Nurses Announce Plans to Expand Job Action to Major Health-Care Facilities Across BC

The dispute between BC’s nurses and health employers is entering a significantly new phase, with job action expanding to additional hospitals and care centres across the province following the breakdown of negotiations and the declaration of an impasse again at the bargaining table.

Beginning this weekend, picket lines will extend beyond Vancouver to major health-care facilities across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, increasing pressure on the provincial government to intervene and deliver a mandate that allows meaningful bargaining.

This morning, a new picket line formed at Surrey Memorial Hospital, home to one of North America’s busiest emergency departments, as well as the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre. Additional picket lines will follow at major hospitals and health-care facilities across Vancouver Island this weekend.

"We have reached a critical point in this dispute," says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “Nurses have bargained in good faith, and we've taken measured job action while maintaining essential services to protect patient safety. The provincial government can end this dispute. It can provide health employers with a mandate that retains nurses, strengthens public health care and prevents further disruption. We are calling on government to act."

The decision to expand job action has also been driven by the treatment of nurses exercising their legal right to participate in lawful job action. Since July 2, BCNU has received more than 2,300 reports from members alleging intimidation, coercion and threats related to refusing non-nursing duties. Reports include threats of discipline, warnings that nurses could face complaints to the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, and pressure to perform non-nursing duties and work mandatory overtime.

In response, BCNU has filed an unfair labour practice application with the BC Labour Relations Board to put a stop to health employers’ attempts to interfere with lawful job action.

"Nurses should never be threatened or intimidated for exercising their legal rights," says Gear. "What we are hearing from our members is deeply concerning. Instead of listening to nurses and working with us to resolve this dispute, health employers have chosen to challenge the very people who keep our hospitals running. That is not acceptable."

With no indication that the provincial government intends to provide health employers with the authority to negotiate beyond its bargaining mandate, picket lines will be established at the following locations: 

• Thursday, July 9 – Surrey Memorial Hospital and Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (5:30 a.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 12 – Victoria General Hospital (5:30 a.m. PT)
• Monday, July 13 – Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (5:30 a.m. PT)
• Tuesday, July 14 – Royal Jubilee Hospital and South Island Surgical Centre (5:30 a.m. PT)

Essential services will remain in place throughout the job action to ensure urgent and emergency care continues and patient safety remains protected. 

"Nurses do not want to be on picket lines, and we do not want patients to experience disruption," says Gear. "Every effort has been made to avoid reaching this point. But when bargaining reaches an impasse, employers say they cannot move beyond the government's mandate, and nurses are intimidated for exercising their legal rights, we have no choice but to increase the pressure." 

To set up an interview, please contact BCNU Communications at media@bcnu.org.