Vision Quest
“It’s all about getting sh*t done.”
Those were the bold words BCNU’s new CEO Jim Gould shared with members gathered at a regional bargaining conference in Penticton in October. As Gould’s extensive track record with BCNU shows, these words are more than mere bluster.
Gould has served as interim CEO with BCNU since 2022, but he has worked as an external legal counsel for the union for close to twenty years. In that time, he helped negotiate the highest nursing salaries in the country for BCNU members. He secured significant legal and financial commitments from the BC government to establish minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and to support nurse recruitment and retention efforts. While he is proud of BCNU’s work in these and many other areas, it’s the work ahead that Gould is most looking forward to.
“I am excited to work as BCNU’s CEO,” says Gould. “Over my years working with BCNU, I’ve learned so much about the intricacies and needs of this organization and our members. I’m looking forward to putting my knowledge into action to help BCNU improve the working conditions for our members, which will benefit patients in BC.”
That in-depth knowledge will be put to good use as BCNU members under the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) enter contract negotiations next year. Gould has a bold vision for advancing members’ interests in this next round. He has launched a series of regional bargaining conferences, focused by health authority, to gather member input and identify strong voices for the bargaining committee. He hopes all NBA members will take advantage of the many opportunities to share their opinions before negotiations start in 2025.
“I want every member to get involved," says Gould. "Fill out your bargaining survey, attend a regional conference, think about joining a job action committee at your worksite or in your region.”
Gould’s vision for the future of BCNU doesn’t stop at NBA bargaining. Along with BCNU President Adriane Gear, the provincial executive committee and elected council members, he has set a personal goal of making the organization the best nursing union in the world.
“If we keep pushing, if we keep organizing, we can accomplish things that will reshape the future of health care in BC for the better.”
The organization has increased engagement to build collaboration between members, elected councillors and staff. Labour relations officers and stewards are spending more time at worksites to expand outreach. Ramped-up public campaigns are putting more pressure on health authorities to do better. Internally, Gould is working with BCNU’s president and council members to better support diversity, equity and inclusion in the union and fight anti-Indigenous racism in health care.
For Gould, this is more than just a job. It is a mission to improve the conditions for nurses and patients in BC.
“Working to fix these problems isn’t just a professional matter for me – it’s personal," remarks Gould. "My late mother was a nurse, and my daughter is in her third year of nursing school. The working conditions hit rock bottom during COVID. We all need to work together to turn this around for the nurses in this province and for their patients. We all benefit when nurses’ working conditions support their psychological health and safety.”
In the months to come, as bargaining heats up and new initiatives get underway, Gould’s message will resonate at every step: It’s all about getting sh*t done. And with the support of a united, energized membership, there’s no limit to what the union can achieve.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” says Gould. “But I’ve seen what we’re capable of when we come together, and I’m confident that if we keep pushing, if we keep organizing, we can accomplish things that will reshape the future of health care in BC for the better.”
UPDATE (Winter 2024)