Interim CEO Report: “The Power of the Team is Insurmountable!”
BCNU interim CEO Jim Gould began day one of the union’s annual convention by showing delegates a photograph of an ocean and the sky above it.
“This image of clear, open water means we have a clear vision of where we’re going, and we have opportunity,” he stated, and noted that the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) collective agreement currently contains opportunities for members in the negotiated wage rates that now make nurses in this province the highest paid members of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions.
He also reported on the implementation of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, including recruitment and retention initiatives.
“We’re positioning ourselves to become the first union in Canada – the first in the world – to achieve something exceptional with minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. We have an opportunity to do better and be better,” he declared.
Next week’s launch of the $60 million Nurse Support Fund was another topic in Gould’s report.
“Members have been waiting to access this resource, and it’s finally launching on the member portal,” he announced.
“As soon as a member is enrolled, they can submit a mental health claim for covered benefits including service from a registered psychologist, social worker, registered clinical counselor, as well as online cognitive behavioural therapy,” Gould explained.
“Claims are retroactive to March 31, 2023. There’s no waiting period and casuals are also eligible. These are just highlights and all the information will be shared in our upcoming steward town halls,” he informed the group.
Open communication channels are essential for success, and Gould said the word “transparent” is an important one for Gear, Newby and him.
“It’s a cheap word if you don’t live it and act it,” he admitted. “But we are going to visit more BCNU regions and walk that talk. More livestreaming like we are doing today and more information made available on the member portal.
“We’ll answer any question we can. And if we’re unable to answer it, we’ll tell you why,” he stated.
Gould continued by sharing his thoughts on the power of teamwork with a story about a phone call the union received from health minister Adrian Dix, who noticed a BCNU campaign vehicle in the parking lot of his hotel in Prince George.
“He contacted us to find out what was happening,” said Gould. “It turns out that by chance, a BCNU staff member had been driving to Fort St. John but needed a rest along the way and stopped in at the same hotel as the minister.
“This really got me thinking,” Gould shared. “At the mere sight of our van, the minister reached out to learn more about our activities. It was just an empty van, but it got his attention. Imagine if that vehicle had been surrounded by placards and loudspeakers and cheering. Imagine how much more powerful that would be! That is why I say that you – all of you – truly are powerful! The power of team is insurmountable!” he exclaimed.
Gould concluded his report with a reminder about the next round of bargaining after the current NBA contract expires on March 31, 2025.
“We need to hear from everyone, and we’ll be surveying members about their most important issues so we can work on them,” he said. “In the last round, money was the most important issue – and we delivered on that with the highest nurse wages in the country.”
Gould recognized how meeting members’ needs and pursuing an effective union staffing and human resources strategy go hand in hand.
“We’re also working on our union so that everyone feels they belong and can bring their whole self to work,” he reported.
“That’s our ongoing goal – it’s a forever commitment. We need to be the best employer in the world, and we are going to be the strongest nurses’ union in the world,” he said.
“Someday we’re going to stand here, together, and say that we are there, that we have done it – and I can’t wait.”