2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT

“When we embrace our collective power, union members can champion change, advocate for patients, and make health care better in BC”

BCNU members have the power to shape the future of British Columbia. I know this to be true from the leadership I've witnessed over the past year, where members have come together united by their shared goal of improving our health-care system, and with a commitment to each other and the communities they serve.

Their collective efforts have inspired me to remain resolute in advocating for the rights, safety and well-being of BCNU members across the province.

A major part of this advocacy has been ensuring the government and health employers effectively implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (mNPRs) in the province. Since last fall, working groups comprised of leaders and staff of BCNU, the Ministry of Health and health employers have been meeting regularly to develop policies and coordinate the establishment of mNPRs.

That's why I was pleased to join Health Minister Adrian Dix on March 1 to welcome the government's announcement officially outlining the province's commitment to implement mNPRs in six distinct hospital-based care settings across BC. There is more work to do, and we are now focused on establishing mNPRs in remaining hospital and non-hospital settings.

For too long, nurses in BC have struggled to provide care amid a severe staffing shortage and doing everything they can to ensure patients receive the standard of care they deserve. For many, the untenable conditions have led to burnout and moral distress and forced many to leave the profession altogether.

Thankfully, nurse-to-patient ratios is a critical policy solution that promises to improve patient care and support recruitment and retention efforts we need. It puts BC on the path to becoming the first jurisdiction in the world to have a minimum staffing standard of one nurse for every four patients in medical/surgical units 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That's a huge accomplishment and one we should all be proud of!

We'll be continuing to focus on efforts to educate the public and government decision-makers about the benefits of mNPRs for nurses and patients in the lead up to the provincial election in October.

Our historic work on ratios has captured the attention of our sister unions across the country, and I was honoured to stand in solidarity with other nursing union presidents at the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) annual conference in Prince Edward Island. It is always inspiring to speak with other nurse leaders from across Canada, and the collective power of the nation's nurses is something to behold.

Together, nurses from coast to coast to coast are making sure politicians and policymakers know that we are concerned about issues like workplace violence, staffing shortages, and the growth of private nursing agencies. Our work with CFNU will only strengthen our message and make our collective voice stronger.

Members' occupational health and safety will always be our union's top priority. Our latest call for safer workplaces was made with our spring “Not Okay” campaign that saw an overwhelming number of members share their personal experience of physical or verbal assault or workplace exposure to illicit drugs and weapons. Our online survey results again confirm what so many of us know: that health employers and the government must do more to address the unsafe and unprofessional working conditions inside too many of the province's health-care facilities.

But I know our collective power is getting results, and when nurses speak, the government listens.

We've seen the province respond to our calls for better security services by hiring 320 relational security officers as part of the health-care team. And we've seen the expansion of the GoHealth travel nurse program - a made- in-BC solution that allows nurses to work around the province while reducing health employers from relying on private nurse staffing agencies to fit empty nursing shifts.

While this is promising there is more to be done and I'd like to express my gratitude to every one of you for your hard work and sacrifice. Your commitment to nursing excellence inspires me and I am honoured to serve as your president.

“By embracing our collective power, we pave the way for positive impacts and meaningful change within our organization.”

I'm committed to using my role on the provincial executive committee to champion the cause of safer working conditions and push for the implementation of policies that will safeguard the well-being of members throughout the province.

Since assuming the position in March 2024, I've been working to empower and encourage our members to explore creative solutions to the multifaceted challenges they encounter in their workplaces.

Supporting our regional OHS and mental health reps is my top priority. Safe and healthy working conditions are a critical aspect of nursing, and BCNU plays a vital role in making sure health employers prioritize the health and safety of our members.

Every day, nurses face a wide range of occupational hazards, from violence to exposure to infectious diseases and illicit substances. All can result in injury, both physical and emotional. That's why it is crucial that our members feel empowered to speak out and promote creative solutions to the challenges they face.

We encouraged this creativity during 2024's North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week with an online contest asking every member to submit one idea that, if implemented, would improve physical and psychological safety at work. I'm looking forward to reviewing submissions and announcing the winners in June.

Creating positive and supportive work environments certainly must take into account various factors. One of these involves fostering a culture of trust, respect, diversity, and inclusivity. The new NBA contract language should go a long way to advancing these values and help us better address issues like workplace stress, harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

I am proud of our NBA contract achievements and I'm committed to celebrating members' differences, building common ground, and working towards a psychologically safer workplace for all BCNU members.

The $60-million Nurse Support Fund BCNU successfully negotiated with the Ministry of Health includes money that will go a long way to supporting nurses' mental health and wellness. The new Supplemental Mental Health Benefit is now being developed in partnership with Pacific Blue Cross. Soon, members will be able to access up to an additional $5,000 lifetime benefit amount that is available to cover the cost of a registered psychologist, social worker or a registered clinical counsellor. This new policy will pay the remaining balance left unpaid by the employer plan for each submitted claim.

This kind of support is just one example of how nurses, when we embrace our collective power and work with a common purpose, can achieve more than we ever could alone.

“Embracing our collective power means we can better advocate for nurses' rights and the well-being of those in our care.”

Since assuming the position of Interim Executive Councillor for Pensions and Seniors Health, I've been honoured to immerse myself in nurses' pension issues. As chair of the Nurses' Bargaining Association Retiree Benefits Program (RBP) Committee, I have helped steer the direction of the program to ensure the fund is structured appropriately to maximize benefits for our members. Following LPNs' recent inclusion in the RBP, we secured the services of investment advisor firm Normandin Beaudry and are now conducting a plan governance review and considering options for the implementation of a health spending account.

I'm also dedicated to empowering nurses with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate pension systems to ensure they maximize their financial security in retirement. We have successfully provided educational programs through one-on-one sessions and pension education workshops across the province, conducting over 40 in-person and virtual workshops in 2024.

My commitment to members extends beyond pensions. As chair of the Seniors Strategy Committee I, alongside three other council members and staff, are focused on ensuring the voices of members who care for seniors are effectively represented on the bargaining committee and at the negotiating table to advocate for better working conditions in seniors care.

I take great pride in being a designated provincial executive responsible for administering and approving applications for NBA Hardship Assistance. It's truly an honour to be part of an organization like BCNU that offers support to so many members in need. Reviewing the applications can be a deeply moving experience, as I too often read stories of hardship that tug at my heartstrings. But amidst the challenges, there's also hope and opportunity, as we've been able to assist numerous members facing difficult circumstances.

Looking ahead, I'm filled with energy and optimism about the opportunity to continue this important work. I'm also focused on building on our past successes and expanding our outreach efforts to help ensure every nurse across BC has a voice and feels their needs are being met. This means collaborating with partners, including government agencies, health-care organizations and community groups to address systemic challenges and create lasting solutions.

In the words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Let us be the change we seek, united in our mission to create a brighter future for nurses and the communities they serve.

"Measuring the impact of our efforts and celebrating our success when we reach our goals helps build the collective power we need to ensure BCNU's ongoing progress."

I have taken great pride watching our union expand its capacity to continuously offer every member avenues for professional and personal growth through scholarships and financial aid.

This year we launched three new bursaries to help ease the financial burden of tuition on members working to advance their nursing careers. These include the Internationally Educated Nurse Bursary, the Indigenous Member Bursary and the Student Nurse with Disability Bursary.

BCNU's commitment to member education can be credited to the unwavering dedication of our long-serving former president Debra McPherson. To recognize her leadership, last year we renamed the BCNU Member Education Bursary the Debra McPherson Member Education Bursary in her honour.

Last fall we were proud to announce one-time career laddering funding that is now available to support LPN members pursuing their RN or RPN designation. The negotiated agreement securing this funding is a significant investment in career advancement opportunities that provides members with up to $3,000 each semester towards the cost of tuition.

The council committees overseeing these and other efforts are guided by BCNU's strategic vision as they adapt and respond to ever-evolving challenges and opportunities on the health-care landscape, and all have played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of our organization. This work reflects council's unwavering commitment to fostering a collaborative decision-making environment where every voice is heard.

I have prioritized the development of stronger and more inclusive governance since being re-elected provincial treasurer in December 2023. Council education is underway, and your provincial executive is actively developing an action plan to revitalize and further advance this important work.

The annual external third-party audit of our financial statements underscores our dedication to transparency and accountability, and I am excited to visit all 16 BCNU regions this year to share comprehensive details of BCNU's financial health and position and advance the transparent communication with our members that is essential for building trust and rapport.

As a treasurer, I continue to be dedicated to effectively assessing and evaluating our organization's initiatives. The introduction of a new member expense dashboard now allows for immediate monitoring of salary reimbursements and expenses and exemplifies our dedication to efficiency and transparency.

Our provincial job action committee laid significant groundwork during the last round of Nurses' Bargaining Association contract negotiations. This, along with previous planning and a robust defence fund means we are ready to tackle any job action that may arise in the coming year.

As we move forward, we remain resolute in our pledge to streamline operations, seek opportunities for innovation and enhance efficiency. I look forward to working alongside other provincial executive committee members to build on our successes and continue making meaningful progress. Together, with each of you, we will stay true to our principles of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity and chart a course towards a brighter future for our organization and the members we proudly serve.

"Our collective power can be seen in our work to encourage innovation and find creative solutions to often complex issues."

It is with great pride and humility that I serve as your elected vice president since assuming office in September 2023. I want to congratulate the regional leadership teams who are also starting their terms, and I thank all of the incumbents who have moved on to new opportunities or stepped forward to serve our peers in other leadership capacities.

Elections for regional and provincial human rights and equity caucus and network reps and chairs were also held last year. I am now committed to working with the elected leaders of the caucus groups and networks in my capacity as BCNU human rights and equity committee chair to ensure they have the support they need to succeed.

I would like to acknowledge the outgoing HRE caucus chairs, most of whom have been hired as inaugural diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) stewards. These individuals will play a vital role in ensuring the needs and concerns of marginalized members are heard and addressed. Much work remains to promote DEI advocacy across our worksites, and it is a privilege to collaborate with this outstanding community of activists and the caucuses and networks they represent.

Our union's commitment to advancing human rights and promoting workplace diversity, equity and inclusion can't be overstated. BCNU holds two seats on the Ministry of Health's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion working group, and we are working to actively advance its mandate of retaining and recruiting a diverse and respectful health- care workforce.

As the union's provincial lobby coordinator, I've been focused on helping our members effectively raise the public's awareness of the persistent and emerging challenges nurses are facing in their worksites. This has been especially critical in the North, where we supported member rallies in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John to help raise the alarm about the untenable conditions facing health-care workers in these communities.

We've also been bringing members' voices to provincial MLAs and getting broad cross-party support for legislation and policies that help keep nurses and patients safe. We've hosted MLA meet-and-greets in Victoria to explain the promise and importance of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and raise the alarm on ongoing occupational health hazards. Most recently, we presented MLAs with survey findings from our “Not Okay” campaign, which revealed the extent of our members' exposure to workplace violence and the prevalence of weapons and illicit substances on their units. This campaign would not have been a success without the coordinated efforts of our regional lobby coordinators and regional OHS and mental health reps, and I want to thank them for their invaluable work.

I'm honoured to serve on the National Executive Board of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU). Since rejoining this national nursing organization, BCNU has benefited from collaborative research and campaign coordination with other provincial nurses' unions and renewed our connections with the wider labour movement. Within CFNU, our union has established itself as a flagship member that works to support our sister unions in developing relevant policy and contract gains to improve the lives of nurses across the country. Our leadership negotiating minimum nurse-to-patient ratios is the best example of this, and other unions are closely watching the ongoing implementation process.

In the year ahead, I'm committed to helping empower each of our 16 regions to help ensure local activists have the resources they need to advance their priorities. It's a privilege to do this work, and throughout my term I intend to continue demonstrating accountability, accessibility and innovation in service to all members.

"There is power in the union, and when members come together, there is no limit to what can be achieved."

I have the honour and privilege to serve as BCNU interim chief executive officer. This is a role I don't take lightly, and every day I'm humbled to work for the benefit of union members in every sector of the health-care system and in every corner of the province. Since I assumed this position in 2022, I've been awed by the passion and tenacity of so many BCNU members as they struggle through a protracted nurse staffing crisis. Yet, despite the challenges, optimism has been the order of the day and, thankfully, leadership has not been in short supply. Over the past year, I've seen nurses rising to the challenges they face, demanding action, and proposing solutions. There is power in the union, and when members come together, there is no limit to what can be achieved.

One of my proudest achievements has been leading negotiations that commit the government to the adoption of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Nurses have been advocating for this critical policy solution for over 25 years. Now, we are finally making it a reality. Working groups made up of union leaders and staff, the health ministry and health authority representatives have been meeting weekly to plan and implement ratios in all care settings across BC. It is essential that nurses have direct involvement in the planning and implementation of ratios. We're consulting with members through surveys and focus groups and will be seeking nurses' participation in the monitoring and evaluation of ratios at worksites across the province.

This has been a historic breakthrough that will take time and much work to fully realize, but I'm committed to ensuring all BCNU members engage in the process and that nurses have their voices heard.

I'm also happy to take stock of the gains members have achieved through the Nurses' Bargaining Association collective agreement. As of April 1, 2024, all NBA members have received a wage increase of 13 percent over three-years. Together with other contract improvements to overall compensation, this makes NBA members the highest paid nurses within the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. We were also successful in getting health employers to implement an expanded wage grid that recognizes nurses for service beyond nine years means many experienced members have seen an increase in net income of between 20 and 40 percent or more. These gains, along with enhanced shift premiums and special allowances makes this contract unprecedented in the history of nurses' collective bargaining in the province.

This year I'm focused on ensuring members receive the full benefit from our negotiated $60-million Nurse Support Fund we negotiated to better support members in times of crisis or hardship, and in recognition of the stress health-care workers face. I'll also be monitoring the effectiveness of the recruitment and retention strategies we are pursuing to address the nurse staffing crisis. This includes uptake of the new laddering fund now available to support licensed practical nurses interested in obtaining their RN or RPN designation. This one-time $20-million agreement now gives LPNs access to up to $3,000 each semester towards the cost of tuition.

This year also sees LPNs' inclusion in the NBA Retiree Benefit Program - a long-standing goal since health authority-employed LPNs joined the NBA in 2013. The RBP Committee is undertaking a governance review that includes options for LPN representation on the committee and a process for LPN members to apply to enrol in the program.

I want to congratulate those members hired as new full-time stewards to support the advancement of truth and reconciliation, cultural safety and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, and I look forward supporting them in these newly negotiated positions. I am also committed to advancing equity principles and practices within the union and supporting all of the important efforts needed to make our organization more inclusive. And as our union becomes more diverse, it is imperative that we give voice to those whose voices have been excluded and work together to address the harms wrought by colonization, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia and racism.

Nurses working together to effectively find solutions at the local level is the only true formula for success. Your council and I were agreed on this fact at a leadership summit we held in early 2024. We also acknowledged that, for too long now, the hybrid organizing/servicing model of labour relations we adopted 10 years ago has not served members as intended. That's why we are embarking on a renewed organizing model that will mobilize and empower nurses in every worksite to take the actions and make the decisions they need to effect the change they want to see. This is a significant, organizational shift that will take time to implement, and which underpins a new labour relations strategy that is now our top priority.

Making this change happen means doing things differently. Internally, we've embarked on a new regional member engagement strategy that sees us organizing more smaller-scale local events that are easier for all members to attend. This means more opportunities for me and other members of the provincial executive to connect with regional members one-on-one to listen and understand how we can work better together.

What better opportunity to put our new organizing model into action than NBA contract negotiations? The current contract expires in 2025 and we'll soon be preparing the ground member by member, worksite by worksite and region by region.

I want to thank every BCNU activist, steward, regional executive member, council member and staff person for the incredible work you do day-in and day-out for the nurses of this province. I'm excited to do this work with you alongside me because I've seen what BCNU members can achieve when they embrace their collective power.

Together, we can make BCNU the strongest nurses' union the world.