Marcel Tetrault, Comox Valley Echo, August 13, 2010 The hospital boss says nurses and doctors are coming on side with a plan to create a new 22-bed transitional care unit at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Comox. The plan, when it was initially made public in April, caused a huge hue and cry in the community when it was revealed that 35 registered nurses (RN) would be laid off. That was just the worst-case scenario, said hospital CEO Michael Pontus, and it didn't come to pass. "We had to give (the union) an estimate of a worst-case scenario, which we did," he said. "They got it put into the paper as a large number of people being displaced." ... No

The plan opens the door to more uncertainty and dislocation, when nurses are already stretched to the limit and health authorities are cutting services and staff to balance their budgets. British Columbia Nurses’ Union, April 12, 2010 Nurses have serious concerns with the so-called "patient focused funding" plan unveiled today by the provincial government. The plan would replace already inadequate hospital funding that's forcing health authorities to close operating rooms, reduce beds and cut nurses, with a dubious scheme to pay hospitals based on the number of patients served and how quickly they can be sent home. ... Nurses

VIHA cuts to psychiatric services puts vulnerable patients, staff and community at risk. British Columbia Nurses’ Union, April 8, 2010 Vancouver - Reid Johnson, President of the Health Sciences Association, and Debra McPherson, President of the BC Nurses' Union, are calling on WorkSafe BC to immediately order VIHA to protect staff at Eric Martin Pavilion, the mental health facility at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. The demand for action follows a series of violent assaults on staff by a patient with severe mental illness. VIHA's cuts to psychiatric services and their inaction on improving hospital safety leave patients, staff and the wider community vulnerable to violence. ... WorkSafe

Wear a sticker and attend an event in your community. British Columbia Nurses’ Union, April 7, 2010 Every year on April 28th, we honour the memory of Canadian workers who have lost their lives or careers due to work-related injuries or occupational diseases. The Day of Mourning is an opportunity to remember fallen workers and to recommit to creating safer workplaces. Facts on 2009 work-related injuries and deaths ... BCNU

They want a transparent, independent evaluation of this experiment. British Columbia Nurses’ Union, April 6, 2010 Nurses are concerned today's provincial budget does nothing to reverse the destructive cuts to patient services imposed on health authorities by the last The BC Nurses' Union is joining the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions in questioning a decision to allow Canadian Blood Services to conduct a pilot project to replace nurses with low-skilled workers for initial blood donor screening. The decision was communicated to Canadian Blood Services by officials of federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq last Thursday (April 1), just before the start of the long weekend. ... Safe

Ill-conceived, short-sighted, harmful to seniors, to vulnerable members of the public and to the nurses who provide their care. British Columbia Nurses Union, October 22, 2009 Nurses today condemned healthcare cuts announced by Vancouver Island Health Authority as ill-conceived, shortsighted and harmful to seniors, to vulnerable members of the public and to the nurses who provide their care. "VIHA should be ashamed of itself for these cuts that reduce or eliminate services for seniors, the mentally ill, and for those needing elective surgery and diagnostic procedures," said Debra McPherson, president of the BC Nurses' Union. ... Nurses

Rejecting the right of nurses to belong to the union of their choice, the moves require BCNU activists to withdraw from official participation in BC Fed, CLC and labour council activities. BC Nurses’ Union, August 6, 2009 Following the disappointing order by the Canadian Labour Congress suspending BCNU from labour councils and CLC activities, the BC Federation of Labour has suspended BCNU from its activities as well. In taking these actions, the CLC and BC Fed are saying they'd rather ban BCNU members from joint labour activities, rather than defend the rights of workers, including nurses, to choose their own representatives and union affiliation. ... BC

A nurse's right to belong to the union of their choice is fundamental. BC Nurses' Union, July 31, 2009 The BC Nurses' Union is disappointed that the Canadian Labour Congress has chosen to try and ban BCNU members from joint labour activities, rather than defend the rights of workers, including nurses, to choose their own representatives. "BCNU believes that the values and professional needs of nurses naturally bring us together in the pursuit of quality care environments. Many Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) have come to us and said that they feel that uniting the family of BC's nurses under one umbrella ..." BC

Congress president Georgetti imposes sanctions on nurses’ union. Hospital Employees’ Union, July 31, 2009 Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) president Ken Georgetti has found that BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) efforts to recruit licensed practical nurses and other health care workers already represented by HEU and other unions constitutes a raid and has imposed sanctions on the provincial nurses’ union. In a July 30, 2009 letter to Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), the national body to which the BCNU is affiliated, Georgetti states ... ” BCNU

Canadian Union of Pubic Employees, July 31, 2009 CLC president Ken Georgetti has told the nurses union federation that its BC members' campaign to sign up HEU member LPNs is a raid. Georgetti sent a letter to CFNU president Linda Silas July 30, asking her to direct the BCNU to stop its 'associate member' campaign. Georgetti had sent a letter to BCNU president Debra Macpherson in May asking them to stop trying to sign up HEU members. Meanwhile, Georgetti asked that the BCNU be banned from participating in BC Federation of Labour and CLC activities.

CLC president rules registered nurses union activities in violation of constitution. BC Government & Service Employees' Union, July 31, 2009 The BC Nurses Union has been found in violation of basic principles of the Canadian labour movement because it is trying to poach licensed practical nurses who are already members of BCGEU and HEU. In a July 30 ruling, Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti finds there is "ample evidence" to support complaints lodged by BCGEU and HEU against BCNU for raiding LPNs. Georgetti also enacted the first in a series of escalating penalties against BCNU. ... BCNU

BC Government & Service Employees' Union, July 30, 2009 Union president Darryl Walker says he will keep up the pressure to make sure that the BC Nurses' Union is sanctioned by Canada's highest labour body for its attempts to raid Licensed Practical Nurses from BCGEU and HEU/CUPE. "The evidence is very clear," says BCGEU president Darryl Walker. "In violation of the constitution of the Canadian Labour Congress, BCNU is trying to increase the size of their union by appealing to LPNs who are already unionized. ... BCNU

BC Nurses' Union, July 21, 2009 The BC Nurses' Union is launching a campaign to push for improved public healthcare services in an effort to stop expected cuts and closures. Debra McPherson, President of the BC Nurses' Union, is asking her members and the general public to contact their MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) and call for increased public services, especially during tough times when they are needed more than ever. The recent announcement by the new Health Minister, Kevin Falcon, that Health Authorities would simply have to "do more with less" in order to cover off the $360 million dollar shortfall in this year's budget ... BC

In difficult economic times governments should be working to improve healthcare and other important public services, not cutting them back, because people need them more than ever. BC Nurses' Union, July 15, 2009 Nurses are outraged with Health Minister Kevin Falcon's letter to health authorities instructing them to "do more with less". "In difficult economic times governments should be working to improve healthcare and other important public services, not cutting them back, because people need them more than ever," says Debra McPherson, president of the BC Nurses' Union. ... Nurses

British Columbia Nurses' Union, June 26, 2009 The BCNU Associate Member department has received inquiries from Associates about calls from another union to LPNs, some of whom are BCNU Associate Members. Associate Members have asked us to give them guidance about these calls. During these calls BCNU Associates are asked questions such as ... Phone