. I’m excited to be part of this round of bargaining because I’m ready for a good fight to maintain what we have.

NBABARGAINING MAKEHEALTH CAREBETTER

VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH

Simran Bir , Central Vancouver region

Vancouver Hospital & Health Sciences Centre

As a young nurse, I have a long career ahead of me and I want to make sure we are doing what we need to do as a union for career longevity.

NORTHERN HEALTH

Ben Xiang , North East region

Fort St. John Hospital and Peace Villa

A highlight for me so far has been the energy and the passion from all of the nurses who are here. Even though many of us have different ideas on how to improve the quality of health care, overall, there is a passion to have better contract language that supports us.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY

Ugochi Ibediro, Shaughnessy Heights region

Little Mountain Place

I want to be heard and acknowledged. Every single nurse, irrespective of your race, origin, where you’re coming from or how you are, deserves respect.

PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES

Sasha Johal , Shaughnessy Heights region

Family in Recovery (FIR) BC Women’s Mental Health Substance Use Program

There are a lot of things that I didn’t know about as a young nurse. The conference allowed me to hear opinions from nurses from different workplaces and years of experience.

STEWARD ELECTIONS JUNE 17–19, 2025

With steward elections coming in June, now is the time for members to consider leading the way

BCNU STEWARDS ARE AT the heart of every strong health-care workplace. These member leaders provide on-the-ground support, ensuring nurses get the respect they deserve.

Stewards lead their peers in creating and maintaining a supportive work environment. They are on the frontlines, advocating for, mentoring and educating members about their workplace rights. Stewards also maintain critical lines of communication between BCNU members and their elected leaders, working together to address concerns, resolve grievances and uphold a healthy, collaborative work culture.

BCNU holds steward elections every three years. A new three-year term begins Sept. 1, 2025. Stewards play key leadership roles in the union, and their election by peers embodies the member-driven values and democratic principles that BCNU is founded on. Update Magazine has the scoop for members who want to get involved in this year’s Steward elections.

PUT YOUR HAND UP!

BCNU West Kootenay regional council member Shalane Wesnoski knows firsthand that stewards lead the way in their workplaces. As a steward, she filed many grievances on behalf of her colleagues before successfully running to represent her region on council.

She currently chairs the Member Engagement and Steward Recruitment and Retention (MESRR) Committee, which oversees the steward election process. “When I first started as a steward, I took the Steward Essentials course, the first in a series of education opportunities that help stewards understand how to uphold the collective agreement,” says Wesnoski. “I quickly learned that knowing more about my rights as a worker and how grievances and union-management meetings could go a long way to resolve workplace issues.

“Whether it’s addressing staffing issues, preventing violence or fixing pay discrepancies, stewards help to keep the employer accountable to our contract,” she says.

Wesnoski wants members considering becoming stewards to know that BCNU is here to support them and help them grow into the role.

“I have heard members say that becoming a steward can be intimidating. But stewards have access to ongoing education and training to support them in their role,” says Wesnoski. Starting at the basics of collective agreement interpretation and working up to the advanced leadership theory, stewards can access free courses and ongoing education throughout their tenure.

According to Wesnoski, the most essential quality in a prospective steward is having a strong motivation to improve their workplace – even if they don’t know exactly how to do that yet.

“The first step to becoming a steward is being willing to improve your workplace for you, your colleagues and your patients,” she says. “We ask stewards to lead, but they don’t get there without education and mentorship.”

For stewards, leadership is more than just a concept; it’s a commitment to taking consistent action. “At one time or another, a steward has likely helped resolve a problem in your workplace,” says Wesnoski. “Hundreds of stewards are leading the way across the province. Why not put your hand up to join them to make health care and your workplace better?” •

COUNT ON ME Elected worksite stewards like Chinenye Ugwuoke support their colleagues and enforce the collective agreement.

PORTRAIT OF A STEWARD

Rob Labelle

Thompson North Okanagan region steward Rob Labelle has been nursing for over 25 years. He stepped into a steward role just over four years ago to help fill a leadership gap in his workplace. Since then, he has continued to lead the way for his fellow members.

When did you become a BCNU steward? In January 2021.

What motivated you to become a steward?

During the pandemic, I recognized a void at our hospital. We lacked a steward dedicated solely to our site. I saw my colleagues struggling and figured becoming a steward would be a good way to help.

Christine Nesbitt

Pacific Rim region member Christine Nesbitt is a new steward with over 14 years of experience in nursing. According to Nesbitt, her union has always been there when she needed it.

When did you become a BCNU steward? In December 2023.

What motivated you to become a steward?

My workplace went through some very tough times over the last 10 years. We had no support for our members and an employer who would not work collaboratively

What is your greatest strength as a steward?

My attention to detail and process. I have a degree in political science which helps, but members from any background can make good stewards.

What do you value most in your steward role?

Being a part of solving problems and working through issues.

What was your favourite BCNU steward education course and why?

I enjoyed all the job action modules. They got me thinking about how to plan and help coordinate future job action at my worksite in case of an impasse in contract negotiations.

How has BCNU supported you as a steward?

My regional team is exceptional. I feel like they always have my back.

What has surprised you most about the steward role?

How challenging it is to interpret the

with BCNU. However, following a positive change in our management team, I decided to become a steward to help rebuild and foster the relationship between my employer and my union.

What is your greatest strength as a steward?

My ability to proactively educate our members and the employer about upholding the collective agreement. It’s helped to develop a more harmonious work environment.

What do you value most in your steward role?

Helping our members and gaining my co-workers’ trust.

What was your favourite BCNU steward education course and why?

Steward Intermediate was fun and interactive. I need to always feel like I am progressing in my steward role.

contract and provide accurate information to members. Any given issue may have multiple case-specific variables that are hard to reduce to a definitive conclusion. Reaching out to fellow stewards and your labour relations officer is essential.

What is your most memorable or rewarding experience as a steward?

One time, I helped a co-worker who, through no fault of their own, was denied recognition for their years of service after moving here. The employer placed them back at the bottom of the pay scale despite 20 years on the job. The individual eventually quit in frustration, but through perseverance and the steadfastness of our labour relations officer, we were able to have them re-hired with full back pay.

What would you say to a member who is considering the steward role?

Protect your time. Set boundaries with your colleagues around availability, time commitments and means of communication. •

How has BCNU supported you as a steward?

BCNU is always there when I need them. I have a fabulous steward mentor. She always points me in the right direction.

What has surprised you most about the steward role?

The sense of family that I have discovered among my fellow stewards. You never feel that you’re on your own.

What is your most memorable or rewarding experience as a steward?

I have fostered a positive workplace relationship between my employer and my union. This atmosphere has lifted our members’ morale.

What would you say to a member who is considering the steward role?

Start slow. Look for every opportunity to learn. It will help you understand the collective agreement and the steward’s role. •

Ashley Sandhu

South Fraser Valley steward Ashley Sandhu is a new nurse, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to get more involved. Shortly after entering the workforce in 2023, she decided to lead the way at Peace Arch Hospital.

When did you become a BCNU steward? In March 2024.

What motivated you to become a steward?

I am passionate about inspiring young nurses to get more involved.

What is your greatest strength as a steward?

I am always determined to find the answer to any question that comes my way.

FORGING A PATH

BCNU PRESIDENT ADRIANE GEAR WAS a nurse for over eleven years before she became a steward. “I suppose I didn’t know enough about how important stewards are until my employer didn’t take my health and safety seriously after I received a needle stick injury while pregnant with my second child,” says Gear.

“It was my steward who supported and guided me. I was inspired to take my safety issue one step further and become a steward because I wanted to ‘pay it forward’ and support my colleagues. I also recognized that becoming active in BCNU could help me and my colleagues make other positive changes in the workplace.”

What do you value most in your steward role?

Helping members understand their collective agreement and seeing them advocate for their rights.

What was your favourite BCNU steward education course and why?

Steward Essentials is an excellent introduction to becoming a steward and helped me develop a good foundation of knowledge.

How has BCNU supported you as a steward?

The support is endless. There is a surplus of mentorship and professional development opportunities. I am deeply grateful to my

site steward team, the South Fraser Valley executive team and the full-time stewards for all their support and guidance!

What has surprised you most about the steward role?

You are never alone. Just like nursing, being a steward is a team effort.

What is your most memorable or rewarding experience as a steward?

Organizing fun events for members to connect and engage.

What would you say to a member who is considering the steward role?

If you are driven to make a positive impact, join us in making a difference. •

Gear’s first steward role started in 2004 at Victoria General Hospital. She highlights how the skills she honed as a nurse supported her success as a steward. “Being a steward can be one of the most rewarding things in your professional life. Nurses are inclined to care for others by way of this profession. Helping our colleagues is an extension of that,” says Gear.

The decision to run for a steward role sent Gear down a path that eventually led to elected roles shaping the future of BCNU. As President, she now speaks out for nurses at the highest levels –influencing policy decisions, like minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, that are making waves around the world. Where could becoming a steward lead you?

THE FIRST STEP BCNU President Adriane Gear started her union journey as a steward.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

How much do you really know about becoming a steward?

Are you considering running for a steward role? Don’t let myths or uncertainty get in the way. Learn more by reviewing the statements in the left column, then write your answers in the middle column and check them against the right column.

TRUE OR FALSE

Stewards are the first line of support for nurses.

YOUR ANSWER

CORRECT ANSWER

True Stewards are a key frontline resource, helping address workplace issues, ensuring members’ rights are protected and offering guidance on navigating challenging situations.

Stewards must know how to resolve grievances and uphold the rights of union members before they can run for a steward position.

Stewards address workload concerns, harassment and unfair treatment and create a safer, more supportive workplace.

Stewards are not directly involved in resolving issues that affect co-workers’ well-being and professional lives.

Stewards have a strong network of advocates and work together to support each other.

Stewards must have ten years’ experience working as a nurse before they can run for a steward position.

Stewards must speak English as their first language.

How did you do? Are you ready to lead the way at your workplace?

False Stewards have access to BCNU’s comprehensive steward education program to help them build confidence as they go.

True With the support of education and mentors, stewards work to ensure a healthy workplace for their colleagues.

False Resolving workplace issues for their colleagues is the core of steward work.

True Stewards share knowledge and resources to resolve workplace issues more effectively.

False A BCNU member can nominate themselves or someone they respect any time during their career. Some of BCNU’s best stewards are new graduates.

False Stewards represent members who often speak a variety of languages. Having a second language is a strong asset to being a steward.

Visit www.bcnu.org/stewardelections to get started.

SUPPORTS FOR NEW STEWARDS

BCNU is here to help you!

THE BEST PLACE FOR ANY NEW steward to start leading the way is by taking BCNU’s Building Union Strength workshop, which is offered regionally throughout the year. The workshop and the comprehensive Steward Resource Toolkit on BCNU’s website are enough for any new steward to get started in their role.

However, stewards have access to BCNU’s ongoing steward education program, which consists of three key courses. These can be taken in sequential order, and one supplementary course can be taken any time it is available during a steward’s term.

The course learning outcomes help protect members’ rights, enforce the language of the collective agreement and promote safe patient care. Whether learning to identify specific articles related to a member’s circumstances or having the confidence to express concerns at union/management meetings, BCNU is committed to supporting stewards’ knowledge and steward skill development while they lead the way.

Visit the BCNU Event Calendar to apply.

1 STEWARD ESSENTIALS

This introductory course gives new BCNU worksite stewards the tools to advocate for and empower members to stand up for themselves and protect their workplace rights. It covers key components of steward work and examines the grievance process so that stewards can present grievances confidently at the Step 1 level.

2 STEWARD INTERMEDIATE

Designed to strengthen the ability of BCNU stewards to address issues in their workplaces while supporting BCNU members, this course reinforces key concepts taught in Steward Essentials. The course explores labour relations theory about progressive discipline, union investigations, reading and interpreting collective agreements and the grievance process. Additional learning activities focus on communicating effectively in difficult conversations and integrating member advocacy services provided by BCNU.

3 STEWARD ADVANCED

This course builds on labour relations concepts, communication practices and leadership theory introduced in Steward Essential and Intermediate courses. In addition to course work, BCNU labour relations officers mentor participants in their steward practice. This process helps advanced learners reflect on their current skills and abilities while setting personal goals for strengthening their skill set.

4 CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS

This course helps participants recognize high-stakes situations before they escalate into crises. The course shares methods for returning interactions to a safe place and fosters productive communication. Participants learn effective communication techniques for critical situations so they can help achieve shared objectives respectfully.

EAGER TO LEARN MORE?

SIGN UP FOR BCNU’S LUNCHHOUR SKILL LABS

Although designed for stewards, any member can attend these live, interactive drop-in workshops. Sessions include Difficult Conversations, Employer Investigations, How to Read and Interpret a Collective Agreement, Member Advocacy, Note-taking, Union Investigations and Union Management Meetings. Visit the BCNU Events Calendar and search for “workshops.”

STAFF PROFILE

GET TO KNOW YOUR BCNU STAFF

JEN MARK Director of Labour Relations

BCNU STAFF MEMBERS

WORK hard every day to advocate for better working conditions for nurses. But did you know that BCNU hires many staff members with a nursing background? Their professional experiences help to ensure the union stays true to nurses’ needs and perspectives.

Learn more about the staff members who work for you, starting with Jennifer Mark, BCNU’s Director of labour relations.

Title : Director of labour relations

Previous Roles : labour relations officer, team lead & coordinator, steward.

Since : 2014

What has your journey been like with BCNU?

I was a nurse for 10 years, starting in acute care. My last job was with home health in the South Fraser region. I’d been involved in unionism in the career I had before nursing and was curious from the beginning about BCNU. I became more active in 2005 at Royal Columbian Hospital as part of their steward team. Then the union brought me in on a pharmacare tie-in project. I started my career in labour relations following that.

What do you enjoy the most about working with your team?

Our Labour Relations team are all interesting people with very diverse backgrounds. We have nurses, lawyers, HR

professionals, union activists and so on. The beauty of labour relations is that there’s never only one right way to do things, It’s about creative problem solving, and all of the staff bring so much experience to the table.

“Each one of our members is empowered to make a difference in their worksite.”

Jen Mark

Name one achievement for members that you’re especially proud of:

Supporting the bargaining team in the last round of bargaining, We made great gains on behalf of members and achieved a lot – not everything we wanted, but

a lot. We’re building off of that experience now and are actively preparing for the next round.

What is one thing all BCNU members should do?

Read your contract and learn about your rights.

What is your main hobby outside of work?

I’m a busy mom to two active teenage boys. I also love being outdoors in the summer.

What should members know about the work that you do?

Each one of our members is empowered to make a difference in their worksite. We’re here to support them to do that. •

BCNU CONVENTION Hyatt Regency Hotel May 26–28, 2025

AGENDA

SUNDAY, May 25 (CHECK-IN DAY)

3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Convention Badge Pick-up

3:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Delegate WHIP Information Meeting

3:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Scrutineer and Sergeant-at-Arms Meeting

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. All Delegate Orientation Session

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Dinner Break

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Meet and Greet

MONDAY, May 26 (DAY ONE)

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Wellness Activity

7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Convention Check-in

8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m. Call to Order

8:35 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Beginning in a Good Way

8:45 a.m. – 8:55 a.m. Opening Remarks

8:55 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. President’s Report

9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Vice President’s Report

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Finance Report

9:45 a.m. – 9:55 a.m. Executive Councillor OH&S and Mental Health Report

9:55 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Executive Councillor Pensions and Seniors’ Health Report

10:05 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. Health Break

10:25 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. CEO and Executive Director Reports

11:05 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Convention Report #1

12:05 p.m. – 1:35 p.m. Lunch Break

1:35 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. Convention Report #2

2:35 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Q&A on Reports

3:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Health Break

3:50 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. Open Forum

4:50 p.m – 5:30 p.m. Keynote

5:30 p.m. Adjournment

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Resolutions Committee Meeting

TUESDAY, May 27 (DAY TWO)

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Wellness Activity

7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Convention Check-in

8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m. Call to Order

8:35 a.m. – 8:55 a.m. CFNU Update

8:55 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. Bylaws and Resolutions

10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Health Break

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Bylaws and Resolutions

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Bylaws and Resolutions

3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. BCNU Leadership Awards

3:30 p.m. Adjournment

5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Reception

6:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Banquet

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 (DAY THREE)

8:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Convention Check-in

9:00 a.m. – 9:05 a.m. Call to Order

9:05 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Bylaws and Resolutions

10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Health Break

10:50 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Bylaws and Resolutions

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Get Ready to Rally

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Rally

12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Lunch Break

2:15 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. Bylaws and Resolutions

3:55 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Year In Review Video

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Closing Remarks

4:15 p.m. Adjournment

The agenda is tentative and may be adjusted prior to convention.

PROPOSED CONSTITUTION AND BYLAW AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT 1

BYLAWS ARTICLE 8 – CONVENTIONS

WORDING PROPOSED AMENDMENT IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

8.05 Convention Delegates:

(a) The Convention delegates will be:

i. All Council Members;

ii. Delegates of the four (4) Human Rights and Equityseeking caucuses who have been elected at their respective provincial caucus Meetings; and

iii. Regional delegates and alternates, determined as per the table below: Regional

Strike “and” in (ii) after “Meetings;”.

– 3000 24 2

– 3200 26 2 3201 – 3400 28 4 3401 – 3600 30 4 3601 or greater 32 4

Add new (iii) “Enhanced Disability Management Representatives; and”

Renumber (iii) to (iv)

8.05 Convention Delegates:

(a) The Convention delegates will be:

i. All Council Members;

ii. Delegates of the four (4) Human Rights and Equityseeking caucuses who have been elected at their respective provincial caucus Meetings;

iii. Enhanced Disability Management Representatives; and

iv. Regional delegates, determined as per the table below:

*Proviso – Should any other amendment be adopted by the 2025 Annual Convention which conflicts with the numbering of this amendment, the bylaws will be renumbered.

Moved by: Karla Malm

Seconded by: Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali

Costing: $134,000

AMENDMENT 2

BYLAWS ARTICLE 8 – CONVENTIONS CURRENT WORDING PROPOSED AMENDMENT IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

8.05 Convention Delegates:

(a) The Convention delegates will be:

i. All Council Members;

ii. Delegates of the four (4) Human Rights and Equityseeking caucuses who have been elected at their respective provincial caucus Meetings; and

iii. Regional delegates and alternates, determined as per the table below: Regional

Strike “and” after “Meetings;”.

– 2800 22 2

– 3000 24 2

– 3200 26 2

3201 – 3400 28 4

3401 – 3600 30 4

3601 or greater 32 4

Insert (iii) “Delegates of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee; and”

Renumber (iii) to (iv)

8.05 Convention Delegates:

(a) The Convention delegates will be:

i. All Council Members;

ii. Delegates of the four (4) Human Rights and Equityseeking caucuses who have been elected at their respective provincial caucus Meetings;

iii. Delegates of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee; and

iv. Regional delegates, determined as per the table below:

*Proviso – Should any other amendment be adopted by the 2025 Annual Convention which conflicts with the numbering of this amendment, the bylaws will be renumbered.

Moved by: Candi DeSousa

Seconded by: Adriane Gear

Costing: $0 (currently send 2 guests)

PROPOSED CONSTITUTION AND BYLAW AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT 3

BYLAWS

ARTICLE 5 – ELECTIONS

WORDING

5.01

(c) Eligibility requirements will be determined by the Annual Convention at least the year prior to the elections but BCNU steward experience must be a requirement.

Add new language

“(i) Notwithstanding (c) above, a Member who has been declared to have ceased to be a Member in Good Standing, at any point in time, may not stand for election or hold a Provincial Executive Officer or Regional Council Member position.”

5.01

(c) Eligibility requirements will be determined by the Annual Convention at least the year prior to the elections but BCNU steward experience must be a requirement.

(i) Notwithstanding (c) above, a Member who has been declared to have ceased to be a Member in Good Standing, at any point in time, may not stand for election or hold a Provincial Executive Officer or Regional Council Member position.

Moved by: Sharon Sponton

Seconded by: Wendy Gibbs Costing: $0

AMENDMENT 4

8.05 Convention Delegates:

(a) The Convention delegates will be:

i. All Council Members;

ii. Delegates of the four (4) Human Rights and Equityseeking caucuses who have been elected at their respective provincial caucus Meetings; and

iii. Regional delegates and alternates, determined as per the table below:

Replace “3601 or greater 32 4” with the following:

8.05 Convention Delegates: (a)

of the

*Proviso – Should any other amendment be adopted by the 2025 Annual Convention which conflicts with the numbering of this amendment, the bylaws will be renumbered.

Moved by: Andriane Gear

Seconded by: Sharon Sponton

CONVENTION REPORT

Election Review

Delegates at the 2022 Annual Convention approved a motion to hire a third-party consultant to review BCNU’s existing Provincial Executive Officer election processes and provide a report, including recommendations, to a future Annual Convention.

The review has concluded.

Information will be posted behind the BCNU Member Portal and provided to the pre-Convention meetings.

The full report, including proposed bylaw amendments and recommendations will be provided to the 2025 Annual Convention for consideration.

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION 1

Council Remuneration

Whereas, BCNU has grown as an organization;

Whereas, Regional Council Members are responsible for overseeing fiduciary responsibilities for a budget of approximately 81 million dollars annually;

Whereas, Regional Council Members are required to sit on committees that guide and build the organization;

Whereas, Regional Council Members meet with provincially elected government representatives, participate in policy creation, and collaborate with provincial health authorities and government bodies, manage and support a region within the province, oversee a team of executives and stewards, and work alongside local Health Authority directors and managers; and

Therefore be Regional Council Members will be paid at the level 5 step 10 wage rate of pay. it resolved that,

Moved by: Corey Allen

Seconded by: Tamara Roscoe

Costing: Maximum $208,000

RESOLUTION 2

EDMP Terms

Whereas, EDMP representatives play a vital role in supporting BCNU members who are suffering from occupational or non-occupational illnesses or injuries;

Whereas, currently, once appointed, EDMP representatives hold their positions indefinitely, unlike Full-Time Stewards and Stewards at Large, who must reapply every three years;

Whereas, appointing three-year terms supports the BCNU foundation of organizing and mobilizing the membership by creating opportunities for new activists and strengthening organizational capacity;

Whereas, EDMP representatives can bring their expertise to other roles within BCNU, fostering growth and diversity in leadership across the organization;

Whereas, BCNU consistently receives hundreds of applications for vacant EDMP representative positions, highlighting a strong interest from members and creating successorship opportunities for new activists to engage with and invest in BCNU; and

Therefore be effective September 1, 2025, all EDMP representatives will be appointed to a three-year term. it resolved that,

Moved by: Kelley Charters

Seconded by: Denise Waurynchuk

Costing: $6,000 (estimated costs for interviews every term)

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION 3

HRE Conference

Whereas, BCNUs core values include equality, excellence, and social justice;

Whereas, BCNUs strategic directions works at recognizing and addressing systemic racism, the need for inclusivity and diversity through education, advocacy and leadership, and the need to address inequities in diversity and inclusivity;

Whereas, BCNU fosters the development of future leaders;

Whereas, the BCNU is committed to uphold the human rights and equity of its members; Whereas, BCNU will work towards a commitment to HRE by ensuring future resourcing;

Therefore be BCNU will increase the number of seats for the annual HRE conference by one hundred. it resolved that,

*Proviso – If adopted, Convention understands that, if adopted, the motion will be operationalized to the extent possible due to vendor capacity and availability for 2025.

Moved by: Gurvir Sekhon

Seconded by: Tracia Batson-Dottin

Costing: $167,500

RESOLUTION 4

Additional Funded Day for HRE

Whereas, Human Rights and Equity (HRE) representatives lack a formal education pathway;

Whereas, HRE representatives will benefit from the additional networking and connections if provided more time;

Whereas, HRE representatives will benefit from additional learning from subject matter experts;

Therefore be the HRE Conference be increased to 2 days with salary replacement. it resolved that,

*Proviso – If adopted, Convention understands that the motion will be operationalized to the extent possible due to vendor capacity and availability for 2025.

Moved by: Hazel Piano

Seconded by: Simra Bir

Costing: $377,000

RESOLUTION 5

HRE Caucus and Networks

Whereas, the mandate and objectives of the individual caucuses or networks may not be well known by Regional Council Members;

Whereas, centralizing the regional caucus and network budgets could add clarity and efficiency in coordinating activities across the regions; and

Therefore be the regional caucus budget and the regional HRE representative logged hours will be approved it resolved that, by the individual respective provincial caucus or network chair; and

Be it further the funding for the regional caucus and networks be moved to provincial funding from regional resolved that, funding.

Moved by: Cheryl Bannoya

Seconded by: Courtney Blake

Costing: $750/year over the 3 year term (new in-service and licensing)

RESOLUTION 6

DEI Portfolio Change

Whereas, the portfolio of the Vice President has been expanded to include developing and implementing nurse-patient ratios and addressing related workload challenges, which has been identified as a priority for the membership and is expected to be a multi-year endeavour;

Whereas, BCNU also remains committed to Truth and Reconciliation, Cultural Safety, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and to addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives;

Whereas, transferring the HRE Committee portfolio from the Vice President to an Executive Councillor would result in a more equitable distribution of responsibilities within the Provincial Executive Committee and would facilitate the continued advancement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives; and

Therefore be BCNU move the portfolio responsible for the HRE Committee from the portfolio of the Vice it resolved that, President to that of the Executive Councillor Pensions and Seniors’ Health; and

Be it further the change would be effective as of the commencement of the next term of office on resolved that, September 1, 2026.

Moved by: Tracia Batson-Dottin

Seconded by: Frances Beswick

Costing: $0

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION 7

Creation of DEI LRO Position

Whereas, BCNU’s mission statement is to protect and advance the health, safety, and social and economic well-being of our members, our profession, and our communities;

Whereas, BCNU’s core values include equality, integrity, social justice, democracy, and excellence;

Whereas, BCNU is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all members, regardless of background, identity, or experience;

Whereas, nurses from diverse backgrounds may face unique challenges and barriers in their professional lives, requiring targeted support to ensure fairness, respect, and equitable treatment; and

Therefore be BCNU creates a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Labour Relations Officer (LRO) position, it resolved that, with knowledge and expertise in human rights, Truth and reconciliation and DEI matters.

*Proviso – provincial budget will be pro-rated for 2025, based on the premise that $155,000 is the entire annual budget.

Moved by: Amandeep Grewal

Seconded by: Catherine Tanski

Costing: $155,000 (roughly $77,500 for 2025)

RESOLUTION 8

Council Remuneration

Whereas, each BCNU region is led by a Regional Council Member (for larger regions there are two) and they form part of the BCNU Council, the union’s top governing body;

Whereas, the Regional Council Member oversees union activities in their respective regions and chair regional and executive meetings;

Whereas, the Regional Council Member Role shares a fiduciary responsibility for the funds and assets of the organization;

Whereas, the BCNU Regional Council Member Role is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the annual regional planning session, responsible for oversight of day-to-day operations of the region and implementing decisions and actions of Council; and

Therefore be the 2025 BCNU Convention increase the Regional Council Member wage rate to Nurse Level 6 –it resolved that, Step 10.

Moved by: Claudette Jut

Seconded by: Wendy Gibbs

Costing: $266,000 plus the cost of any additional premiums

RESOLUTION 9

Council Stipend

Whereas, each Council Member and Provincial Executive Committee Officer receives an annual stipend of $8,000 for travel time, car expenses (beyond the mileage paid), home office expenses incurred in managing the Region’s affairs from their homes, and extra hours worked.

Whereas, no increases have occurred to the annual stipend of $8,000 since 2010.

Therefore be the 2025 BCNU Convention increase the paid stipend to $16,000 for the Vice President, the it resolved that, Provincial Treasurer, the Executive Councillors, and the Regional Council Members.

*Proviso – the President is covered by different contract language and benefits and would not be included in the above motion.

Moved by: Claudette Jut

Seconded by: Wendy Gibbs

Costing: $192,000

RESOLUTION 10

FTS/EDMP/SAL Remuneration

Whereas, BCNUs core values include equality, excellence, social justice, and collectivity.

Whereas, BCNU enables robust and innovative education, mentorship and support for stewards and members which fosters the development of future leaders.

Therefore be BCNU will pay FTS, DEI FTS, SAL, and EDMP reps at the full-time wage rate of level 4 – step 10. it resolved that,

Moved by: Gurvir Sekhon

Seconded by: Baljit Fajardo

Costing: $1,680,000

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION 11

PEC Officer Compensation

Whereas, the roles of Vice President, Treasurer, and Executive Councillors within BCNU carry significant responsibilities in leadership, governance, and financial oversight;

Whereas, the Korbin Report, which provided a comprehensive review of the BCNU’s leadership structure and compensation practices, recommended a compensation model that aligns with the roles and responsibilities of the PEC Officer positions and which was then adopted by the Annual Convention;

Whereas, the compensation model resulted in the restructuring of the PEC Officer compensation, which was then later changed by Council to align wage increases with the Provincial Collective Agreement, resulting in a falling out of alignment with the Korbin model; and

Therefore be BCNU will reinstate the compensation model as recommended in the Korbin Report for the Vice it resolved that, President, Treasurer, and Executive Councillors, effective June 1, 2025.

Moved by: Barbara Holm

Seconded by: Diane Burnett

Costing: $166,000 (based on current wage rates)

RESOLUTION 12

LPN Network

Whereas, the current Caucus Policy and Procedure, 5.4.10 CAUCUS AND NETWORKS, last updated under Delegated Authority on 13-03-23, does not address the inclusion of LPNs within the caucus structure;

Whereas, LPNs represent 20% of the total BCNU membership, though they constitute a minority within the Union; and

Therefore be BCNU will form a LPN Network with the current Human Rights and Equity Network funding. it resolved that,

Moved by: Lawrence Chen

Seconded by: Sunil Munjaral

Costing: $61,000 annually

RESOLUTION 13

In-person HRE Bargaining Conference

Whereas, BCNU regional bargaining conferences have demonstrated the value of in-person gatherings for fostering collaboration, strengthening communication, and enhancing networking opportunities among participants in person.

Whereas, the HRE Bargaining Conference plays a critical role in advancing collective goals related to human rights, equity, and fair treatment in the workplace;

Whereas, in-person events may incur higher upfront costs, the long-term value of stronger participant engagement, clearer communication, and more effective decision-making can justify the additional investment in HRE members as mandated in BCNU Strategic Plan; and

Therefore be the HRE bargaining conference be held in-person, similar to the regional bargaining conferences. it resolved that,

Moved by: Sumitra Bhasin

Seconded by: Myra Noga

Costing: $46,000

RESOLUTIONS

PRE-CONVENTION/CONVENTION MATERIALS DISCLAIMER

The inclusion of proposed bylaw amendments or resolutions is not intended to reflect the opinions or views of the Bylaws Committee, the Resolutions Committee, or the BCNU and its employees, unless otherwise expressly stated.

The respective movers are solely responsible for the content and accuracy of any mover’s rationales provided and for compliance with the Constitution and Bylaws and the Policies and Procedures. The opinions expressed in the mover’s rationales are solely those of the respective movers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Bylaws Committee, the Resolutions Committee, or the BCNU and its employees.

Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information published, and the information may change without notice. The Bylaws Committee, the Resolutions Committee, or the BCNU and its employees are not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information provided.

THOMPSON NORTH

DEMANDING RESPECT THOMPSON NORTH OKANAGAN COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT DUVALL

QUICK FACTS

NAME Scott Duvall

GRADUATED 2009, Thompson Rivers University

UNION POSITION

Thompson North Okanagan council member

WHY I SUPPORT BCNU? “BCNU is uniquely positioned to have the single most significant positive impact on the profession of nursing, public health care and nurses’ lives.”

COUNCIL PROFILE

HERE’S WHO’S WORKING FOR YOU

“We can’t retain and recruit nurses unless we have respect. That means not making nurses fight for every part of their collective agreement rights,” says Thompson North Okanagan regional council member Scott Duvall.

Okanagan (TNO) regional council member Scott Duvall wants respect for nurses’ voices.

“One of the most frustrating things is when members don’t feel valued, when they feel disrespected,” says Duvall.

“The disrespect can be simple, like an error on a pay stub. Or it can be a longterm pattern. It can come from the employer or the public, like when nurses are blamed for hospital closures.”

To combat this disrespect, Duvall puts members at the forefront of his region’s work. It all starts with listening to nurses’ suggestions, solutions and requests when working to resolve issues with employers.

“It is essential to consider and consult members anytime you are making decisions,” he says.

Duvall earned his nurse-centric mentality through years of experience as a health-care professional. He worked as a paramedic for 14 years before becoming a nurse in 2009. Since then, he has worked mainly in acute care, both in the emergency department and the ICU.

Early in his nursing career, a colleague at Royal Inland Hospital recognized his leadership potential and encouraged Duvall to become more involved with BCNU as a steward. The work struck a chord right away, giving him an opportunity to champion his coworkers’ voices.

“Ever since I started my stewardship, I have enjoyed standing up on behalf of others,” says Duvall.

His experience as a steward drove him to seek roles with TNO’s regional executive team. He first served as the regional communications secretary, then as regional treasurer. He became the TNO regional council member in 2020 and served as interim provincial treasurer in 2023.

Duvall also sits on the union’s Finance, Policy and Resolutions committees and attends Member Engagement Steward Recruitment and Retention committee meetings as a council liaison.

Thanks to his years of nursing and experience in various union roles, Duvall emphasizes talking with members when and where it works best for them.

“You have to be adaptable to different groups of peo-

ple,” says Duvall. “I enjoy engaging with members at dinner meetings, mini regionals, in work units and connecting outside of formal events. I also attend student presentations at our educational institutions to engage with future members.”

Speaking of the future, Duvall says minimum nurseto-patient ratios have the power to transform health care across the province – if members get involved.

“For ratios to succeed, we need all members to participate, with stewards holding the employer accountable and members supporting each other,” says Duvall.

He also wants members to stay engaged in upcoming Nurses’ Bargaining Association contract negotiations.

“Bargaining is crucial to supporting recruitment, retention and respect for nurses. We can’t retain and recruit nurses unless we have respect. That means not making nurses fight for every part of their collective agreement rights,” says Duvall. “When lots of members get involved, employers will have to pick their battles because they know nurses won’t tolerate any disrespect.” •

WHO CAN HELP?

BCNU IS HERE TO SERVE MEMBERS

Here’s how you can get in touch with the right person to help you.

CONTACT YOUR

Stewards for all workplace concerns. Regional Council Members if your steward can’t help, or for all regional matters. Provincial Executive Committee for all provincial, federal or union policy issues.

PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT

Adriane Gear 778-679-9968 adrianegear@bcnu.org

VICE PRESIDENT

Tristan Newby 604-313-1308 tristannewby@bcnu.org

TREASURER

Sharon Sponton 250-877-2547 sharonsponton@bcnu.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR

Denise Waurynchuk (Interim) 250-919-2178 denisewaurynchuk@bcnu.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR

Meghan Friesen (Interim) 604-250-0751 meghanfriesen@bcnu.org

REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS

CENTRAL VANCOUVER

Gerald Dyer

604-786-0594 geralddyer@bcnu.org

Kristina Hernandez

604-329-1343 kristinahernandez@bcnu.org

COASTAL MOUNTAIN

Angela Crawford 778-867-4161 angelacrawford@bcnu.org

EAST KOOTENAY

Denise Nelson (Interim) 250-207-5774 denisenelson@bcnu.org

FRASER VALLEY

Parveen Gill 604-309-3223 parveengill@bcnu.org

NORTH EAST

Danette Thomsen 250-960-8621 danettethomsen@bcnu.org

NORTH WEST

Teri Forster

250-615-8077 teriforster@bcnu.org

OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN

Candice DeSousa 250-462-9517 candidesousa@bcnu.org

PACIFIC RIM

Kelley Charters

250-816-0865 kelleycharters@bcnu.org

RICHMOND VANCOUVER

Sara Mattu 778-989-8231 saramattu@bcnu.org

SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS

Claudette Jut 604-786-8422 claudettejut@bcnu.org

SIMON FRASER

Wendy Gibbs 604-240-1242 wendygibbs@bcnu.org

Roy Hansen 778-668-7654 royhansen@bcnu.org

SOUTH FRASER VALLEY

Glesy Banton-Victoria 778-892-0978 glesybantonvictoria@bcnu.org

Peggy Holton 306-463-0106 peggyholton@bcnu.org

SOUTH ISLANDS

Caitlin Jarvis 250-883-6593 caitlinjarvis@bcnu.org

Leanne Robertson-Weeds 778-222-7997 leannerobertsonweeds@bcnu.org

THOMPSON NORTH OKANAGAN

Scott Duvall 250-241-5952 scottduvall@bcnu.org

VANCOUVER METRO

Frances Beswick (Interim) 604 753 8774 francesbeswick@bcnu.org

WEST KOOTENAY

Shalane Wesnoski 250-231-5655 shalanewesnoski@bcnu.org

BCNU stewards are leading the way to ensure members’ rights are respected.

Nominate yourself or encourage a co-worker you respect to consider becoming a steward

To learn more about the steward role visit www.bcnu.org/ stewardelections or scan the QR code:

2025

The Power of Nurses to Transform Health

BCNU is celebrating National Nursing Week with a series of online events for members and students.

In addition, the union is sponsoring four members, including one designated spot for an Indigenous member, to attend the 30th International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress in Helsinki, Finland, from June 9 to 13, 2025.

Stay connected by following BCNU on social media and subscribing to Member eNews for updates.