BCNU Seeks Correction of False Information in HSA Bulletin

On February 4, the Health Sciences Association issued a bulletin which said the BCNU had tried to restrict access to jobs for nurses who are members of HSA. This is not true.

The over 1,600 jobs are part of BCNU's Hire a Nurse campaign which is now underway in BC.

The agreements with the employers specify that hiring is for both RN and RPN positions. Union affiliation is never considered or discussed as criteria. There was never any restriction to access positions for nurses who are members of the HSA. In fact, the only time union affiliation was discussed was following a complaint by the HSA to the British Columbia Labour Relations Board (LRB).

As an outcome of HSA?s complaint to the LRB, the BCNU changed its online form for our Hire a Nurse campaign to redirect non-BCNU nurses to their respective unions. Prior to this the BCNU did not ask any applicants to indicate their union affiliation; the intent was simply to forward applications to the employer through an expedited channel. The BCNU was acting and continues to act for the benefit of all nurses.

The BCNU represents 98 percent of all nurses in the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) - approximately 40,587 nurses. The HSA represents 1.6% of all nurses in the NBA - approximately 855 nurses. The hiring of more nurses and providing the workload relief that all nurses so desperately need is extremely important to all nurses and all British Columbians. Bulletins such as that issued by HSA on February 4 which mislead both nurses and the public are extremely counterproductive and detract from our shared goal of providing safe patient care through safe staffing levels.

BCNU Executive Director Gary Fane has written HSA and ask that their bulletin be removed and a correction issued.