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BCNU Founded in 1981
The BC Nurses’ Union was officially founded in February 1981 as an independent Canadian union. Until then it had been the Labour Relations Division of the Registered Nurses’ Association of BC, the licensing body for RNs in BC.
Early Roots Planted in Past Struggles
The Graduate Nurses' Association of B.C. was launched in 1912.
It immediately began fighting for quality healthcare, decent working conditions, and benefits such as the eight-hour day. In 1946, the Registered Nurses Association of B.C. (RNABC) won its first certification, at Vancouver's St. Paul's Hospital.
Province-Wide Bargaining Begins
In 1959, the first province-wide bargaining occurred, resulting in a two-year contract with medical and pension benefits. In 1980, provincial government nurses went on strike for two weeks and won a 40% increase over three years; while general hospital nurses won a 49% increase, over 27 months, in wages and benefits.
The Birth of BCNU
The BCNU was born the following year, 1981, during a special convention of the RNABC Labour Relations Division. Today, the BCNU represents some 26,000 members with the majority of members covered by a single provincial collective agreement.
For a complete history of BCNU click here
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