Member's fee from CRNBC to ARNBC

BCNU continues to monitor the process of members' fees being transferred from the College of RNs of BC to the Association of RNs of BC. When nurses first brought the issue to our attention over a year ago, Council decided to proceed with a legal challenge related to monies that had been collected by CRNBC for the express purpose of paying for liability insurance. Rather than provide registrants with a fee reduction as monies had accumulated in the insurance fund, CRNBC decided to pass this money on to the ARNBC. CRNBC and ARNBC are now taking it one step further and transferring a portion of your registrant fees to ARNBC, whether you want this or not.

The CRNBC says it has no obligation to listen to the voice of registrants as it asserts authority under the Health Professions Act to act unilaterally.

CRNBC is covering itself by giving registrants the option of ticking a box which says you do not want to be a member of ARNBC. However, a portion of your fees will still be transferred to ARNBC and you will not receive any benefits through the Canadian Nurses Association, such as receiving the magazine or seeking CNA specialty certification.

The BC Nurses' Union has some concerns about the independence of the ARNBC and their ability to advocate for what is best for front line nurses. Their leaders are predominantly excluded managers/practitioners or academics. BCNU will continue to take action on the basis that we are best suited to act on behalf of our members, whether this is through labour relations, policy, education or professional practice.

Below are key points you may wish to use to express your concern directly to CRNBC, ARNBC and the Canadian Nurses Association.

To CRNBC: Cynthia Johansen, Registrar/CEO, ceo@crnbc.ca and Mary Kjorvan, Chair of the Board, mkjorven@crnbc.ca

• Express concern that you haven't been offered a fee reduction due to the accumulation of monies in the insurance fund
• Express concern that, if you elect not to become a member of ARNBC your fees are being redirected to ARNBC anyway, without providing any options, for example, redirecting the money to a charity of your choice

To Canadian Nurses Association: Karima A Velji, President, president@cna-aiic.ca and cc: Anne Sutherland Boal, CEO, asutherlandboal@cna-aiic.ca

• Express concern regarding lack of options for BC nurses to be members of CNA
• Ask why nurses in Ontario and Quebec may become members directly without having to belong to a provincial association and why this opportunity is not extended to any Registered Nurse in Canada

To ARNBC: Julie Fraser, President, president@arnbc.ca and cc: Joy Peacock, Executive Director, jpeacock@arnbc.ca

• Ask that ARNBC follow the lead of Quebec and Ontario and support RNs who want to have the option of becoming members of CNA directly, without having to be a member of a provincial association
• Say that as you do not want to be a member of ARNBC, you want the option of having the fees directed to a charity of your choice.