President's Message

IN EVERY CORNER, NURSES LEAD

This summer, I had the privilege of visiting nurses working on the North Island and across northern BC – from the North Island Hospital in the Comox Valley to Terraceview Lodge in Terrace to community care programs in Prince Rupert. Meeting members where they work and hearing their stories was both powerful and inspiring. I returned energized and deeply proud. 

Despite immense pressures and heavier workloads, our members continue to lead, advocate and deliver compassionate care every day.

While I was on the road, the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) Provincial Bargaining Committee was also out connecting with members across every health authority. These conversations matter – they help shape our priorities as we head into collective bargaining. 

I am excited to begin negotiations this fall as chair of the NBA Bargaining Committee – my first NBA contract as BCNU president. Despite the economic challenges the province faces, we deserve a contract that respects nurses for the incredible value we bring to the health-care system. We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to defend the benefits our members have worked hard to secure – members should also be prepared to use their collective power as well. 

Recently, we entered phase one of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios implementation – a milestone years in the making. However, progress has been uneven, with some health authorities slow to act. That’s unacceptable. I encourage members to participate in focus groups or surveys and help monitor ratios at your worksites – this real-time feedback helps us hold the employer accountable. 

At the same time, violence in health-care settings is reaching crisis levels. We’re doing everything we can to raise awareness and demand that health authorities start doing their job to keep BCNU members safe, including hosting a rally at our annual convention to end violence in health care and speaking out in the media. Let me be absolutely clear: violence is not part of the job. 

To our newly elected stewards – and to those continuing in their roles – thank you. Being chosen by your peers is a powerful reflection of the trust they place in you. Your role is vital to the strength of our union. 

As we look toward September, I encourage every member to take part in the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – a time for reflection, learning and meaningful action. 

This past June, at the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) Biennial Convention in Niagara Falls, nurses from across the country joined together for a public health-care system that leaves no one behind. A powerful moment was the formal apology delivered by the CFNU National Executive Board – including myself and Vice-President Tristan Newby – to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples for the ongoing harms experienced in the health-care system. 

Tristan also recently represented BCNU at the Council of the Federation, joining a policy breakfast with Canada’s premiers to present research showing that nursing is a safety-critical industry that must be prioritized. 

As Labour Day approaches, be sure to listen for our special BCNU radio message, where we honor the dedication of nurses and highlight our ongoing fight for safer workplaces and better health care for everyone. 

What stays with me most from my time with members in the last few months is a deep and lasting sense of pride – not just in the work nurses do, but in how you support each other through it all. 

Every conversation reminded me why we fight: not only for fair conditions, but for a health-care system that works – for everyone. I look forward to continuing to meet and engage with members across the province in the months ahead.

In solidarity,

Adriane Gear
President, BC Nurses' Union