Nurses’ Bargaining Conference Kicks Off in Nanaimo

More than 250 nurses from across Vancouver Island are gathering at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre over the next two days to discuss key workplace issues and lay out their top bargaining priorities ahead of this year’s upcoming provincial contract negotiations. The nurses’ current provincial collective agreement expires March 31, 2025.

As one of several conferences happening across the province, the event aims to amplify the collective voice of BCNU members employed by Island Health Authority. Nurses from both of the union’s Pacific Rim and South Island regions are participating in the conference.

“Nurses on Vancouver Island, like their colleagues throughout British Columbia, are calling for immediate action to address chronic staffing shortages and workplace safety concerns,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “This conference is an opportunity for our members to come together, show their solidarity, and push for the changes they need to see happen – changes that will help support them in their work to provide the quality, safe patient care British Columbians deserve.”

Nurses are set to explore solutions to critical issues such as nurse safety, workplace violence, and the impact of staffing shortages on mental health. They are also calling for action to address gaps in health care delivery and will rally to advocate for sustainable solutions to improve patient care.

For interview requests or more information about BCNU’s regional bargaining conferences, please contact BCNU Communications at media@bcnu.org.

Click here for BCNU’s full regional bargaining conference schedule.