Bill 18 and LPN seniority

Bill 18 transferred thousands of Licensed Practical Nurses from both the Facilities and Community Bargaining Associations into the Nurses' Bargaining Association effective April 15, 2013.

LPNs' seniority rights are protected in their current collective agreements and no changes to seniority rights can be made unless they are negotiated with employers and ratified by union members.

HEU's June 11, 2013 bulletin says the HEU will try to strip LPNs of seniority entitlements that were legally earned under the Facilities contract. HEU says they will attempt to restrict LPN's bumping rights and try to end their contractual rights to register as casuals and bid into jobs covered by the Facilities contract.

HEU should not seek to strip union members of earned seniority entitlements.

BCNU will aggressively represent LPNs and will work to ensure that nurses keep the seniority hours they earned, where they earned them. Until changes are negotiated with health employers LPNs are still covered by the terms of the Facilities Bargaining Association contract and they maintain all rights contained in that contract.

Bill 18 did not affect union representation:

• 7,200 LPNs employed directly by health authorities voted overwhelmingly to join the BC Nurses' Union and are now BCNU members.
• LPNs employed by health authority affiliates continue to be members of their current unions. LPNs at 49 affiliate sites signed up with BCNU and applications for these nurses to transfer to BCNU are currently before the BC Labour Relations Board.
• Community-based LPNs continue to be members of their current unions and will have the opportunity to join BCNU this year.

BCNU-represented LPNs who are denied their contractual rights to work shifts in FBA classifications should contact their BCNU steward who will grievance any restriction of LPNs' seniority rights.

LPNs who are not yet BCNU members also have the right to file grievances under the Facilities contract, even if HEU or their current union does not agree with the grievance.

For support, LPNs can continue to contact the BCNU representative in their region.