FAQ

If you are injured or become ill as a result of your work, you may be eligible for Workers' Compensation benefits. These benefits may include coverage for health-care expenses related to your injury or illness and compensation for wage loss. Wage loss benefits are calculated based on a percentage of your average net earnings. Click here to learn more about Workers' Compensation benefits.

If you suffer a long-term illness or injury that prevents you from working, you may be eligible for Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits. There is a five-month qualifying period for LTD benefits, during which employees must be unable to perform the essential duties of their job. LTD benefits are payable for up to 24 months. An employee may also qualify for LTD benefits beyond the initial 24 months. Appendix A and B 

LTD benefits are adjudicated and paid by an insurer. LTD benefits provide up to 70% of your regular salary.

BCNU's Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Department can help you appeal the denial or termination of LTD benefits. For more info, please contact BCNU at 604-433-2268 or 1-800-663-9991 for your region's LTD.

The Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) is a pro-active, appropriate and customized disability management program for employees with an occupational and non-occupational illness/injury.

EDMP participants benefit from a holistic Case Management Plan that may include medical intervention, transitional work, a graduated return to work, workplace modifications, vocational rehabilitation and/or retraining. For more info, please contact your regional EDMP representative, or read Appendix A of the Collective Agreement. Members can find their regional EDMP representative's contact information in the BCNU Member Portal, under the Contacts tab. 

Everyone has the right to a safe and healthy workplace. You also have the right to refuse, free from fear of discipline or retaliation, any work that you consider an undue hazard. In refusing unsafe work, you must follow the specific steps outlined in OHS Regulation Part 3.12-3.13.

JOHS committees include worker and employer reps who help create and promote safe and healthy workplaces. The committees, which meet at least monthly, provide a forum for collaboration, consultation, and participation in health and safety issues.

BCNU provides support and guidance to the JOHSC reps. To start BCNU provides mentorship session, prep sessions for the meeting. I addition to that BCNU has created AOM's and basic and intermediate education for JOHSC reps.

In BC, workplace violence is the third leading cause of injury to nurses. In fact, health-care workers suffer a greater number of time loss injuries due to violence than any other occupation. No form of workplace violence is acceptable - all incidents of violence must be reported to your supervisor and investigated.

Under current OHS regulations, a risk assessment must be performed wherever a risk of violence exists. Employers must create procedures and policies to eliminate or minimize the risk. Employers must also educate, train and supervise workers in order to prevent injuries from violence.

BCNU's OHS department works with JOHS committee members, stewards and employers to ensure violence prevention programs are established at all work sites.

You can check out the following resources:

• OHS rules are included in your collective agreement
• BCNU OHS resources.

WorkSafeBC defines a musculoskeletal injury (MSI) as an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue including a sprain, strain and inflammation, that may be caused or aggravated by work. These injuries are also known as repetitive strain or repetitive motion injuries.

MSIs are the leading cause of injury among BC health-care workers. Almost half of WorkSafeBC claims in health-care are caused by overexertion. Improper patient handling is the leading cause of MSIs for caregivers. Early MSI signs and symptoms should be reported promptly to ensure the necessary changes are made.

You can find out more about MSIs from the following sources:

• BCNU RSI awareness fact sheet
• MSI information included in your collective agreement 
• WorkSafeBC's Injury Prevention Resources

BCNU is strongly opposed to "attendance management” programs. As implemented by some employers, the programs try to force nurses to work when they’re sick, under the threat of intimidation, harassment and discipline.

BCNU is prepared to take legal action against employers who implement these unacceptable, and likely illegal, schemes.

For more information, and to help us stop these programs, click here.

BCNU's WCB Claim appeal department can help you appeal the denial of claim. Please contact BCNU at 604-433-2268 (Press 5) and leave a message. The intake person will call you. There is a timeline for appealing the decision. So call as soon as you receive the denial notification.

Bullying and harassment is an occupational health and safety issue that poses a potential risk to the physical and mental health and safety of workers. Bullying and harassment should be reported following the OHS reporting process.

Every member has a right to respectful workplace. Respect in workplace complaints can be reported following the employer's process. We also recommend reading respect in workplace policies and contacting your steward.

More information:

• BCNU OHS resources
• WorkSafeBC: Bullying and harassment

BCNU's education programs can help you grow personally and professionally. BCNU educators guide members to a better understanding of their union, their workplaces and the health care system. Our workshops, conferences and other educational events can help you enhance your knowledge, connect with other members and get involved with the union. Our member education program is open to all BCNU members.

Check out BCNU's Events Calendar to learn more about BCNU education opportunities.

Building Union Strength is a one-day workshop for all members interested in learning more about our union. Member educators facilitate an engaging introduction to BCNU and address concerns members may be experiencing at work. You will leave with a better understanding of your collective rights, BCNU’s commitment to social justice, and union tools for improving working conditions and relationships. Building Union Strength is open to all members.

BCNU's Communicating: Essential Skills is a three-day course designed to support members who speak English as an additional language. The course focuses on exploring key concepts in communication and promotes effective communication with managers, co-workers, patients, and patients’ families. Participants learn about six essential communication skills and practice those skills by enacting common workplace scenarios and receiving feedback from their peers and facilitators.

Yes, research is a key priority for BCNU. For more information regarding our collaboration process and details on our latest research projects, please visit the BCNU research page.

BCNU represents more than 48,000 members, including registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, licensed graduate nurses, licensed practical nurses, employed student nurses and other health care support staff.

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

The British Columbia Nurses’ Union will be the champion for our members, the professional voice of nursing and the leading advocate for publicly funded health care.

You can read BCNU's position statements here. The well-researched and documented position statements cover a wide variety of topics, including social determinants of health, harm reduction, primary care, mandated nurse-patient ratios, nursing leadership and aboriginal health.

Council is BCNU's top governing body. It's led by five members of the provincial executive committee (president, vice president, treasurer, two executive councillors) and 20 regional representatives (regional chairs and co-chairs). Provincial executives and regional chairs are elected by members every three years. Council members plan BCNU business, set policies, develop the union's annual budget, and report to the annual convention. Future priorities are developed in a three-year strategic plan.

BCNU negotiates and administers collective bargaining agreements for all our members and works to ensure those contracts are respected.

Visit the Contracts and Bargaining page to learn more about the various collective agreements. 

The vast majority of members work under the Nurses' Bargaining Association (NBA). But there are a number of other agreements negotiated on behalf of members. You can access a complete list of the collective agreements that represent our members in the Contracts and Bargaining section. If you are still not sure, contact your worksite steward.

You can search the BC Labour Board database for decisions and agreed outcomes dating back to 1996. If you have further questions about your collective agreement, please contact your worksite steward.

You and other LPNs belong to the Nurses' Bargaining Association and are covered by the 2014-2019 NBA PCA that was ratified May 10, 2016. There a select few worksites where our LPN members are still covered by the Facilities Bargaining Association's contract. Please contact your worksite steward if you're not sure.

BCNU is divided into 16 regions, generally based on geographic areas. The four regions within the City of Vancouver comprise members working for specific facilities and services.

You can learn which region you work in by logging into the BCNU Member Portal.

The member forms are found under Member Services - Current Members - Member Forms

The professional responsibility forms are found under A Safe Workplace - Protect your Professional Practice

Members can find their worksite steward’s contact information in the BCNU Member Portal, under the Contacts tab. 

Members can update their personal information under the ‘My Profile’ section in the BCNU Member Portal.

The Retiree Benefit Program (RBP) is a negotiated entitlement available to qualified retired members covered by the Nurses' Bargaining Association (NBA) collective agreement. It's a unique program that draws on a special Retiree Benefit Fund set up to help provide nurses with better retirement benefits and better inflation protection for their pension. For more information, visit the NBA Retiree Benefit Program Information and FAQ.

Stewards are BCNU's frontline leaders, providing crucial support and advocacy for their co-workers. BCNU's steward education guides stewards as they build competence and evolve into leaders - both on the job and in the union.

Yes! Please visit our Student Nurses page on the BCNU website for more information and to register as a student member.

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