B.C. nurses move toward strike vote after contract talks reach impasse

The B.C. Nurses’ Union (BCNU) said over 550 nurses, health-care workers and supporters attended a march in Vancouver Thursday, ahead of a planned strike vote next month.

The union said talks with the province on a new collective agreement reached an impasse on April 20.

It said a strike vote would take place between May 8–11. A positive vote would give the union authority to potentially begin job action.

The BCNU said the province has rejected a majority of the union’s proposals on workload, workplace violence and occupational health and safety.

BCNU President Adriane Gear said in an interview the top sticking point in negotiations has been around benefits.

“We want to maintain and ideally improve our benefits,” she said. “So far, we haven’t had the opportunity to negotiate benefits because the employer does not share that same perspective.”

The BCNU said the Health Employers Association of B.C. (HEABC) has sought arbitration to impose changes to nurses’ benefits rather than negotiate changes through the bargaining process.

Gear said the union has also not had confirmation they’ll get the same deal on wages that other public sector unions have received in recent agreements.

Gear said the decision to hold a strike vote wasn’t taken lightly, noting it’s been over 25 years since the union took any form of job action.

“The working conditions that we’ve been dealing with, throughout the pandemic and beyond – we’re done,” said Gear.

“We have at any given time about 4,500 vacancies in this province. We do not have enough nurses currently to provide the care that British Columbians need and nurses have been holding the system together, doing more within less,” she said.

Nurses are an essential service in B.C., so any job action would need to maintain a certain minimum level of service.

Gear said there are a number of actions members can take that would avoid impacts on patients. She said it could include a ban on non-nursing duties, like cleaning and stocking.

Asked about a potential nurses strike on Wednesday, Premier David Eby said he recognizes the challenges and stress facing nurses in B.C.

“We will find a path forward,” said Eby. “That deal will be reached at the bargaining table, and we will ensure that it is a respectful agreement that reflects the hard work that nurses do, and respectful of the financial position of the province and our ability to pay for those critical public services like healthcare.”