BC NURSES’ UNION
UPDATESPECIAL TWENTY-FIFTHANNIVERSARY ISSUE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006 WWW.BCNU.ORG
3 President’s Report
4 Union News
6 Regional Bargaining
8 BCNU: 25 years strong
28 Strategic Plan
34 Who Can Help?
UPDATE
BCNU UPDATE is published six times
each year by the BC Nurses’ Union, an
independent Canadian union governed
by a council elected by 26,000 working
nurses from across the province. Signed
articles do not necessarily represent
official BCNU policies.
EDITOR
Dan Tatroff
CONTRIBUTORS
Juliet Chang, Gayle Duteil, Gary Fane,
Donna Forscutt, Debra McPherson, Art
Moses, Shirley Ross, Patricia Wejr
PHOTOS
Donna Forscutt, Art Moses, Shirley Ross,
Dan Tatroff
CONTACT US
BCNU Communications Department
4060 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC
V5C 6P5
PHONE 604.433.2268
TOLL FREE 1.800.663.9991
FAX 604.433.7945
TOLL FREE FAX 1.888.284.2222
BCNU website www.bcnu.org
EMAIL Update at [email protected]
MOVING? Please send change of addressto [email protected]
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40834030Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses toBCNU, 4060 Regent StreetBurnaby, BC, V5C 6P5
BCNU is affiliated with the Canadian
Federation of Nurses Unions.
VOL 25 NO 2 February/March 2006
responded with increased issue-oriented politicalaction. While maintaining our non-partisan status,we have ensured the issues of nurses have been wellcommunicated to the public and politicians, duringtimes of election, and on an ongoing basis.
The credibility of nurses continues to be high.Our lobbyists combine this credibility with the cam-paign voices of nurses across the province to influ-ence health policy by communicating to our stake-holders the experience of providing patient carefrom the frontlines. And oh what campaigns theyhave been! The pride, the commitment and theunity shine through in the faces of everyone whoparticipated in those campaigns.
But what of the future? On this day, our historyhas positioned us as a strong voice of influence, anda vehicle for member organizing and action. Let’sbuild on that. Our strategic plan (see page 28) laysout a comprehensive plan for the next three years,which will focus on: • strengthening medicare and fighting privatization,including organizing new worksites• strengthening our organization, including succes-sorship planning and developing new activists• improving the working conditions of all members.
We have our work cut out for us.Including and recognizing the role of students,
our retirees, members on LTD and the multiculturaldiversity of our membership to the continuedstrength of BCNU is vital. Equally important is therole that each of you, the membership, play in keep-ing BCNU strong. BCNU is the work of three gener-ations of nurses, and we congratulate and thankevery one of them for their contribution. We owe itto all those activists; to ourselves, to keep the visionvital and moving forward. Future generationsdepend on it.
Twenty-five years is one landmark in historyworth celebrating. There are many more to come. Be an active part of our future.
WE are the BCNU – 25 years STRONG. �
Twenty-five years ofhistory to celebrate
THIS YEAR marks the twenty-fifth anniversary ofthe creation of the British Columbia Nurses’ Union.A lot has changed since those shining moments inthe ballroom of the Empress Hotel in Victoria,where we took those final steps forward, becoming afull-fledged union; and not merely an arm of ourprofessional association.
We have made significant gains through collectivebargaining, not only wages, but a reduced workweek, job security (before Bill 29), access to the pro-fessional responsibility clause, LTD indexing andmore. A major achievement was the unionization ofmost long term care facilities, and bringing them torelative parity with other nurses, and the final inte-gration of acute, community and long term carenurses into one agreement.
Through the 1990s we reorganized to make use ofthe strength of our membership and tools we hadnegotiated. That included making a membership-driven organization a reality, implementing a popu-lar education model, adopting the organizing modelof membership participation and working tostrengthen the resources available to our stewardsand regional executives.
At the same time, our staff has grown, to under-score our commitment to education, health andsafety and communication, as well as servicing andnegotiating the collective agreements.
Our relationship with other nurses’ unions hasbeen enhanced through the Canadian Federation ofNurses Unions. And we have formalized our rela-tionship with the rest of the labour movement viaour affiliation to the BC Federation of Labour andthe Canadian Labour Congress. We are vital mem-bers of the BC Health Coalition and the CanadianCenter for Policy Alternatives, to bolster ourresearch and action on issues of social policy.
This last decade has had its share of political tur-moil at both the federal and provincial level. Ourcherished medicare system is being seriously threat-ened by privateers and legislators alike. BCNU has
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
DebraMcPherson
CHRIS CAMERON
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 3
BCNU ELECTIONThree candidates are vying for the position of BCNUpresident in elections to beheld in May.
The candidates are JulianFinn, a steward at RichmondCommunity Services, incum-bent BCNU president DebraMcPherson and PattShuttleworth, a former BCNUvice president fromCranbrook.
Information about the can-didates is posted on theBCNU website. It will alsoappear in the next Updateand will be mailed to mem-bers in April along with infor-mation about how to voteusing our televoting system.
BCNU vice president AnneShannon was re-elected byacclamation.
BCNU WINS RNs’ WAGESAT MAYFAIR MANORIn February, BCNU successfullypressured the provincial gov-ernment and the FraserHealth Authority to coverwages and benefits owed tonurses and other staff at Port Coquitlam's MayfairManor, a privately-ownedlong term care home, whichis teetering on the brink offinancial insolvency.
“We are pleased the healthauthority and the ministry ofhealth have understood thenecessity of doing the rightthing for the employees ofMayfair Manor,” says BCNUpresident Debra McPherson.
“These employees are tobe congratulated for standingby their frail elderly residentsout of a sense of professionalduty, even though they hadreceived no encouragementfrom the employer that theywould ever be paid again.”
In a letter to health minis-
BCNU has stepped up its efforts in sup-port of long term care nurses with a well-attended forum in Vancouver that maybecome an annual event.
More than 130 RNs from 36 LowerMainland long term care facilities metwith BCNU president Debra McPhersonand their regional chairs to discuss a widerange of contentious work issues, includ-ing skill mix problems, rising acuity ratesand increasing privatization and decertifi-cation since the BC Liberals implementedBill 29 in 2002.
The chairs had issued an open invita-tion to all long term care nurses in theLower Mainland to attend.
The nurses described in detail the prob-lems they face every shift while trying todeliver quality care to residents at theirunderstaffed facilities. Major issuesinclude workload, shortage of registerednurses and difficulty in meeting practicestandards.
McPherson and BCNU executive treas-urer Mabel Tung also spoke aboutBCNU’s growing multicultural networkand encouraged members to get involvedwith the group and to attend and partici-pate at their BCNU regional meetings.
The message at the event was the needto speak out about the concerns of longterm care nurses and to share their expe-riences with other nurses wherever andwhenever possible. McPherson thankedCentral Vancouver co-chair MebratKebede and the other Lower Mainlandchairs for organizing the informative andfun evening, which included a delicious10-course Chinese dinner. �
news
MAKING NEWS
BCNU PRESIDENT Debra McPherson meetingwith Vancouver-area long term care nurses.
Supreme Court hears Bill 29 challenge
The Supreme Court of Canada heardthe legal challenge mounted by threeBC health care unions against Bill 29 onFebruary 7.
The unions – BC Nurses’ Union, HEUand BCGEU – argued certain aspects ofcollective bargaining are protected bythe freedom of association provisionscontained in the Charter of Rights andFreedoms.
BCNU president Debra McPhersonsays that Bill 29 affects the ability ofregistered nurses and registered psychi-
atric nurses to care for their patients.“Bill 29 eliminated training opportu-
nities, restricted the movement of nurs-es to new positions and caused the lay-off of hundreds of nurses, puttingpatients at risk, particularly seniors inlong term care.”
The Supreme Court is not expectedto hand down a decision for severalmonths.
The unions’ challenge involves boththe equality and freedom of associationprovisions of the Charter.
When the Court granted leave toappeal last April, the unions’ lead coun-sel, Joseph Arvay, said that the movewas significant because the Court had
BCNU IN THE HEADLINES
Meeting boostslong term carenurses’ profile
B C N U U P D AT E4
ment will strip from coverage undermedicare and force patients to pay out oftheir own pockets.”
In fact, the percentage of Canada'snational income spent on health care overthe past 30 years has not changed signifi-cantly and is similar to other westernindustrialized countries, except theUnited States where costs are consider-ably higher.
“It is ironic in the extreme,” addsMcPherson, “for a government that isboasting record surpluses and revenues,and that began its term in office providinghuge tax cuts to the wealthiest citizensand corporations, to now come anddeclare that health care spending is notsustainable.”
While the premier and health ministerwant to spend taxpayer's money on “fact-finding” junkets to find out about healthcare systems in Sweden, Norway, Franceand the United Kingdom, the governmentwould be better off touring BritishColumbia and speaking to nurses andpatients about their health care solutions,McPherson says.
“Many of the problems in our healthcare system today are the result of the clos-ing of hundreds of hospital and long termcare beds and entire facilities in the earlyyears of this government's mandate.” �
ter George Abbott,McPherson revealed that reg-istered nurses continued toprovide 24-hour nursing careto residents of Mayfair Manor“notwithstanding that theirlast few pay cheques havebeen delayed, not given at allor returned due to insufficientfunds.”
Also owed wages weremembers of the HospitalEmployees' Union, which rep-resents other care and supportstaff at the facility.
McPherson says the situa-tion underlies the deficienciesin government policies thathave forced its health authori-ties to close hundreds of pub-licly-funded long term carebeds across the province, forc-ing many seniors to turn toprivate, for-profit facilities toget the care they need.
CLARIFICATIONThe article about threats tomedicare in the January 2006Update referred to “double-dipping” at various privatesurgery clinics.
The article referred to thepractice by which some sur-geons have been billing MSPfor surgeries they perform atthe clinics. The clinics thencollect a “facility fee” fromthe patient for the same pro-cedures. The practice hasbeen admitted by some clinicsand confirmed by the provin-cial government.
In one instance which came to our attention, BCNUlegal counsel persuaded a pri-vate clinic to reimburse a$3,000 fee paid by a BCNUmember, whose surgeon hadalready billed MSP for her pro-cedure.
While this form of double-dipping may be widespread,the article did not mean tosuggest that all surgeons areengaged in this practice.
PUSHING PRIVATIZATION The BC Liberals’recent throne speech included numerous callsfor more private health care.
ruled in the late 1980s that there is noconstitutional right to collective bar-gaining in our Charter.
“This would suggest that the Courtmight be prepared to reconsider thatcritically important constitutional ques-tion,” Arvay said.
Another question raised by theunions is whether legislation that tar-gets collective agreements in the mostfemale-dominated sectors of the econo-my – such as health care and communi-ty social services – violates the equalityprovisions contained in Section 15 whenthe legislation is aimed at depressingwages which have been subject to payequity processes.
The provincial government has signaledplans for a greater role for private, for-prof-it medical entrepreneurs in the delivery ofhealth care in BC, resulting in a systemoffering priority service to those who canafford to pay.
Under the guise of “updating” theCanada Health Act, February’s ThroneSpeech represented a shocking manifestofor the dismantling of publicly-funded,publicly-delivered medicare in thisprovince, contrary to the wishes of BritishColumbians, says BCNU president DebraMcPherson.
“Adding the word 'sustainable' to theCanada Health Act can mean only onething: the government will decide what'ssustainable to cover under the public sys-tem. Anything beyond that, the govern-
Liberals push private health careTHRONE SPEECH SIGNALSHIGHER COSTS TOPATIENTS, GIVING PRIORITYTO THOSE WHO CANAFFORD TO PAY
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 5
B CNU held its last three regionalbargaining conferences in earlyJanuary. Nurses from BCNU’s
Fraser Valley, South Islands andCoastal Mountain regions gathered todiscuss bargaining priorities and tohear presentations from presidentDebra McPherson and Gary Fane,BCNU’s new executive director ofnegotiations and strategic develop-ment.
“It was a very good meeting,” saysFraser Valley chair Linda Pipe. “Welearned a lot and had fun. The evalua-tions show that Debra and Gary werevery well received by our members.”
“After talking with members acrossBC,” says McPherson, “I feel very con-fident about bargaining. We have lotsof strong activists and our membersare always there for our bargainingcommittee if we need to call on them.”
Like most BCNU members, FraserValley nurses picked wages and work-load as their top two bargaining priori-ties. “Our number one priority is for awage increase, which will lead to betterpensions when we retire,” says Pipe.
“Our second priority is fornurse/patient ratios, which includesworkload measurement tools for allsectors and will lead to safer work-places.”
The info collected from members atthe 16 regional bargaining conferencesmakes up a critical part of the planningand preparation that goes into ourunion’s bargaining strategy. The nextUpdate will include highlights ofBCNU’s 2006 Bargaining Conferenceheld in Vancouver on February 28 andMarch 1.
Visit www.bcnu.org for bargainingupdates. �
BARGAINING 2006
B C N U U P D AT E6
MembersTALK
strategy
REGIONAL BARGAINING CONFERENCES To receive thelatest news during
bargaining please sendyour email address to
1
3
2
4
5
7
1 Lion’s Gate Hospital RN Peggy Mitchell(Coastal Mountain). 2 Abbotsford HomeCare RN Laurie Strocel (Fraser Valley).3 South Islands regional bargainingdelegates. 4 South Islands co-chair JacquieFerrier. 5 Mission Mental Health RNJacquie Thesen (Fraser Valley). 6 DebraMcPherson with Fraser Valley regionalbargaining delegates. 7 From left, BCNUpresident Debra McPherson, Fraser Valleychair Linda Pipe and BCNU executivedirector of negotiations and strategicdevelopment Gary Fane. 8 From left: LoriAnn Locken, Josefa Aquino, HollyMeadows, Lydia MacDonnell, Leslie Zinger,Patricia Milloy (South Islands). 9 CoastalMountain chair Becy Seet. 10 BCNUexecutive director of negotiations andstrategic development Gary Fane at theSouth Islands regional bargaining meeting.11 Coastal Mountain regional bargainingdelegates. 12 From left, Fraser Valley chairLinda Pipe and Fraser Valley stewardcoordinator Joyce Seniuk.
1
2
4
5
6
7
89 10
11
12
B C N U U P D AT E8
“It was exciting to be at our first con-vention,” recalls former BCNU vicepresident and regional chair SheilaBlaikie. “We had a sense of making his-tory. A lot of people there believed ournew union would help move our pro-fession ahead while also improving ourwages, benefits and working condi-tions.”
“One of this union’s constitutionalobjects is the promotion of the higheststandards of health care,” WilmaBuckley, BCNU’s first elected chair-man (the title of president wasn’tadopted until 1988) told conventiondelegates. “What we achieve at the bar-gaining table goes a long way towardraising those standards, towardimproving the quality of care.
“If the collective agreement assistsnurses to obtain continuing educationto update skills and knowledge – thenstandards of care will be raised. If pro-
fessional responsibility clauses becomea reality in BC – then standards of carewill be raised. If better wages and ben-efits attract more people into the pro-fession, and help alleviate the nursingshortage – then standards of care willbe raised. If contract language protectsnurses from working seven straightdays, when fatigue can put them at risk– then standards of care will be raised.”
Nora Paton, BCNU’s first chief exec-utive officer and a driving force behindthe founding of our union, told dele-gates that “nurses now have a strongorganization to represent their con-cerns in the workplace; and we’re get-ting stronger and better at what we do.”
BCNU has changed significantlysince our historic first convention.We’ve grown in size from 16,000 to26,000 members. We’ve evolved from arelatively conservative organizationthat emerged from RNABC to become
On June 11, 1981, 200 nurses from across the provincegathered in the ballroom of Victoria’s Empress Hotel toparticipate in the first annual convention of the BritishColumbia Nurses’ Union and to celebrate its legal sepa-ration from the Registered Nurses Association of BC.
a grassroots, member-driven union.For example, BCNU’s elected presidentdidn’t become a full-time paid officeruntil the late 1980s. Until then, mostpublic outreach, including lobbying thegovernment and speaking to themedia, was conducted by senior staffmembers.
Today, we’re also a more democraticand open union, with our presidentand other executive committee mem-bers elected by all 26,000 members,instead of by several hundred conven-tion delegates. In the past 25 years,frontline hospital nurses’ top wagesjumped from $12.05 to $33.46 per hour.
We’ve also transformed ourselvesfrom an organization focused mainlyon negotiating contracts, handlinggrievances and other labour relationsissues into a union that champions awide variety of social justice issues andis one of our country’s most respected
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 9
BCNU: Twenty-fiveyears strong
B C N U U P D AT E1 0
1
3
5
6 7
2
4
Help us improve BCNU’s records byemailing the names of unidentifiedmembers you recognize on thesepages to [email protected].
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 1 1
1 First wage and policy conference, 1981. 2 Earlycampaign button. 3 Wilma Buckley, Sheila Blaikie,Colleen Bonner with unidentified RN. 4 Delegatebook, wage and policy conference, 1981. 5 OperationSolidarity rally, 1983. 6 VGH nurse Heather Keely andpatient at a video shoot, 1988. 7 Debra McPhersonspeaking at Convention 1985. 8 BCNU’s first job actionmanual. 9 Operation Solidarity, Empire Stadium, 1983.10 Bernadette Stringer and "BC needs more nurses"campaign outside VGH. 11 From left, Carole Needham,treasurer; Colleen Bonner, president; BernadetteStringer, vice president, 1985. 12 Teresa Meierhofer ,left, with Ivory Warner at Public Service stewards'assembly, 1988. 13 BCNU convention delegatesdelivered more than 200 personal letters to Premier BillVander Zalm’s constituency office protesting Bills 19and 20, 1987.
5
11
12
13
10
7
8
9
2
and outspoken defenders of publichealth care.
“We’ve made dramatic changes overthe past 25 years,” says current BCNUpresident Debra McPherson, whoattended the 1981 convention as ayoung steward from UBC Hospital.
“We’ve seen wages, bene-fits and working conditionsimprove considerably. We’venow brought nearly all ourmembers under one collectiveagreement.
“We ensured there were nolonger any second-class nurs-es as there were in 1981,when most long term carenurses earned far less inwages and benefits than hos-pital nurses. Unfortunately,some of those inequities havereappeared since the Liberalsimplemented Bill 29.
“We’ve also moved to theorganizing model, which putsdecision-making power intothe hands of nurses in theirworkplace. We’ve implement-ed a popular education modeland we’re reaching out tonursing students and youngnurses. We’ve launched anew multicultural commit-tee, because we recognizethat as the face of BCNU’smembership changes, theface of our activists and leaders mustalso change.”
“BCNU has given nurses a sense oftheir own power,” adds Ivory Warner,BCNU’s president from 1994 to 1998.“Our union is now a place where all
nurses – whether you work in longterm care, the community or in a hos-pital – have a home, a place where theirproblems and issues are recognized byeveryone.”
“We’re now a grassroots organiza-tion where everyone has the right to
have their voice heard,” says currentBCNU treasurer and VGH nurseMabel Tung. “You can attend conven-tion and bargaining conferences andspeak your mind about the directionyou would like to see our union head.”
“I think that one of our most impor-tant accomplishments,” says WilmaBuckley, who served as president until1984, “has been to successfully pro-mote a positive profile of workingnurses to the broader community.Nursing is now seen as an honourable,
full-time profession. It’s nolonger something that littlegirls do until they’re married.”
NURSING LABOUR HISTORY,PRE-1981Improving the lives of workingnurses began long beforeBCNU’s first historic conven-tion. But without a union advo-cating on nurses’ behalf,progress was slow.
The RNABC resisted callsfrom members to begin collec-tive bargaining for nursesaround the province until1946, when VancouverGeneral Hospital nurses votedto join the Hospital EmployeesFederal Union (now HEU).After RNABC reversed its deci-sion, St. Paul’s Hospitalbecame its first certification,followed by several otherLower Mainland facilities.
In 1951, Evelyn Hood, apublic health nurse, becameRNABC’s first full-time direc-tor of personnel services and
helped negotiate separate collectiveagreements with 17 hospitals and fivepublic health departments. Wages forRNs at the time ranged from $180 to$218 per month.
BCNU’s founding was sped along by
B C N U U P D AT E1 2
WILMA BUCKLEYBCNU’s first president and former Trail Regional Hospital RN“When I was BCNU president [from 1980 – 1984] I continued to work as a full-time nurse at TrailRegional Hospital, first as a team leader on the surgical ward and then as a head nurse. The presidentof BCNU didn’t become a full-time, paid position until the late 1980s, and our Chief Executive Officer,Nora Paton, usually spoke on behalf of nurses to the government and also to the media on a day-to-day basis.”
BCNU members participated with a broad-based coalition in1983’s massive Operation Solidarity campaign. It was launchedto oppose Premier Bill Bennett’s Social Credit government’sdraconian “restraint” program.
a landmark 1973 Supreme Court ofCanada decision. The court ruled thatthe board of the SaskatchewanRegistered Nurses’ Association couldbe unduly dominated and influencedby management nurses and thereforeshouldn’t also be the nurses’ bargain-ing agent. That judgment soon led tothe formation of the SaskatchewanUnion of Nurses and other Canadiannursing unions.
In 1976, the RNABC LabourRelations Division, with Nora Paton asits head, was formally established tobargain for nurses. The LRD had its
own elected governing body, separatestaff and funding. Erica Preddy becameits first chairman. She was followed in1978 by Doris Shepard and WilmaBuckley in 1980.
The RNABC and its LRD formed ajoint committee to study the issue ofseparation in 1980. It unanimously rec-ommended the two bodies separatecompletely.
In February 1981, the division held aspecial founding convention. Althoughthe vote to become BCNU was a fore-gone conclusion, the day wasn’t with-out drama. “During the final motion to
separate from the RNABC and becomea union,” recalls Buckley, “memberssupported the motion unanimously.But a delegate fainted during the vote.We went to her rescue – we’re a bunchof nurses after all – and she wasremoved on a stretcher. That causedquite a commotion and forced us totake another vote – which also passedunanimously.”
1981Delegates to BCNU’s first annual con-vention took time out of their busyschedule to march on a Victoria WeightLoss Clinic in support of striking nurs-es. In fact, BCNU’s first picket lineswent up in front of seven BC WeightLoss Clinic centres in 1981. After ninemonths on strike, the members won a22 per cent wage increase.
1983In 1983, BCNU negotiated its firstMaster Collective Agreement. It provid-ed marked improvements in rights andbenefits, mostly covering nurses work-ing in acute care facilities. Throughoutthe 1980s, the number of membersand facilities covered by the MCA con-tinued to increase.
Also in 1983, BCNU participated ina province-wide firestorm of protestsagainst Premier Bill Bennett’s dracon-ian “restraint” program. A coalition ofunions, including BCNU, and commu-nity groups launched OperationSolidarity to fight the legislation, whichincluded elimination of human rightsprotections and the drastic curtailing ofpublic sector collective bargainingrights.
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 1 3
BCNU’s multicultural committee held its founding meetingin 2005. “It was an exciting meeting,” recalls BCNU treas-urer and VGH nurse Mabel Tung, who chairs the group.“We had 50 nurses from diverse backgrounds talkingabout the future of BCNU and their place in it. Having amulticultural group supported by BCNU shows membersthat we are an inclusive organization that representseveryone.
“It’s critical for BCNU to address issues that are specificto nurses from visible and invisible minorities,” agrees BCCancer Agency nurse Petra St. Pierre. “The face of BCNUis changing and it has to be reflected throughout the organization.”
Tung says statistics reveal that in 2001, 31 per cent of British Columbiansand 49 per cent of Vancouverites have a visible minority background. InBCNU, in 2001, 17 per cent of members were from a visible minority – butonly 6.3 per cent are in BCNU leadership positions.
“It’s important to support members of visible minorities in getting involvedin BCNU and also to develop the skills they need to help build our union,”says Tung.
BCNU’s treasurer also would like to see more members speaking out in theethnic media. “We need more nurses talking to their own communities aboutissues,” she says. “We need to do a better job promoting BCNU and ourissues in those communities.”
THE CHANGING FACE OF BCNU MEMBERSHIP
HELEN GRACE SIOSONSteward and Fair Haven Home RN“BCNU's Young Nurses Conference [in 2002] was one of my proudest moments. To be part of a unionthat's trying to recognize different groups and bring them together, celebrating what we are, it's justamazing. Similarly, BCNU's multicultural group was my door to get out of my shell and recognize mypotential to do things, no matter what your background or where you trained. Knowledge is power, andbeing involved in BCNU empowers me and the other members of my facility .”
BCNU treasurerMabel Tung
B C N U U P D AT E1 4
1 Vancouver rally, 1983. 2 BCNU president ColleenBonner. 3 Solidarity March, 1983. 4 Home nursingvisits include many types of special services andnursing care, 1987. 5 BCNU labour school RNs EvaMarie Marchioro (front) and Susan Epp, 1988.6 BCNU members at Operation Solidarity rally,1983. 7 BCNU’s Fifth Nurses' Master Agreement.8 Victoria rally, 1983. 9 RN Nancy Dobie.10 Helene Greenaway (right) with unidentifieddelegates,1983. 11 BCNU vice president Beth AnnDerksen holds banner at rally to protest Mulroneygovernment policies, 1985. 12 Nurse JaniceSwanson supporting locked out Vancouver theatreemployees, 1984.
1
3
5
6
2
4
Help us improveBCNU’s records byemailing the namesof unidentifiedmembers yourecognize on thesepages [email protected].
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 1 5
7 8
10
1211
9
In late July, BCNU president WilmaBuckley was a keynote speaker whennurses joined 20,000 other protesterson the lawn of the legislature. “Thegovernment has launched an attack oncitizens – subverting rights, destroyingvital services, putting people second toan anti-social philosophy,” she told thecrowd. “That is intolerable.Nurses are for putting anend to it. This is why we arehere today, to fight for peo-ple.”
PARITY FOR LONG TERMCARE NURSESIn the early 1980s, BCNUlaunched a campaign toorganize nurses working atnon-union long term carefacilities.
That important campaignwas the first step in a processthat put BCNU on the mapas a union at the forefront ofthe struggle for social justice.BCNU’s goal was to bringthe wages, benefits andworking conditions of under-paid and unorganized nurs-es up to the same standardsas their hospital colleagues.
BCNU hired three labourrelations officers to run thecampaign. “When we start-ed, long term care nurseshad terrible working conditions andearned 30, 40 and sometimes even 60per cent less in wages and benefits paidto hospital nurses,” recalls Ray Haynes,a BCNU LRO from 1980 to 1989. “Mostwere immigrant women and Licensed
Graduate Nurses.” The LGNs wereRNs from other countries who RNABConly allowed to practice as LGNs.
“By organizing them,” says Haynes,“we were able to make a huge differ-ence in their standard of living andworking conditions.
“It’s really to BCNU’s credit that the
organization spent the money neededto organize those facilities. It definitelywasn’t a profit-making proposition. Butorganizing the unorganized is alwaysthe right thing to do.
“Many employers were just rotten,
right out of the Stone Age. They triedintimidation and, occasionally, tried tofire the nurses. So we worked very clan-destinely, meeting in people’s homesuntil we knew we had a positive votecinched.”
One of their first victories was in1982, when a strike at Carlton Private
Hospital resulted in nursesreceiving wage parity withhospital nurses.
Haynes says that as news oftheir successes spread, non-union long term care nursesaround the province begancontacting BCNU.
“We eventually organized1,000 nurses in over 100 facil-ities. But certification was justthe beginning. Signing thefirst contract was always diffi-cult and nurses were oftenforced to strike.”
In 1985, nurses launchedjob action at 12 private longterm care facilities and stayedoff the job for up to 20 days. In1987, nurses at 16 privatefacilities, took job action, last-ing up to 41 days.
Full victory for most longterm care nurses was finallyattained in 1991, when anarbitrated settlement resultedin wage parity, plus equalhealth and welfare benefits,
with hospital nurses.
1988BCNU established our Legal ExpenseAssistance Plan. LEAP provides assis-tance to members charged under a pro-
B C N U U P D AT E1 6
AMY LEESteward and Fellburn Care Centre RN“BCNU worked hard so that all long term care nurses were treated equally and not as second-classnurses. One of the biggest accomplishments was the re-classification that reduced the levels in longterm care from six to four, and recognized our supervisory work. BCNU fought for Licensed GraduateNurses and brought them into the new classification system, making them eligible for increments likeother nurses. BCNU fought for recognition that a nurse is a nurse, no matter what their status.”
Residents of Langley Lodge march with nurses after their ownerlocked them out. The dispute was part of a long fight by BCNUto raise the wages and working conditions of non-unionizednurses, who earned up to 60 per cent less than hospital RNs.
fessional act that is directly job related.
THE 1989 STRIKEThe tumultuous ’89 strike played adefining role in the future develop-
ment of our union. Negotiations for anew contract opened in February 1989,with nurses demanding a 33 per centwage increase and other contractimprovements, including a profession-
al responsibility clause to help resolveworkplace practice and safety issues.
Employers responded by submittinga long list of concession demands,including reductions in sick leave andother benefits.
BCNU launched a series of TV adsin April aimed at raising public aware-ness about the growing nursing short-age and the threat it posed to patients.“BC nurses have been undervalued foryears,” BCNU president Pat Savagetold the media, “and we believe ourtime has come.”
In May, nurses voted 94 per cent infavour of job action, which began witha ban on non-nursing duties. That tac-tic quickly led to the appointment of amediator. Over the next several weeks,numerous issues were resolved,including 30 weeks’ maternity leave,provisions affecting job portability,improved casual language and a pro-fessional responsibility clause.
On June 9, employers finally sub-mitted a three-year wage package withincreases of 5.5, 6 and 6.5 per cent.BCNU’s counter-offer was refused andthe employer declared further discus-sions pointless.
Within days, BCNU memberslaunched a province-wide overtime banand withdrew all but essential nursingservices from 12 hospitals. Days later,69 facilities were behind picket lines.
On June 26, after a week of intensivemediation, a tentative settlement wasreached and recommended by both theemployer and BCNU’s bargainingteam. The three-year package called forpay raises of 29.5 per cent.
But a large and vocal group of nurs-es were extremely unhappy with the
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 1 7
During the past 25 years BCNU hasevolved beyond simply negotiatingand protecting collective agree-ments, to address wider concernsfacing nurses inside our worksitesand beyond.
BCNU members have learned thatnurses’ gains come not only at thebargaining table, but from efforts topromote social justice, influencegovernments and develop allies.
As employers closed hospitals andlaid off nurses, BCNU joined in coali-tions with other unions and othersocial groups to fight back.
In 1994, we joined other RNs inthe National Federation of NursesUnions (now the CanadianFederation of Nurses Unions).
Tri-union solidarity betweenBCNU, HEU and HSA became animportant part of our strategy.
In 1997 BCNU deepened its asso-ciation with the rest of the labourmovement by joining up with theCanadian Labour Congress, and in2002 the BC Federation of Labour.
Members also got active in theircommunities through local commu-nity coalitions and labour councils.
Also significant were our allianceswith community organizations andseniors groups.
We were instrumental in helping
organize the BC Health Coalition,where seniors, community organiza-tions and unions advocate for publichealth care.
Rudy Lawrence of the Council ofSenior Citizens Organizations is aregular speaker at BCNUConventions. Joyce Jones of the BCSeniors Network is co-chair of theBC Health Coalition, along withBCNU’s Alice Edge.
BCNU also supported the creationof safe injection sites by helping tofund the documentary Fix, and in2005 co-sponsoring a project withthe same director and a group of BCnurses aimed at helping RNs betterunderstand health care issues forsubstance abusers.
Last year, BCNU became involved,through CoDevelopment Canada, ina pro-active health project in ElSalvador and a women’s program inHonduras.
BCNU also supports the CanadianCentre for Policy Alternatives, whichproduces solid research on publicpolicy issues, and is an effectivecounter to business-financed thinktanks that promote the dismantlingof social programs.
We’ve also participated in a staffexchange program with Australia’sNew South Wales nursing union.
TO PROMOTE NURSES, BCNU HASDEVELOPED A BROADER SOCIAL ROLE
SHEILA BLAIKIEFormer BCNU vice president and Council member“BCNU members have been extremely fortunate to have had so many long-time activists working ontheir behalf over the past 25 years. Members of our Council and regional executives, stewards and otheractivists have hung in there over the years and volunteered countless hours of their own time toimprove conditions for nurses and their patients. They’re devoted to the organization and their tirelessefforts have made a real difference.”
B C N U U P D AT E1 8
1
3
5 6 7
2
4
Help us improveBCNU’s records byemailing thenames ofunidentifiedmembers yourecognize on thesepages [email protected].
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 1 9
1 Okanagan-Similkameen nurses rally for more RNsduring Bargaining 1998. 2 "Trayless in Nanaimo"campaign: NRGH members protest non-nursingduties during Bargaining 1998. 3 RNs Helen Weilerand Geordie Stowell lead march during Bargaining2001. 4 Cast of Hurl, Hemorrhage, Heal, the BCNUtheatre production, 2000. 5 Nurses protest atCanada Place against BC Liberal cuts, 2002. 6 BCNUmembers march in Seattle at World TradeOrganization summit, 1999. 7 Community nursesrally outside Richmond Inn for better mileageallowance during Bargaining 2001. 8 Fraser Valleynurses mourn loss of RNs, during Bargaining 1998. 9 RN Virginia Chiu speaks at news conference forChinese-language media, 2001. 10 Lisa Wilson, Joni-Rae Horgan and Kathryn Cameron at World AIDSDay rally, 1997. 11 BCNU president DebraMcPherson with nurses at Campaign BC protest atBC Legislature, 2002. 12 South Fraser Valley nursesrally at Peace Arch border crossing to highlightproblem of nurses leaving for the US, Bargaining2001. 13 Nurses rally at Canada Place to protest BCLiberal law that forced an end to job action duringBargaining 2001.
11
12
13
10
7
89
2
4
deal and the lack of bargaining infor-mation coming from the union office.On June 27, more than 700 angry nurs-es packed into Vancouver’s Plaza 500Hotel to demand answers aboutthe contract from BCNU’s staffand elected officials.
“Our president, Pat Savage,came by herself,” recallsMcPherson, who was a Councilmember at the time. “No onefrom the bargaining team or sen-ior staff accompanied her. It tookcourage for her to stand up to themembers and answer all theirquestions.
“One lesson we learned in1989 is we now recognize the factthat that during job action it’s themembers who drive the engine,and the leaders have to stay intouch with them and keep theminformed.”
On June 29, 150 irate nursesheld a rally outside BCNU’soffice. Some of them occupiedthe building and held a news con-ference, demanding negotiationsfor a better contract resumeimmediately.
“I was in the office when theystormed it,” recalls Fernie RN andcurrent BCNU executive council-lor Andy Wiebe. “I thought theywere going to rip the office apart.It was pretty awesome, let me tellyou. Members wanted to havetheir voices heard and they did.
“The ‘Vote No’ campaign was basedon the organizing model. When youwant to get your point across, you doone-on-one, you talk with the members
and build a campaign. That’s exactlywhat the ‘Vote No’ group did. Theycame to us to tell us why they wantedus to vote no.”
In the following days, manyVancouver-area nurses donated moneyfor a “Vote No” campaign, which wasled by McPherson and fellow Councilmember Bernadette Stringer. The pair
traveled the province by car, meetingwith nurses, listening to their concernsand urging them to reject the proposedpackage.
On July 12, 65 per cent of nurs-es voted against ratification, withmembers in eight of BCNU’s nineregions rejecting the deal.
“The ‘Vote No’ camped provedthat you can’t ignore the mem-bers,” says Burnaby Hospital stew-ard Kathy Bonitz. “Since thenBCNU has become much more ofa member-driven, grassrootsorganization. And that’s a verygood thing.”
In early-August, mediator VinceReady entered the fray and, onAugust 18, announced a series ofbinding recommendations. Thenew contract was for two yearsinstead of three and raised wagesby 20.9 per cent; from $17.43 perhour to $21.08, the highest inCanada.
“We accept the report underduress,” BCNU President PatSavage declared at a news confer-ence at the end of the bitter six-month struggle. “We will beginnow to prepare for the next roundof negotiations – and to developmechanisms to make sure thepublic understands the patientcare problems that are sure toresult from this shortsighted set-tlement.”
1990Public Service nurses directlyemployed by the provincial govern-ment launched a strike to achieve pari-
B C N U U P D AT E2 0
KATHY BONITZSteward and Burnaby Hospital RN“Our fight to save Shaughnessy Hospital in 1993 really showed the power of our members. So manynurses got involved and accomplished things they never thought possible, like speaking to the media.I remember shaking in my boots while presenting a brief at Vancouver City Hall. Even though weeventually lost the fight, it was worthwhile because we learned so much about how to run acampaign, how to deal with the media, lobby politicians and organize rallies.”
BCNU’s first anti-violence campaign, launched in 1992,included this poster, a series of member educationals, avideo and a media blitz that helped raise awareness ofthe violence nurses face in our workplaces.
ty with hospital RNs. They walked pick-et lines, handed out leaflets and metwith their MLAs and the media. Afterfive weeks of job action they won a 22per cent wage increase, bringing themnearly in line with hospital nurses.
1992BCNU launched a highly successfulanti-violence campaign, with a video,literature and media blitz. “Weengaged the public and our employers
in a dialogue about the issue,” saysMcPherson, who was president at thetime. “Unfortunately, employers havenot taken seriously the real dangeroussituations that nurses often work in, soit’s still a problem that BCNU is work-ing on today.”
1993When the provincial NDP governmentannounced plans to close Vancouver’sShaughnessy Hospital, concerned
nurses organized a campaign to savethe facility for their patients. Theybegan working with a broad-basedcoalition that included unions, doctors,patients and community groups. Theylobbied politicians, organized ralliesand marches, handed out pamphletsand spoke out to the media.
“Our fight really showed the powerof our members,” says formerShaughnessy steward Kathy Bonitz.“So many nurses got involved andaccomplished things they neverthought possible, like speaking to themedia. I remember shaking in myboots while presenting a brief atVancouver City Hall.
“We worked our hearts out,” addsBonitz, who now works at BurnabyHospital. “And even though we eventu-ally lost the fight to save Shaughnessy,it was worthwhile because we learnedso much about how to run a campaign,how to deal with the media, lobbypoliticians and organize rallies. Whatwe learned has helped us win othercampaigns.”
The struggle to save Shaughnessyalso played an instrumental role in thecreation of the Employment SecurityAgreement for nurses and other healthcare workers in 1993. The innovativeagreement provided nurses with threeyears of job security and included theHealthcare Labour AdjustmentAgency, which funded retraining pro-grams, early retirement incentives andjob placement alternatives for laid offemployees.
1994BCNU joined the Canadian Federationof Nurses Unions.
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 2 1
In the early days of trade unionism,union members were willing andactive participants who had foughtfor the right to join and belong to aunion. Workers had a close relation-ship to their union, and saw theirleaders on a regular basis.
But over the years, as unions grewin size, and relied more on the pro-fessional skills of staff “experts”most members came to feel moreremoved from their union. If theynever filed a grievance, most likelythe only time they thought abouttheir union was every three years orso when a new contract was beingbargained.
In 1995, BCNU’s leaders decidedto reverse this trend by adopting theorganizing model, which relies onsome of the practices of early tradeunionism.
In the organizing model, leaders,staff and members solve problemstogether. A much greater emphasis isplaced on member education and
communication. That’s why BCNUexpanded those departments andadded a campaign component in themid-1990s. Developing members’skills and abilities became a priority,with education and involvementopen to everyone. Equipped with thissupport, members began to focus onachieving change in their workplacesthrough campaigns or small groupactions.
In addition to internal organizing,BCNU began to spend more energydealing with a range of union, politi-cal and social issues. While remainingnon-partisan, through the leadershipof its elected officials, a network oflobbyists and dedicated stewards,BCNU’s voice on issues related to thesocial determinants of health and theprotection of public health carebegan to be heard throughout theprovince. By drawing upon thestrength of its members, BCNU hasgrown to become the vibrant andinfluential organization it is today.
THE ORGANIZING MODEL
PETRA ST. PIERRESteward and BC Cancer Agency RN“I’ve been a steward for three years and it’s been a really empowering and enjoyable experience. BCNUdoes a good job welcoming new members and encouraging new stewards. Whenever I’ve needed helpwith an issue, I’ve been able to call the office or other stewards and people have always been morethan happy to assist me. I’ve found BCNU to be extremely welcoming and supportive. I couldn’tcontinue without that support.”
B C N U U P D AT E2 2
1
3
5
6 7
2
4
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 2 3
5
7
2
1 Young nurse delegates and student nurse observersat Provincial Bargaining Strategy Conference, 2004.2 Vancouver community nurse Diana Lilly at rally forbetter mileage allowance, Bargaining 2001. 3 SimonFraser region nurses’ rally, Bargaining 2001. 4 PeggyEburne, Simon Fraser co-chair, addresses communitynurse rally, Bargaining 1998. 5. Andy Wiebe, executivecouncillor, Bargaining 2001. 6 Nurses rally in Victoria,Bargaining 2001. 7 Multicultural Committee atConvention 2005. 8 Former vice president PattShuttleworth with US seniors protesting high drugprices. 9 Rally, Bargaining 2001. 10 Kamloops longterm care nurses Linda Marquard, Liz Harvey andNancy Howard, 2003. 11 St. Paul’s picket line, 1998.12 Vancouver community nurse Judy Howard, 2001.13 BCNU lobbyist Judy Tyrell with unidentified nurseasking Opposition Leader Gordon Campbell to signBCNU’s nursing care pledge, Bargaining 2001.
11
12
13
10
8
9
Long term care nurses gained fullaccess to the Employment SecurityAgreement.
Public Service nurses, after intensivelobbying, won an agreement to bringtheir wages and premiums in line withthe BCNU Master CollectiveAgreement.
Public health nurses in theLower Mainland launched alengthy strike.
Their creative job action –including an occupation ofVancouver City Hall – garneredwidespread support from thepublic and other nurses.
“I remember singing ‘WeShall Overcome’ in the councilchambers,” remembers long-time BCNU activist Diana Lilly.“It was an important strike forus because we were a smallgroup and until then we hadn’tever done any dramatic type ofjob action. Afterwards, we feltlike we really belonged in theBCNU.”
Their strike eventuallysecured an agreement that mir-rored the one achieved byPublic Service nurses.
BCNU also began expandingand improving our educationdepartment by increasing thenumber of educators and mov-ing to a popular educationmodel.
1995The community nurses’ struggle, andthe fight to save Shaughnessy Hospital,helped convince BCNU to adopt theorganizing model of trade unionism
(for more information, see page 21). “The organizing model allows nurs-
es to be active at the local level,” saysIvory Warner, who was president at thetime. “If there’s a particular issue thatis important to nurses at a worksite
they can decide for themselves whataction to take. They can write a peti-tion, wear buttons, hold sit-ins. Butthey can do it themselves, without hav-ing someone at the union office tellingthem what to do. They can organize a
campaign that is appropriate for themin their worksite.”
“I think moving to the organizingmodel was the best thing we ever did,”says BCNU executive councillor AndyWiebe. “It helped put power back in
the hands of members and letthem make their own deci-sions.”
In 1995, BCNU also helpedLicensed Graduate Nurses winsupport from the HealthcareLabour Adjustment Agency tosuccessfully write their RNexams.
BCNU formed its first gayand lesbian committee to pro-mote equality in the union andworkplace.
BCNU began promoting amodel of integrated primaryhealth care, lobbying for a net-work of community health cen-tres staffed by salaried, multi-disciplinary teams. The initia-tive complemented our union’sdefense of public health care at atime of deep federal fundingcuts.
1996BCNU launched our “SomeCuts Don’t Heal” campaign todefend medicare and qualityhealth care services. The mem-ber-driven campaign targetedfederal government health cuts.
BCNU invited US consumer advocateRalph Nader on a tour of BC to helppublicize the campaign and highlightthe problems of US-style health careand the dangers of allowing a privateparallel system to develop in Canada.
B C N U U P D AT E2 4
BCNU members marching through the streets of Vancouverin 1997, to publicize our “We Can’t Stop Caring” campaign.Its aim was to promote the role of RNs and RPNs in thepublic health care system.
FRANK GILLESPIEVancouver Metro regional chair and St. Paul’s Hospital RN“The most exciting times in BCNU for me came from feeling part of the bigger picture, such as duringOperation Solidarity, when we formed coalitions with other unions and social groups. And it was greatto be part of our 2001 bargaining effort, which really jelled our membership and awakened the senseof the value and worth of nurses’ work. I also had a real feeling of solidarity with the issues facingworking people when we supported HEU during their last job action.”
“That campaign was near and dearto my heart,” recalls Warner. “Webelieved bringing in Nader would getpeople talking. It was all about savingmedicare and that is a fight that con-tinues to this day.”
In March, after bargaining for oneprovincial contract to cover the vastmajority of RNs broke down, the gov-ernment appointed Vince Ready asIndustrial Inquiry Commissioner.
In May, Ready issued his recom-mendations, which were accepted byBCNU, but not HEABC. In June, thegovernment imposed Ready’s recom-mendations, bringing many long termcare nurses into the PCA and estab-lishing a process for melding the vari-ous collective agreements.
Ready’s decision also awardedemployment security; casual call-in byseniority; bumping rights for displacednurses; superstats for all nurses; andthe right to port benefits from oneemployer to another.
But Ready’s melding award elimi-nated some of the superior benefitsheld by municipal and Public Servicenurses before they were merged intothe Provincial Collective Agreement,including a superior sickness plan andmileage allowances.
1997BCNU kicked off our “We Can’t StopCaring” campaign with TV and news-paper ads, membership meetings andpolitical lobbying. Its goal was to pro-mote the role of RNs and RPNs and tostop their removal from vital frontlinework.
Also in 1997, BCNU deepened itsconnections with other workers by
joining the Canadian Labour Congress,the umbrella organization for mostCanadian unions.
1998BCNU restructured into 16 regionsthat corresponded to provincial health
board boundaries. Our new office onRegent Street in Burnaby opened.
BCNU worked with nurses to devel-op First Call protocols at AshcroftDistrict Hospital. The model soonspread to other rural areas.
1999BCNU Public Service nurses, who stillearned $3 less per hour than hospital
nurses, finally achieved wage parity.Also, the National Federation of
Nurses Unions became the CanadianFederation of Nurses Unions, repre-senting 125,000 nurses from allprovinces except Quebec.
2000BCNU signed our first independentcollective agreement with a FirstNations employer, the Nisga’a commu-nities of northwestern BC.
BCNU launched the member-ledBuilding Union Solidarity educationprogram.
The BUS workshops – an introduc-tion to union activities for membersinterested in becoming stewards – con-tinue to be delivered in BCNU’s 16regions by member educators.
BCNU initiated a province-wide“Non-Nursing Duties” campaign.Nurses tracked the number of hoursdevoted to a dizzying array of tasks thatkept them from their patients. Somehealth regions agreed to hire more RNsand support staff.
2001Nurses publicized our demands for abig wage increase by holding rallies,lobbying politicians, speaking out onradio talk shows, writing letters to edi-tors, leafleting and running a success-ful, award-winning TV ad with thepunch line “Sir, why don’t we just paythem what they’re worth?.”
Nurses collected over 85,000 signa-tures on petitions that called for “digni-ty, respect and fair pay for BC’s nurs-es.” The petitions were delivered toNDP Premier Ujjal Dosanjh.
Our employers opened negotiations
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 2 5
Since BCNU was founded in 1981, the topwage of experienced frontline nurses hasincreased from $12.05 to $33.46 per hour.
PENNY HENDERSONNorth West regional chair and Mills Memorial Hospital RN“My most exciting moment in BCNU had to be the '89 strike when everyone got together, we had lotsof fun on the picket line and I got to know a lot of people. It made me think about becoming moreactive in the union. My most rewarding experience was getting a needleless system into our facilityafter I got a needlestick injury . . . I was able to work through the Joint Occupational Health and Safetycommittee on how to prevent these kinds of injuries.”
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
200620011996199119861981
$12.05
$15.53
$22.36
$25.73$27.04
$33.46
with 37 concession demands and nomonetary offer.
Nurses held a massive rally on thelawn of the legislature in Victoria. Witha provincial election looming, PremierDosanjh and Opposition LeaderGordon Campbell both spoke at theevent. Two days later, over 18,000 nurs-es voted 95 per cent in favour of takingjob action.
Shortly after thevote, BCNU launch-ed an overtime ban.“Our job action wasextremely success-ful,” recalls BCNUexecutive councillorAndy Wiebe. “It wasan exciting and verybusy time. We justjumped into thingswithout a lot of prep.But our memberswere very support-ive.”
The ban’s successforced employers totable their first mon-etary offer, whichnurses rejected.
The BC govern-ment then appointedVince Ready as anIndustrial InquiryCommissioner.
During the provincial election, nurs-es turned up the heat on politicians.Just days before the vote, PremierDosanjh instructed a reluctant HEABCto offer a wage and benefits packagesimilar to the Alberta nurses’ contract.Shortly after the BC Liberals swept into
power, 20,500 members voted on theoffer; 96 per cent voted to reject thedeal.
But the BC Liberals moved quicklyto impose a “cooling off period,” forc-ing BCNU to abandon our successfulovertime ban.
Nurses continued to pressure thenew government to improve its offer,
but on August 7, the BC Liberalsimposed it by legislation. The contractdid, however, deliver wage increases of25 per cent over three years, bringingthe top wage for frontline nurses fromjust under $50,000 annually to about$62,000 per year.
2002In January, the Liberals ripped up thecontract they had previously imposedon nurses by passing Bill 29, whicheliminated job security and union suc-cessorship rights, weakened bumpingrights and cleared the way for the pri-vatization of health services.
BCNU joined the BC Federation ofLabour, which helpedto strengthen ouralliances with otherunions resisting theLiberals’ attacks onworkers and services.
BCNU launched alawsuit with BCGEUand HEU claiming thatBill 29 violates theCanadian Charter ofRights and Freedomswith respect to free-dom of expression,freedom of associationand equality rights forwomen.
2003Members around theprovince fought BCLiberal health care pro-gram cuts, lay-offs andfacility closures.
About 150 youngnurses and students
attended BCNU’s first Young NursesConference. Participants learned aboutBCNU, talked about their experiencesand discussed their concerns about thefuture of nursing.
“I think it’s really positive thatBCNU is so keen to help make new,
B C N U U P D AT E2 6
DIANA LILLYSteward, Vancouver Community RN“My most exciting moment in BCNU was when I realized I was finally making more money than thedog catchers employed by the City of Vancouver. That was after the 1994 municipal strike, when weshut down a city council meeting. It’s so rewarding when members come up and say thanks forhelping them through some really rough times and keeping them in nursing. Our big challenge nowis to convince younger nurses to replace the activists who are retiring [Lilly retires in March].”
Members from across BC participated in a massive rally in 2002 in Victoria. Theprotests were called after Premier Campbell’s Liberal government imposed Bill 29and other anti-labour legislation. Bill 29 eliminated job security, weakenedbumping rights and opened the door to the privatization of health care services.
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 2 7
young members a part of theunion,” says Petra St. Pierre, an RNand steward at the BC CancerAgency who attended the confer-ence.
“My advice to young members isthat BCNU is your union and youneed to participate.”
2004While other unions were forced totake concessions, including deepwage cuts, BCNU secured a contractwith no concessions and a processfor discussing key nursing policyissues with government and healthauthority officials.
2005Our union was in the BC SupremeCourt in 2005, seeking to reversecuts to medical coverage for retirednurses that were imposed as a resultof BC Liberal government spendingcuts in 1992.
BCNU also launched campaignsto reduce needlestick injuries and tostop violence against our members.Nurses began lobbying the WCBand employers to ensure the board’sviolence regulations are enforcedand safe needles are introduced inour workplaces.
At regional bargaining confer-ences, members made measures toaddress workload and improvedwages their top two priorities forBargaining 2006.
LOOKING AHEAD“I’m excited about the challengesfacing BCNU in the years ahead,”
says current BCNU president DebraMcPherson. “We’re heading into animportant round of bargaining. Wealso have a new federal governmentand a provincial government thathave been articulating a desire topromote more private health care.
“It’s also imperative that we culti-vate future leaders to run our organ-ization. We need to make sure theyfeel welcome and have the help theyneed to have their voices heard.”
“We’ve gained so much at the bar-gaining table over the past 25 years,”adds Vancouver community nurseDiana Lilly, “that it’s hard to con-vince young members who didn’t gothrough those battles how easy itwould be to lose what we’ve now gotin our collective agreement.
“But we have to convince newmembers not to be complacent.BCNU needs younger nurses toreplace the older activists who areretiring and to keep on fighting forbetter working conditions.”
“We also need to continue bridg-ing the gap between the two genera-tions of nurses that make up themajority of our union,” saysMcPherson.
“We have the baby boomers, whoare rapidly moving into retirement,and we have the new generation,which is starting to replace us.
“Both groups have differentneeds, and BCNU has to ensure theycompliment each other, in terms ofour collective agreement, in terms ofour campaigns and programs andalso in terms of our visions and val-ues as an organization.” �
Wilma Buckley1980 - 1984
Pat Savage1988 - 1990
Colleen Bonner1984 - 1988
Ivory Warner1994 - 1998
Cathy Ferguson1998 - 2000
Debra McPherson1990 - 1994
2001 - present
BCNU Presidents
TINA COLETTIWest Kootenay regional chair and Kootenay Lake Regional Hospital RN“What's most rewarding about my work in BCNU is when I can help a member move to action to dosomething about their situation. I love the grassroots effort and commitment that develops aroundBCNU campaigns, and how people collectively take steps forward to push their issues to the forefront.Maybe they don't always get a win, but people learn to stand up and tell their story while feelingsupported by a larger collectivity, which is the union.”
B C N U U P D AT E2 8
Message from BCNU presidentDebra McPherson
Dear Member,
BCNU has enjoyed success as a consequence of itsannual planning process. This process has enabledus to carefully plan major initiatives and closelyalign Council priorities with our annual opera-tional planning process. While this process hasserved us well, we now have the capacity to antici-pate longer term developments in the health caresystem and plan strategies which will result ingreater strength and effectiveness of BCNU.
This strategic plan, for the first time, spans athree-year time horizon. We have focused on sig-nificant “make or break” issues facing BCNU andour members. These issues represent issues ofmajor strategic importance and will, if successfullyaddressed, result in long term value for improvingthe health and well-being of our members, ourcommunities and our health care system.
For the next three years, Council has embracedthe following major strategic directions:
1. Champion our publicly funded and publiclydelivered health care system and protect the publicand BCNU members from efforts to erode it.
2. Optimize the organizing model to enhancemembers’ collective power, influence and profes-sion.
3. Actively pursue opportunities to enhance theprofession and working conditions to address thenursing shortage.
For each of these directions, we have formulatedobjectives, actions and timelines. Council willmonitor progress in these strategic directions as acore component of its own work and through staffs’operational planning and reporting process. Mostimportantly, we expect our members to hold usaccountable for our planned achievements andthus, reporting on our progress will become a reg-ular feature of our member communications andmeetings.
Together, we can become even stronger andmore effective.
Sincerely,
Debra McPhersonPresident
STRATEGIC PLAN2006-2008
Approved by Council – December 2005
BUILDING STRENGTH AND EFFECTIVENESS
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 2 9
OUR PURPOSE, AND BELIEFS
Core PurposeThe core purpose of BCNU is to promote and protect thesocioeconomic well-being of our members and their com-munities.
Values • Collectivity• Honesty — integrity• Equality• Caring, compassion, social justice• Democracy — participative, member driven
Core BeliefsWe believe:1. Everyone has the right to be treated with honesty, integri-ty, courtesy and respect.2. Every person has the right to equality regardless of gender,race, creed, colour, sexual orientation and physical ability.3. Every person has the right to participate in decisions abouttheir own health and the delivery of health services inCanada.4. All workers have the right to belong to a union and to freecollective bargaining.5. Every member has the right and responsibility to partici-pate in the affairs of the union.6. As part of the labour community, we have all the rightsand responsibilities inherent therein.7. All workers have the right to expect that their socioeco-nomic welfare will be safeguarded and promoted.8. All workers are entitled to a healthy and safe workplace.9. As a union predominantly comprised of women, we musttake a leadership role in addressing issues of particular con-cern to women.10. All health care workers have the right and responsibilityto participate in health care decision making.11. The five principles of the Canada Health Act: universali-ty, public administration, comprehensiveness, accessible,and portability are critical.12. Social determinants impact health and well-being.
OUR PLANNING CONTEXTBCNU is operating in a rapidly changing health care system,both provincially and nationally. The pace of change is esca-lating and strong leadership is required to protect and promote nurses’ interests. To be collectively strong and effec-tive, we must build on our strengths, deal proactively withour weaknesses, mitigate our threats and capture opportuni-ties.
Building on our Successes and StrengthsBCNU and its members continue to enjoy positive publicsupport and endorsement. As advocates and guardians of a
publicly administered, funded and delivered health care sys-tem, nurses are credible, proactive leaders. This is a keystrength for forming effective relationships with govern-ment, health authorities, and other organizations andunions.
During the last year, we have made significant inroads inour goal of better integrating occupational health and safetyinto our activities, most notably in the area of violence pre-vention and intervention and preventing needle sticks. Wehave also reached a point where there is no longer denial ofthe significant nursing shortage. This has created an envi-ronment where employers are becoming increasingly will-ing to honour BCNU’s entitlement to important data suchas sick leave usage. This is a critical success factor inBCNU’s policy and bargaining discussions. There are clearsigns that Professional Responsibility Forms (PRFs) arebeing more widely used and are reaping benefits, thoughclearly much more potential in this process is yet to be har-nessed.
Our education programs continue to be recognizedamong members and other unions as being dynamic,engaging and effective. Our staffs’ expertise and their vari-ous backgrounds help ensure these programs have a strongfocus on members’ needs.
We now have a ten-year experience with the OrganizingModel and have seen many successes at local, regional andprovincial levels. However, this model can be further opti-mized and will represent a major focus of Council duringthe next three years. Optimizing this model is critical to fur-ther increasing activism among individual nurses, withinworksites, regions, and the province. A more effective organ-izing model enables us to become more innovative andresponsive, and to mobilize member capacity.
BCNU prides itself in being member-driven. We havehigh accessibility to individual members and provide anopen website which enables access to an incredible amountof information and tools.
Perhaps our most significant strength, however, is ourability to continually challenge the status quo. Collectively,we always want to push our ability to make the health, well-being and work lives of our members better and to improvethe health care system; not simply protect what exists today.We are committed to being receptive to change at many lev-els: within our own Council structure and processes, withinthe ways we work together and with others.
Recognizing our Internal WeaknessesBCNU continues to struggle to ensure its relevance to allnurses, a challenge enhanced by our diverse membership.We strive to be important in the lives of all nurses whetheryounger or older; new, mid-career or, experienced; and thosein both rural and urban sites. We must better understandhow to engage all regardless of practice setting, age, experi-ence and culture.
We must find new and better ways of building nursing
B C N U U P D AT E3 0
leadership at every level and supporting nurses to becomeeffective, credible advocates. We must accomplish this with-in our available human and financial resources. WithinBCNU’s Council, staff and membership, we are also experi-encing demographic shifts which will test our effectivenessin succession planning and leadership development.
Regional Council members are reporting increased diffi-culties in securing time off from work for shop stewards toconduct union business. Consequently, stewards are experi-encing stress caused by exceptionally high member (andemployer) expectations of them. The result is escalating dif-ficulties in recruiting new stewards and retaining experi-enced ones. Clearly, there is a need for BCNU to ensure stew-ards are more fully supported for their important work. Thiswill require focused efforts to access mechanisms to get timeaway from work to engage in activism.
As an organization, BCNU must pay additional attentionto evaluating what we do as a core component of demon-strating accountability to our members. This ranges fromevaluating member experiences of the policy discussionsframework; of our own ability to engage members; theresults BCNU is able to achieve with its programs and serv-ices commensurate with the allocation of human and finan-cial resources; to how Council, committees, staff and regionsare organized to carry out work.
This focus on evaluation provides a means of assessingour internal capacity. Far too often we try to meet all expecta-tions without adequate capacity, an Achilles heel of the nurs-ing sector. As 2006 will be a bargaining year, our capacity willbe challenged to be simultaneously effective in bargainingand in maintaining reasonable levels of member services.
Responding to External ChallengesWithin Canada, and here in British Columbia, there is con-tinued erosion of our publicly funded, administered anddelivered health care system. This requires nurses to be atthe forefront of holding governments accountable for theirobligations under The Canada Health Act.
The ramifications are being acutely felt. Continued longwait times for access to health services, health system gover-nance structures which are further removed from communi-ties, and rationalization of services are common. For nurses,the erosion of the public system is changing our roles with-out clear understanding of appropriate skill mixes whichprotect quality patient care.
The escalating nursing shortage and new cost contain-ment measures are making the work lives for nurses moredifficult; a situation that simply cannot be sustained. Nurseshave experienced fewer opportunities for career progression,with some experienced, senior nurses still unable to workanything other than permanent night shifts. Nurses andother health professionals are entering an era of survivorshipwhich could potentially foster competition for scarceresources rather than compel unified actions aimed at
protecting public health care services in this province. The government of British Columbia is clearly against
unionized workers. This is particularly evident with the ero-sion of recent collective agreements and in the long termcare and community health sectors. This is particularly trueif media sentiment towards unionism also shifts to the neg-ative. At worksites throughout the province, nurses must beequipped with the knowledge, skills, support and tools toenable them to continue to be positive advocates forpatients, themselves, for nursing, and for our health system.This is especially challenging when many nurses are alreadyphysically and emotionally exhausted.
Capturing OpportunitiesThere are opportunities to meaningfully engage nurses inthe 2006 bargaining and collective agreement processes.Harnessing nurses’ passion will be particularly important asplans are formulated to develop campaigns that highlightcritical work-life issues affecting all nurses, not just nursesalready involved in their union.
With a federal election completed and a new minorityConservative government in place, there are also opportuni-ties for BCNU (through the Canadian Federation of NursesUnions) and its sister unions to ensure protecting ourhealth system, dealing with nursing supply, work-life andretention issues are key issues. Similarly, BCNU’s affiliationwith the BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian LabourCongress can be leveraged to highlight issues relating to theerosion of the Canadian health system.
Within British Columbia, there are signs employers haveaccepted the nursing shortage is real. This provides BCNUopportunities to engage employers more meaningfully toaddress nursing supply and work-life issues, including forexample, achieving greater career mobility across the entirecontinuum of health services. To further leverage nurses’unity, there are also opportunities to further organize nurs-es, including for example nurses who work in private healthcare settings.
While the Organizing Model is reaping benefits forBCNU’s nurses, our experiences can now be used to furtherdeepen this grassroots approach to enabling nurses tobecome effective advocates. We know there are furtheropportunities to identify and support nursing leaders withinall sites and that young nurses must be provided with oppor-tunities to understand that their ideals match those of theirnursing union.
Changes in the population of British Columbia presentopportunities for BCNU and the nursing profession to growand better reflect the demographic mix of the province. Inparticular, representation from the many cultures withinBritish Columbia has been a challenge for nurses and par-ticularly for BCNU.
The following are the Strategic Directives approved byCouncil for 2006 – 2008.
BUILDING STRENGTH AND EFFECTIVENESS
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 3 1
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1Champion our publicly funded and publicly delivered healthcare system and protect the public and BCNU membersfrom efforts to erode it.
Planning ImperativeCanada’s publicly funded and publicly delivered health careis known to be one of the best in the world, but is being erod-ed. The standards of care and access to services are beingdiminished, resulting in service fragmentation and real con-cern regarding safety. This poses a moral dilemma for nurs-es as they increasingly observe incidences where patients areable to exert their financial ability to access care in privatesettings. Society’s most affluent and influential citizen’s areconsequently easing governments’ accountability for publiclyfunded, publicly administered and publicly delivered healthcare services.
Private health services represent a violation of the CanadaHealth Act and compromise Canadian values and its socialsafety net. In addition, nurses themselves are deeply affectedas competitive pressures work to erode valued collectiveagreement provisions and serve to devalue the importance ofresponding to substantial quality of work life issues.
OBJECTIVE 1.1: Organize private settings.
Actions Lead
a. Establish and implement a certify-ing program.
Council/ Organizing Staff
b. Educate all nurses on the benefitsof using and working in the pub-lic health care system.
Council/Communications
c. Review the results of research onworking conditions in private andpublic care settings.
Council/Communications
OBJECTIVE 1.3: Use strategic avenues such as politicalactivism, legal action, and collaboration with organizedlabour to protect public health care and fight privati-zation.
Actions Lead
a. Through collaborative efforts withCFNU and CLC, make publichealth care and whistle blowing aleading 2006 Federal electionissue.
President/Vice President
b. Coordinate legal action with otherstakeholders on the Quebec deci-sion, including through theResolution to the BC Federation ofLabour, and recognition of theneed to be actively reactive.
Council/Legal Advisors
c. Coordinate campaigns at a federallevel with CLC and CFNU.
President/Vice-President/Council
d. Lobby for Whistle Blower legisla-tion in British Columbia.
Council/Activists
OBJECTIVE 1.2: Engage targeted health care user groups(e.g., seniors) and health professionals to educate thepublic regarding the advantages of a public health caresystem and the dangers of privatization.
Actions Lead
a. Add a module to the presentationto student nurses on privatization.
Council/Member Educators
b. Continue with health coalitioninvolvement and funding.
Council/Member Educators
c. Develop an advertising campaignwhich focuses on one privatizationissue annually.
Council/Communications
OBJECTIVE 1.4: Make the private less profitable.
Actions Lead
a. Certify staff of private clinics, agen-cies and unorganized worksites suchthat staff benefit.
Council/Organizing Staff
b. Act upon any legislative and legalability which might prohibit publicfunds being contributed to the pri-vate system.
Council/Legal Advisors
c. In conjunction with CFNU and the BCHealth Coalition, publicize research onthe cost inefficiencies of private healthcare and cost effectiveness of publichealth care as a means of educatingthe public and compelling them toaction.
President/Vice-President
B C N U U P D AT E3 2
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2Optimize the organizing model to enhance members’ collec-tive power, influence and profession.
Planning ImperativeThe success of the Organizing Model represents success forBCNU and its members. The Organizing Model is a grass-roots approach that builds membership involvement ofmembers, builds membership confidence and engagement,creates solidarity, enhances the nursing profession, and epit-omizes BCNU’s values. There is now a need to build upon aten-year experience with the Organizing Model and to createthe right structure and the right processes to support the bestuse of finite resources, both within BCNU and within work-sites. The Organizing Model is working for BCNU, but itsvalue can be optimized through careful review of what isworking well and what can be improved for the future. Asthe Organizing Model touches every aspect of BCNU’s gov-ernance, operational and regional structures, a comprehen-sive plan that takes interdependencies into account isrequired.
BUILDING STRENGTH AND EFFECTIVENESS
OBJECTIVE 2.2: Create an equitable funding andaccountability structure in tandem with the timelinesof the organization review.
Actions Lead
a. Undertake a disciplined process ofdocumenting current and futurepractices and the impact of theorganizing model on lifestyle issuesof Council and Regional Executivesand nurses.
Council
b. Develop an interim funding andaccountability process to supportcouncil and regional functions.
Finance/ExecutiveCommittees/Council
c. Develop and implement the sys-tems, structures and processes tosupport a new structure.
Finance/ExecutiveCommittees/Council
OBJECTIVE 2.1: Conduct a review of BCNU structure forrecommendation at the 2007 convention.
Actions Lead
a. Appoint a task force with terms ofreference and guiding principles.
Council
b. Develop, implement and evaluatea communications strategy tokeep major stakeholders informedand involved.
Task Force/CommunicationsStaff
c. Undertake extensive consultationwith members to ensure involve-ment and understanding of TaskForce work.
Council/Regional Executive
OBJECTIVE 2.3: Focus on developing effective strategiesfor the recruitment and retention of knowledgeableand experienced activists such that current numbers ofactivists are maintained and the number of stewards isincreased by 15 per cent over three years.
Actions Lead
a. Negotiate stronger union leave inthe 2006 bargaining cycle.
Bargaining Team
b. Develop and implement the toolsand processes which supportRegional Executive and StewardTeams in the recruitment andretention of stewards, includingeducation programs, buddy sys-tems, etc.
Education andCampaignsDepartments/AD Hoc CouncilMembers
c. Develop strategies to encouragethe involvement of young nursesand minorities.
Vice President/Multicultural Group
OBJECTIVE 2.4: Understand, share and leverage bestleadership practices to support effective Council andRegional Executive functioning.
Actions Lead
a. Develop and implement processto share information on howeach region functions.
President/Executive Directors
b. Develop and implement process-es to capture best practices within regions.
President/Council/Executive Directors
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 3 3
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3Actively pursue opportunities to enhance the profession andworking conditions to address the nursing shortage.
Planning ImperativeMembers are experiencing intolerable working conditions.To resolve these issues requires government commitmentand ambitious bargaining objectives which cause employersto confront the issues being experienced by nurses. In pur-suing opportunities, BCNU must ensure concrete action istaken, and that the current nursing shortage is not posi-tioned as a rationale for inaction.
MONITORING OUR PROGRESSBCNU’s commitment to the established strategic directionsis reflective of the important issues facing our members.
Council is committed to ensuring this strategic planremains a major focus at each of our meetings. We willactively monitor our progress and ensure our strategic direc-tions remain relevant. As conditions change, we will be wellpositioned to amend existing plans and/or add new actions.
On an annual basis we will formally review our progress,make necessary changes, and plan for another ‘new’ thirdyear. In addition, on an annual basis, staff will continue withits regular practice of developing an Operations Plan forCouncil review and approval. In this way, more detailedactions are planned, implemented, monitored and evaluatedkeeping our strategic plan a living, dynamic tool and creat-ing long term value for our nurses and our communities. �
OBJECTIVE 3.1: Improve working conditions.
Actions Lead
a. Ensure improved working con-ditions are addressed throughthe collective bargainingprocess.
Bargaining Team
b. Undertake specific campaignsaimed at working conditions.
Council/Campaigns andLobbyists/Campaignsand Communications
c. Develop and implement astakeholder lobbying plan.
Council/Campaigns andLobbyists/Campaignsand Communications
d. Explore funding opportunitiesthrough federal and provincialgovernment initiatives.
Council/Campaigns andLobbyists/Campaignsand Communications
OBJECTIVE 3.2: Be the voice of nurses regarding profes-sional nursing issues.
Actions Lead
a. Use every opportunity to incorpo-rate professional issues into unionactivities, such as continuing nurs-ing competencies, and appropriateand safe skill mix.
Council/RegionalExecutives/Staff
b. Cultivate partnerships with keystakeholders such as schools ofnursing and chief nursing officersas a means of developing solutionsto working conditions and nursingsupply.
President/RegionalExecutives/EducationDepartment
c. Participate in a grassroots partici-patory research process to thor-oughly identify and articulate nurs-ing issues.
Council/Campaigns/Communications
d. Develop a specific public relationscampaign to highlight nursingissues.
Council/President/Campaigns/Communications
OBJECTIVE 3.3: Push for an increase in the capacity toeducate sufficient numbers of RNs.
Actions Lead
a. Lobby for increased numbers ofnursing seats.
Executive/Lobbyists
b. Work collaboratively with theschools to address barriers to stu-dent recruitment.
Executive/RegionalChairs
c. Bargain for support (financial,decreased workload, access toeducational opportunities, etc.)for mentors to support studentnurses in training.
Bargaining Team
For all workplace concerns contact your steward.
If your steward can’t help, or for all regional matters, contact your regional rep.
For all provincial, national or union policy issues contact your executive committee.
STEWARDS
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PRESIDENTDebra McPhersonVancouverH 604 681-3711W 604 433-2268or 1 [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENTAnne ShannonComoxF 250 339-1729W 604 433-2268or 1 800 [email protected]
TREASURERMabel TungRichmondH 604 204-0124W 604 [email protected]
EXECUTIVE COUNCILLORLen RosePinantan LakeH 250 573-5760W 250 374-5111#[email protected]
EXECUTIVECOUNCILLORAndy WiebeFernieH 250 423-7842W 250 423-4453#[email protected]
Pacific RimCHAIRRhon L’HeureuxNanaimoH 250 756-2584F 250 756-2584 C 250 713-7066
South IslandsCO-CHAIRRonni McCallumVictoriaH 250 391-3997W 1 800 663-9991C 250 [email protected]
CO-CHAIRJacquie FerrierVictoriaH 250 388-7051C 250 [email protected]
Fraser ValleyCHAIRLinda PipeMissionH 604 826-9622W 604 826-6261#5130
Simon Fraser CO-CHAIRPeggy EburnePort CoquitlamH 604 941-5077W 604 777-7348
CO-CHAIRMelanie LeckovicBurnabyH 604 516-6361W 604 785-2752#2607
South Fraser ValleyCO-CHAIRCheryl AppletonSurreyH 604 543-2732C 604 839-8965
CO-CHAIRJean McIlweeSurreyH 604 538-1891F 604 538-1852#2613
Thompson NorthOkanaganCHAIRDeb DucharmeSalmon ArmH 250 804-0201F 250 804-0211
Okanagan-SimilkameenCHAIRMyrna AllisonOkanagan FallsH 250 497-8407W 250 498-5010
West KootenayCHAIRTina ColettiNelsonH 250 352-9313W 250 [email protected]
East KootenayCHAIRCarol PattonCranbrookH 250 426-7357C 250 [email protected]
North WestCHAIRPenny HendersonTerraceH 250 638-0449W 250 635-2211
North EastCHAIR Maxine ArmstrongPrince GeorgeH 250 964-4200W 250 565-2334
Coastal MountainCHAIRGetjeda Becy SeetNorth VancouverW 604 984-3779C 604 [email protected]
ShaughnessyHeightsCHAIRAlice EdgeVancouverC 604 220-7294
RIVACHAIRMarnie HewlettSurreyH 604 542-1307W 604 244-5186
Vancouver MetroCHAIRFrank GillespieVancouverH 604 669-1512W 604 806-9366
Central VancouverCO-CHAIRMebrat Kebede VancouverH 604 731-7175W 604 261-4292
local 32
CO-CHAIRMargaret DhillonCoquitlamH 604 931-3034W 604 875-5033
21
3
MOVING?LET US KNOW
When you move, please let BCNU know your new address so we can
keep sending you the Update, election information and other
important BCNU material. To change your address contact Leslie Rhodes
at 604-433-2268 (local 2192); or 1-800-663-9991; or [email protected]
BCNU IS HERE TO SERVE MEMBERS Here’s how you can get in touch with the right person to help you.
B C N U U P D AT E3 4
Fe b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 6 3 5
This newspaper ad was part of BCNU’s 1997 “We Can’t Stop Caring” campaign,which was aimed at stopping the removal of RNs from the frontlines of health care.
Publications No. PA 40834030
