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June 5, 2002
Convention votes to join the BC Federation of Labour
Here’s some of what BCNU gains...
Stronger involvement of the Fed in fight for medicare and quality patient care
Being inside the BC Fed, nurses will be able to push the leadership of the federation for more resources and a stronger voice in fighting Liberal health care cuts that are destroying medicare and nurses’ ability to provide safe quality patient care.
Increased understanding of the importance of RNs and RPNs
From within the BC Fed, nurses can educate members of other unions about the key role of RNs and RPNs in the health care system. This is critical at a time the government and its health authorities want to replace RNs and RPNs with less skilled personnel to cut costs.
A deeper, broader coalition in the fight against BC Liberal cuts
The BC Liberals are determined to ram through more cuts to health care and other social programs. They’re tearing up contracts, rolling back WCB pensions and gutting health and safety regulations. Seniors are being kicked out of long term care homes. The list goes on and on.
A McIntyre and Mustel poll shows BCNU members are strongly dissatisfied with the Liberals and believe they don’t understand the effect their policies are having on patients. But the government is too strong for any one group alone to push them back. By joining the BC Fed, nurses strengthen the movement to stop or slow down Liberal cuts.
A chance to build bridges between labour and the community
With nurses in the fold, the coalition against Liberal cuts has a better chance of reaching out to others who oppose the Liberal agenda - such as patients and physicians and other health professionals.
A stronger provincial voice for nurses
BC nurses first recognized the need to join together nationally with the Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions. Through the CFNU we joined the broader Canadian labour movement in the Canadian Labour Congress. We now see the importance of being part of the broader labour movement in our own province. The United Nurses’ of Alberta, the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses and the Nova Scotia Nurses Union have already joined their provincial federations of labour.
Costs will be handled within the existing budget
There will be no dues increase to fund our membership in the BC Fed. It will be done by allocating money within the existing budget. Because there will be a bargaining conference next year, delegates voted not to hold a Convention in 2003. The money saved will be substantially more than the cost of belonging to the Fed next year. Our membership fees will not be used to support any political party.
For more information about other Convention decisions contact your regional chair or check the BCNU website at www.bcnu.org and the next BCNU Update magazine.
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