President's Message

LET’S MAKE HEALTH CARE BETTER

The last several weeks in BC have been politically charged and it’s no surprise that the state of our health-care system was a major theme throughout the provincial election campaign. The final election result is a signal to all political parties that British Columbians expect their MLAs to work together to address the many challenges in our province’s hospitals, long-term care facilities and community care settings. I am also looking forward to working with the new government to continue improving recruitment and retention and implement minimum nurse to patient ratios.

I would like to congratulate fellow BCNU members Harwinder Sandhu and Susie Chant on successfully winning second terms in their ridings of Vernon-Monashee and North Vancouver-Seymour. Both registered nurses have years of experience in many areas of health care and have worked hard to advocate for nurses and bring the priorities of their constituents and the nursing profession to the BC Legislature.

I, along with BCNU CEO Jim Gould and members of your elected provincial Council are busy preparing for the next round of provincial contract negotiations. I’m excited to have just returned from Penticton, where I spent two fulfilling days with members from BCNU regions across the Interior Health. The gathering was the first in a series of six regional bargaining conferences the union has organized across the province. The energy in the room and the thoughtful ideas we heard from nurses about how we can make our health-care system better have inspired me for the work ahead in fighting for Nurses’ Bargaining Association members.

We are looking forward to hearing directly from as many nurses as we can about the issues they are facing in their health authorities. These conferences will be an opportunity for our membership to identify common challenges, share experiences and strengthen their collective voice of as we head into NBA provincial contract negotiations next year, determined to do what it takes to secure a contract members will be proud to ratify. But we need your help to accomplish that. It was the valuable feedback we received from thousands of members in the last round of negotiations that helped secure a solid collective agreement with several key gains, including notable wage increases, new premiums, and nurse retention and recruitment incentives to support the implementation of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. We also secured contract language that advances the principles of diversity, equity and inclusivity as well as strategies to advance cultural safety and address Indigenous-specific racism in the health-care system. These wins give me hope for BC’s nurses and the future of our health-care system.

Today, nurses’ voices are louder than ever, but I know there is still significant work to do. Temporary closures of emergency departments remain the norm in communities across the province and nurses continue to deliver care in unsafe working conditions. However, your advocacy is paying off. We were pleased to see WorkSafeBC issue Interior Health a $274,000 fine this August following an April incident at Penticton General Hospital, where nurses and staff reported falling ill from exposure to illicit substances. I am hopeful this stiff penalty will serve as a stern warning to all health employers that workers’ health and safety must be their top priority. I am proud of the nurses and staff at Penticton General Hospital. Their voices brought about change and led to WorkSafeBC orders requiring Interior Health to identify, notify and educate workers when hazards are present.

And our work continues. I am laser-focused on addressing our members’ challenges – ensuring that the time we spend at each regional bargaining conference is an opportunity to discuss the current bargaining climate and develop proposals we can bring to the NBA bargaining table. Every voice matters. I encourage all NBA members to participate in our bargaining survey. It’s an opportunity to voice your needs and help us prioritize the issues that matter most to you. Learn more about the regional bargaining conferences where you can meet with colleagues across your health authority, participate in collective action and help send a message to government that nurses are united and determined to build on the incredible progress we’ve made over the last few years thanks to the grassroots activism and advocacy of so many of our members.

I am excited to get to work. Together, we can make health care better in this province.

In solidarity,

Adriane Gear
President, BC Nurses' Union