Standing Strong

“In the past, our members were often afraid to speak up for themselves. Now I’m seeing more people use the professional responsibility process to stand up for their rights. It’s been a brilliant change. Our members are also coming out to our regional meetings in greater numbers and ready with lots of questions. It’s great that they feel safe in that environment. It helps us equip them with the resources they need to feel stronger in the workplace.

“It’s important for our members to know they have an extremely good contract that acknowledges their right to work in a safe and supportive environment, both physically and psychologically. As we head into another bargaining round, we want to improve our contract further and provide even more support for our members’ practices. This is how we are standing strong together.”

“In 2017, we were in contact with more members than ever before, and attendance numbers at our regional meetings have gone up. At our lunch and information sessions in one of the big hospital cafeteria rooms, we see around 200 people attend. We’ve also been going to different units and holding lunches, which tend to be very well received. Vancouver Coastal Health is a big employer, so it’s really important for nurses that we get closer to their units. These are just some of the ways we have reached more members throughout the year.

“Reaching more members also means that we’re hearing more about nurses’ needs. If there are problems on the units, we hear about them in a more timely manner. Our members are also learning more about their rights. They know that when something’s wrong they need to contact their steward, whereas before they would just carry on and struggle. The fact that more nurses are being educated and learning more about their contract is extremely beneficial for the strength of the union.”

“Our region is focused on retaining and supporting younger nurses. We want to let them know that there are extra support services for them, and we want to support them in their roles. I’m encouraged by how many of our senior nurses are on board, and we’ve made a pledge to support our new nurses. We have a very engaged region, and we want to make sure everyone’s voices are heard.

“We’re starting to see the impact of this support. Younger nurses are joining the regional executive, becoming stewards, and using the professional responsibility process. They’re very concerned about their licences and they’re aware of overcapacity and the challenge of working short. They’re even coming to our pension workshops! It’s been a difficult year that is shifting and we’ve come out stronger. This new generation of nurses is very motivated – they’re improving the nursing profession and advocating for their rights.”

“There was a strong emphasis on meeting the needs of rural nurses in our last contract, but our next one needs even more. For example, we know it is a real challenge to fill positions in small towns, so we are working together to find ways to fill vacancies. If we can’t entice nurses to live here, then how can we meet staffing needs? This is so critical. We don’t have as many staff to share the workload, so in a small hospital the difference of just one nurse can mean working short.

“In small hospitals, it can be difficult covering so many areas. How do you function with only three nurses when someone comes into the emergency room, a woman goes into labour, and you have 20 other patients? These are demanding challenges, but now that we have more people engaged and empowered, I think our region is aligned for success in 2018. I think we will see some impactful and positive changes.”

“I am new to the role of regional chair, having started last September. The learning process has been quite intense, but I’ve been loving the position. So far it has been a great adventure and I’m proud to serve the members.

“I always want positive results, but we experienced some tragic events in the Fraser Valley last year. A nine-year-old girl was struck by a city bus and died in the emergency department at Abbotsford Regional Hospital, and a police officer was shot and died in the ER as well. There have been many incidents like that, and as a result we’re working as a community to build resiliency and support each other. For example, the Abbotsford police department asked all the nurses working the day the officer passed away to attend his funeral as flag bearers during the ceremony. It was very emotional, and it really brought our community together. We have to look after ourselves, and we have to look after each other, every single day.”

“Our nurses are my superheroes. They do it all. I’m awestruck every time I’m in the region with rural nurses and I hear their stories. I work in Prince George where the work is very specialized, but in rural areas our nurses need to support a wider range of health-care disciplines. They’ll be on the phone calling an ambulance to get a patient to a larger hospital while giving CPR at the same time.

“The BCNU election was one of the things that mattered most to North East region nurses this year. Our 2017 voter turnout was the largest recorded. I’m so encouraged that the effort we’re making to engage members is working, and people are getting involved. That energizes me. It’s an exciting time to be leading a group of people who are so engaged and dedicated. When nurses feel safe and supported, their patients will be safe and supported too.”

“A lack of staff or resources is one of the major challenges we face in rural communities. Patients sometimes wait days to be flown out, but we believe your address shouldn’t dictate the type of care you receive. Our nurses always provide high quality care, but without proper resources patients don’t have the same outcomes and advantages as people in larger cities like Vancouver. Further, community nurse teams have moved to primary care teams, and while they are supposed to be cross-trained to broaden their scope of practice – this still hasn’t happened and it’s been frustrating for our nurses.

“We organized a big rally in Smithers to address both of these major issues. It was amazing. We also secured our very first signed violence-prevention pledge from our MLA that day. We’ve also seen positive outcomes from our last collective agreement regarding rural recruitment and retention money. Our nurses are slowly breaking down the barriers that exist to create positive change.”

“The work we have completed around violence issues is a huge achievement for our region. We have a couple of sites that see higher rates of violence, like Kelowna Hospital. We have new stewards in place to help address this, but our work is not done. The next step is to keep building the program by finding mentors for our stewards, and increasing their education opportunities. We are building a strong voice for the union.

“I hope our members are seeing how much important work is underway, and are feeling heard. While there is still a lot to be done, we’re continuing to raise awareness around violence in the workplace. We want people to speak up if there are issues or unsafe practices. We cannot fix what we are unaware of. Mindset shifts take time, but changes are happening. You may not see it or feel it, but our members are speaking up, trusting the process, and at some point there will be a win – and that’s huge.”

“Island Health opened two beautiful new hospitals in our region in the fall of 2017, both in the central north part of Vancouver Island in Comox Valley and Campbell River. It’s been a huge event met with a series of significant challenges along the way — and our members are looking forward to resolving those challenges. The opening of the Comox Valley hospital also involved transitioning all the staff from an affiliate employer to Island Health. It’s been a huge undertaking for everyone there. Not only did their physical work environment change, but their employer is new and so are the processes. It’s both a physical change and a mind shift.

“Nurses across our region continue to persevere no matter what situation they find themselves in, and that to me is amazing. They put patient safety first, do their work like champions, and continue to march forth and take care of their patients. They’ve shown considerable resilience while working through the problems, and I’m very proud of them.”

“Change is happening in our region through the conversations members are having with each other, and the increased awareness of the union’s violence-prevention campaign. Members are starting to ask, ‘If violence isn’t allowed, why is our employer doing this?’ Suddenly, nurses are feeling empowered and supported. They’ve started to advocate for themselves, and shift the culture where events are dismissed because the violent person was a patient. When the same patient is discharged from the hospital, their violent behavior would not be tolerated by authorities or the public. Nurses are feeling that they can stand up, advocate for themselves, and tell the employer what’s unsafe.

“Members are also beginning to share more stories at our regional meetings, and when we do our walkabouts. They’re talking about discriminatory policies, and how practices that aren’t permitted in other professions are normalized in nursing. We have a voice and deserve to be heard, and if we stay united and strong we can make change. We have a ways to go, but we are headed in the right direction.”

“We were out in our region more this year and we saw more member engagement, more questions, and nurses becoming increasingly aware of what can happen when they voice their opinions. For example, they stood strong to protect their rights around vacation planning when the employer tried to implement an automated process. I heard from so many nurses that this was not going to be okay, and they were ready to put their name down to advocate for their rights. As nurses, we want to be able to say, ‘No, this is where I draw the line. Don’t take away my work life balance.’

“Our stewards and regional executives play a critical role. They volunteer a lot of their time and energy, and it’s important for the membership to understand that they are the people who are supporting us all. So let’s thank them – we can all play a part in creating positive change going forward.”

“‘Standing strong’ takes many forms our region because of its size. We have 5,300 members, and each worksite has diverse issues and different needs. That said, we are all unified against violence in the workplace. We’ve made it known that it’s not acceptable, and we will not stand idle in the face of inaction.

“It’s one thing to say, ‘I feel violated,’ or ‘My workplace is not psychologically healthy.’ But I encourage our members to ask themselves, what they can do about it. We encourage our members to act and to think of ways to continuously improve. We now have many members engaging in the professional responsibility process and filling out more grievances. We must choose to be a leader in order to achieve anything. And as nurses and as a union, we have to collaborate toward positive change.”

“Workload challenges are one of the most common issues I hear about from members. While it’s a key problem, it’s one I can’t directly fix. When nurses come to me with this issue, the first thing I ask is if they’ve started the professional responsibility process, or grieved if they think it violates the collective agreement. More members are submitting professional responsibility forms, and it’s working. I’ve seen results, and direct positive outcomes. Yes, it takes time – but if you do nothing, nothing will change. Members seem to understand this and they’ve stepped up, which has been great to see.

“The latest contract language has also improved the professional responsibility process by increasing the submission rate to the Nursing Review Committee or advancing to the new Nurse Staffing Secretariat. It’s a work in progress, but there are results including increased staff, and there’s a collective commitment to make the workplace its best.”

“Recruiting and mentoring stewards and developing a program to support their success has been one of my main goals. Although we have almost 5,300 members in our region, we have just 15 to 18 active stewards. When I speak with stewards in our region, I find they are looking for more support in order to embrace their role and really assist the membership. I want to train them to do their best, and to provide opportunities for growth.

“Stewards are the ones at the front lines, advocating for the members. They are really the face of the union, and their contributions are vital to our success. Our focus on stewards could have a big impact both in our region and for BCNU within the next few years. Working together on this collaboratively, we can propel ourselves forward and make a difference.”

“I believe the BCNU election was the biggest milestone for the South Fraser Valley region this year largely due to a voter turnout of 24.8 percent. We have the largest region in the province and I was so impressed that a quarter of our members engaged in the democratic process and voted. That was a huge accomplishment.

“The union is only as strong as its members, so we want people to be involved. Know your rights, know your contract, and do what you can to participate. It’s important that members share information with your colleagues to increase awareness. I’m committed to engage more members, to go to worksites in the region and listen to their issues and concerns. We need our members to use their voices, and to file grievances for us to be successful and provide support. The only way change will happen is when people create it – so take the first steps!”

“The union’s violence prevention campaign continues to be a very important initiative that impacts every single member across the province. The campaign has raised the awareness of both our members and the public on the prevalence of violence in the workplace. Our members are also learning about the importance of reporting incidents, and that they need to be vocal when they or their colleagues experience violence. Violence is simply not part of our job. Every member has the right to return safely home from work.

“Another highlight for South Islands region members this year was the issuing of damage awards. Currently practicing RN and RPN members were given a cheque for $350, which generated a lot of excitement. It was so important and appreciated for everyone involved.”

“Bargaining was a priority for South Islands region members this year. An important aspect of this has been the finalizing of language we negotiated in the previous contract. While the contract was strong, there are always different interpretations of the language. The discussions that went forward during contract interpretation sessions and with the Ministry of Health were excellent. Our members on the Bargaining Committee brought a true understanding of what we were bargaining for and made sure that the interpretation was correct. There were also numerous joint education sessions for the professional responsibility process to ensure everyone was on the same page. We felt strongly unified, and those educating them on the process were both supportive and effective in guiding everyone through it.

“Looking forward, we will continue to focus on strong bargaining. The union’s bylaw review unchartered territory, but we are committed to supporting the current governance renewal process in the year ahead. We also want to make sure we use every opportunity to reach our members. If our nurses want to provide input and participate, we’ll make sure they have the ability to do that.”

“The BC wildfires had such a significant impact on our region in 2017. Many of our members were either evacuated or on alert, and their surroundings were in turmoil. It also impacted other nurses who had patients from the wildfire zones coming into their facilities, sometimes accompanied by staff but sometimes not. It was difficult and tumultuous experience for everyone.

“Through everything, we united across all levels to help people through this challenging time. Our members and communities welcomed the evacuated patients, residents, and staff with open arms, and I was so proud of them. These selfless nurses put aside their own families and issues to care for their patients, and that was amazing to see. Our union’s response was also great. BCNU made a donation to the Red Cross and a donation to the United Way recovery efforts after the fires. Everyone really came together.”

“Having confidence in our employer’s willingness to honour our contract language was the issue that mattered most to Vancouver Metro region members in 2017. Concerns were raised regarding special leave and the replacement and workload MOUs. Special leave in the case of a family member with a critical or severe illness was denied to members on an ongoing basis. We are now working to ensure that the employer shows greater compassion towards employee needs and requests. The information it requested at times was too personal and violated members’ privacy.

“There were also concerns about the lack of replacement and excess workload on units without enough staff. This is a problem in both acute hospitals and long-term care homes. Unfortunately, high acuity and low staffing levels make workload a critical issue even though we have strong language in the contract to address it. And despite filing many professional responsibility forms and taking grievances to the Nurse Relations Committee, change is something we are still waiting to see. Despite these challenges, our nurses are really trying to be a voice for positive change in the areas they work.”

“The West Kootenay region has embraced BCNU’s new strategic plan. We’ve used it to create the framework for our regional goals, applied it to current concerns and campaigns in our region and made our own living document. It’s now laminated and we’ve taken it to every regional and executive meeting we attend. We put it up on the wall and ask members to evaluate our progress on issues and determine where we need more resources. We also plan to bring the plan to the local steward teams for their review. I want it to become a living, breathing document in their worksites as well.

“Promoting the union’s violence-prevention campaign and bringing the idea of psychologically healthy workplaces to the forefront have been my top priorities as regional chair. Members are really unified behind the position that nurses deserve to be safe at work. These issues are all part of our evolving strategic campaign, and we will continue to focus on them over the next three years.”