BCNU Update Magazine July-August 2019

UPDATE JULY/AUGUST 2019

M A G A Z I N E

CONVENTION 2019 MEMBERS ACROSS THE PROVINCE CELEBRATE SUCCESS

PLUS

COLLABORATION IS KEY TO NBA CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION

THESE EYES HAVE SEEN SO MUCH SUFFERING

NOW THEY SEE HOPE Nurses celebrate mental injury legislation win

STOPPING THE HARM IT’S TIME TO DECRIMINALIZE PEOPLE WHO USE SUBSTANCES | GLOBAL WARNING LINKING CLIMATE CHANGE AND POPULATION HEALTH | DAY IN COURT PATIENTS TESTIFY IN PUBLIC HEALTH CARE TRIAL

VANCOUVER PRIDE PARADE AUGUST 4, 2019

Walk with the BCNU campaign bus and/or volunteer at the BCNU pride booth at Sunset Beach where we will be doing community outreach, health promotion and trivia games.

Come on out, have fun and show your BCNU pride!

MORE INFORMATION Frances Beswick f.m.beswick@gmail.com FACEBOOK EVENT BCNU Marches With Pride 2019

CONTENTS

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VOL 38 NO2

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DEPARTMENTS

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

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YOUR PENSION

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WHO CAN HELP?

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COUNCIL PROFILE

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OFF DUTY

UPFRONT

6 CHECK IN The latest news from around the province.

12 ENABLING SUCCESS BCNU and health employers are taking a new collaborative approach to NBA contract implementation.

15 SEEING HOPE

37 WOMEN DELIVER

Nurses are celebrating long awaited inclusion in mental injury legislation.

21 STOPPING THE HARM Nurses back call for decriminalization of people who use controlled substances.

BCNU members play major volunteer role during international conference.

39 GLOBAL WARNING Young nurses are highlighting the links between climate change and population health.

FEATURE

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THE POWER TO LEAD

Convention 2019 saw BCNU members from across the province gather to celebrate success.

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MOVING? NEW EMAIL?

UPDATE M A G A Z I N E

MISSION STATEMENT The British Columbia Nurses’ Union protects and advances the health, social and economic well-being of our members, our profession and our communities.

BCNU UPDATE is published by the BC Nurses’ Union, an independent Canadian union governed by a council elected by our 48,000 members. Signed articles do not necessarily represent official BCNU policies.

EDITOR Lew MacDonald CONTRIBUTORS Nicola Anderson, Sue Bugos, Juliet Chang, Laura Comuzzi, Sharon Costello, Caroline Flink, Ina Hunt, Kath Kitts, Shawn Leclair, Evans Li, Robert MacQuarrie, Courtney McGillion, Cindy Paton, Umar Sheikh, Christine Sorensen PHOTOS Will Cook, Caroline Flink, Kellan Higgins, Shawn Leclair, Lew MacDonald, Shaheen Shivji

STAY CONNECTED

When you move, please let BCNU know your new address so we can keep sending you Update Magazine, election information and other vital union material.

Send us your home email address and we’ll send you BCNU’s member eNews.

CONTACT US BCNU Communications Department 4060 Regent Street Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P5 PHONE 604.433.2268 TOLL FREE 1.800.663.9991 FAX 604.433.7945 TOLL FREE FAX 1.888.284.2222 BCNU WEBSITE www.bcnu.org EMAIL EDITOR lmacdonald@bcnu.org MOVING? Please send change of address to membership@bcnu.org

Please contact the membership department by email at membership@bcnu.org or by phone at 604-433-2268 or 1-800-663-9991

Publications Mail Agreement 40834030 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to BCNU 4060 Regent Street Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P5

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT MOVING FROM INTEREST TO EMPOWERED ACTION

PHOTO: PETER HOLST

CHRISTINE SORENSEN

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CNU’s ANNUAL CONVENTION is always a special event. It’s an opportunity for members to come together, be inspired and feel empowered by a collective vision that sees nurses leading the way for positive change in our lives and the lives of our patients.

This year’s convention was no exception – but something happened at our annual meeting that requires special mention: delegates voted in favour of adopting a revised BCNU Constitution and Bylaws. The proposed revision that carried was the result of an extensive 18-month governance renewal process involving more than 12,000 members across the province.

This historic achievement can’t be overstated. A solid foundation has now been laid that will support sound governance practices for years to come. I want to congratulate those who participated in the governance renewal process and encourage all members to familiarize themselves with our new governing document.

Good governance is a goal that I will continue to pursue. We now have in place a full team of senior directors who are ready to help drive BCNU forward – and we are seeing results.

Our recent mental health presumption win now sees nurses added to the list of occupations that have easier access to workers’ compensation for mental-health disorders related to workplace trauma. We achieved what we had been rallying, lobbying and fighting for because we had great teams in place to help facilitate the member involvement that was needed to change this legislation.

We moved from interest to empowered action.

I am proud of the work that your BCNU Council has done to solidify and raise the bar on governance. We participated in a strategic

planning session this June and established a new organizational priority for the coming year: strengthening our organization through sound governance, building trust through positive member engagement and successfully implementing collective agreements.

This new priority relies on an informed membership that understands and enforces contract language. Now, Council is focused on empowering members so that nurses can anticipate challenges and resolve the issues they face in the workplace.

Empowered nurses were on full display at this year’s Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver. It felt truly amazing to join our entire leadership and volunteer at an international event celebrating women’s empowerment. BCNU members were recognized for the work that we do as nurses and Canadians. Our violence prevention campaign modelled the way by showing how an empowered women-led organization can effectively implement change.

I’m pleased to report that BCNU members are becoming more engaged and informed, and I’m thrilled that members are connecting through their union in more ways than ever.

More people are attending meetings and there is increased interest and participation overall.

I’m ready to work with all members to help take this interest and move it toward empowered action so that nurses can achieve the success we all deserve.

Please be sure to take care of yourself this summer and take advantage of the warmer days to spend time with your families. And don’t forget to join us at the BCNU bus when it travels to your community. We are always looking for volunteers. Visit the events calendar on the BCNU website to find out when it will be rolling through your town. •

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CHECK IN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

RAVEN STEALS THE LIGHT BCNU’s PROVINCIAL OFFICE WAS GRACED RECENTLY with a painting by Haida artist Erik Prytula from the eagle clan Tsiits Gitanee. The commissioned piece, which will hang in the first floor reception area, is a reminder to guests that BCNU members and staff are committed to truth and reconciliation and that it respectfully acknowledges the traditional and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples that they live and work on. •

BCNU DAY QUIZ

AND THE WINNER IS…

ARTWORK REVEALED Haida artist Erik Prytula and BCNU President Christine Sorensen removed the wrapping from Prytula’s piece Raven Steals the Light on March 21.

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Melvin Zabala!

BCNU Vice President Aman Grewal presented the Royal Columbian Hospital nurse and BCNU Day quiz contestant with an iPad on June 14. Zabala has been a BCNU member for over 10 years and was among 850 members who participated in this year’s steward elections-focused quiz.

“I was happy to find out I won,” said Zabala on being the randomly selected winner. “I have an older model iPad and I’ll be using this new one right away!”

BCNU held its founding convention on June 11, 1981 and celebrated its 38th anniversary this year.

MEMBER SUPPORT BCNU Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) regional representatives took part in a two-day annual training and professional development session at the union offices this June.

EDMP is a pro-active, customized disability management program.

It is designed to support members suffering from an occupational or non-occupational illness or injury. Reps can help you navigate a holistic case management plan that might include medical intervention, transitional work, a graduated return to work, workplace modifications and vocational rehabilitation or training.

More information can be found on the BCNU website.

YOUR STEWARD. YOUR VOTE. BCNU members across the province voted for the leaders who’ll represent them at their worksites. Online voting took place from June 11 to 13 and elected stewards’ terms began July 1.

Visit the BCNU Member Portal to access a complete list of elected stewards at worksites in your region. A link to the results is posted under the heading ‘Steward Elections 2019’.

For any questions related to the steward elections process, please contact Lorne Burkart, manager of pensions and special projects: lorneburkart@bcnu.org

SMILING FOR THE CAMERA Shaughnessy Heights region lobby coordinator Bal Borchert, BCNU bus driver Doug Payette, and Vancouver Metro lobby coordinator Leah Diamond pose for a photo at last year’s Pacific National Exhibition. Borchert and Diamond are organizing this year’s outreach effort. Payette retired this summer after several years behind the wheel.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

BCNU AT THE FAIR

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NCE AGAIN BCNU WILL BE ON HAND AT this year’s Fair at the PNE in Vancouver on August 21 and 22, conducting blood pressure checks and engaging with the public.

“BCNU has long been a champion and leader when it comes to bringing nursing issues to the attention of the government of the day,” says BCNU Vice President Aman Grewal. “But we also rely on the public’s support in putting pressure on elected officials in our push for safe patient care.”

BCNU Shaughnessy Heights region lobby coordinator Bal Borchert and Vancouver Metro region lobby coordinator Leah Diamond are organizing the union’s participation at this year’s exhibition.

“Every year BCNU members participate in an array of community initiatives that allow us to connect with the public around health care priorities,” says Diamond. “This will be our fourth year participating in the PNE and it’s been a tremendously positive venue for us to engage the public in our efforts to effect constructive change.” • Are you ready to connect with other members and represent BCNU? Volunteer and your admittance to enjoy the PNE before or after a shift is free! Members can sign up for the PNE and other summer events by checking the BCNU Events Calendar at www.bcnu.org

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CHECK IN NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

DUES AND TAXES

COMMUNITY ADVOCACY BCNU Vice President Aman Grewal (right), along with BCNU Fraser Valley region executives and members working at the Chilliwack General Hospital maternity ward met with local elected representatives on June 14 to discuss the ongoing concerns around the ward’s proposed closure.

If you are contacted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regarding the union dues amount you have claimed on your 2018 income tax return you should provide them with the following: 1. Your T4 box 44 (or T4s if more than one was received); this shows the amount of union dues your employer has deducted from your salary and submitted to BCNU for the tax year indicated.

2. The receipt you received from BCCNP as proof of payment of your annual membership fee.

In most instances this should satisfy any CRA investigation audit regarding your union dues and professional fees. BCNU does not issue receipts for proof of union dues noted on your T4. The T4 itself is the official document confirming the dues you have paid, and the amount is recorded in box 44.

More information on annual union, professional or like dues can be found on CRA’s website.

FRASER VALLEY

PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST

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HEN FRASER HEALTH ANNOUNCED PLANS TO temporarily close the maternity ward at Chilliwack General Hospital (CGH) recently, BCNU began urgent negotiations with the employer to address nurses’ concerns for patient safety. The talks resulted in the shortening of the expected length of time the maternity unit would be short of obstetrician coverage from three months to 10 days.

A voluntary redeployment process was also developed for nurses to help care for mothers sent to Abbotsford Regional Hospital (ARH) during the CGH closure. Fraser Health covered the travel costs for CGH nurses who commuted to ARH. These nurses were also oriented on electronic charting.

“We appreciate members raising concerns in their regions, worksites and directly with their BCNU representatives,” says BCNU Vice President Aman Grewal. “By working together, we can continue to achieve success in addressing community and workplace issues.”

The CGH maternity ward reopened July 5. •

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THE POWER TO LEAD: 2018 – 2019 ANNUAL REPORT Leadership is at the heart of nursing and union activism – and BCNU’s successes over the past year have shown that our members have the power to lead. Our 2018 – 2019 Annual Report celebrates these accomplishments and honours some of those leaders in our membership who have worked to bring people together and make BCNU the amazing organization that it is. Read their stories at www. annualreport.bcnu.org.

A LONG AWAITED CALL FOR JUSTICE Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Inquiry report speaks to nurses and other health-care providers

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HE FINAL report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was released on June 3. The inquiry spanned two years of Canada-wide hearings and drew from the experiences of more than 2,380 family members, survivors of violence, experts and Indigenous knowledge keepers.

The report made 236 calls for justice and is a strong indictment of the ways that successive Canadian governments and institutions, such as the justice system, have failed to protect Indigenous women.

Health care was a key focus of the report and the inquiry made nine calls for justice that reinforced things many nurses already know: Indigenous peoples are the experts on how health services should be delivered and they must be involved in designing how care is delivered in their communities.

Since the report’s release there has been much public discussion about the inquiry’s explicit use of the term “genocide” to describe the systemic violence perpetrated against Indigenous Canadian women, and a number of journalists and commentators

RECLAIMING POWER AND PLACE

CALLS FOR JUSTICE TO CANADA’S HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THE JUNE REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL INQUIRY into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls contains 236 calls for justice aimed at government and groups within Canada. Nine of these speak specifically to nurses and other health-care providers.

1. Recognize that Indigenous Peoples are the experts in caring for and healing themselves, and that health and wellness services are most effective when they are designed and delivered by the Indigenous Peoples they are supposed to serve.

T HE F I NAL R E P ORT OF T HE NAT I ONAL I NQUI RY I NTO MI S S I NG AND MUR DE R E D I NDI GE NOUS W OME N AND GI R L S

Volume 1a

FINAL REPORT The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls heard from over 2,000 family members and survivors of violence.

have disagreed with the use of the term.

“This is a time to listen, not simply react,” says BCNU President Christine Sorensen.

Citing scholar Jill Stauffer’s reflections on the need to listen to survivor testimony, she says it’s important that nurses open themselves to hearing something other than what they expect or want to hear, even when what they hear threatens their ideas about how the world is ordered.

Canada must do better, Sorensen argues. But how do we start to do this? “We can start by reading the report for ourselves. And once we have done this, reflect on how we collectively work together as Indigenous members and allies to help end and redress this genocide.” •

2. Ensure that health and wellness services for Indigenous Peoples include supports for healing from all forms of unresolved trauma.

3. Support Indigenous-led prevention initiatives in the areas of health and community awareness.

4. Provide necessary resources to support the revitalization of Indigenous health, wellness and child and elder care practices.

5. Provide resources for specialized intervention, healing and treatment programs, and services and initiatives offered in Indigenous languages.

6. Ensure all persons involved in the provision of health services to Indigenous Peoples receive ongoing training, education and awareness in areas including the history of colonialism, anti-bias and anti-racism, local language and culture, and local health and healing practices.

7. Encourage, support and equitably fund Indigenous people to train and work in the area of health and wellness.

8. Create opportunities and provide socio-economic incentives to encourage Indigenous people to work within the health and wellness field and within their communities.

9. Develop and implement awareness and education programs for Indigenous children and youth on the issue of grooming for exploitation and sexual exploitation.

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NATIONAL NURSING WEEK

CELEBRATING NURSES A Voice to Lead – Health Care for All

HEALTH-CARE LEADERS Kamloops public health unit nurses gather to celebrate National Nursing Week. From left: Bette Jo Tunks, Carrie Vossler, Jackie Drummonds, Jenna Ziegler and Susan Tabor, front row: Debbie Wongs and BCNU President Christine Sorensen.

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HE VITAL ROLE NURSES play as professional healthcare leaders every single day across British Columbia was recognized May 6-13 during National Nursing Week (NNW).

The 2019 theme, A Voice to Lead– Health Care for All, was an opportunity to increase awareness about the many contributions nurses make toward the well-being of Canadians.

BCNU kicked off the week-long event with a greeting from President Christine Sorensen that aired province-wide on TV and social media.

In her message, Sorensen asked that nurses be recognized for the important work they do.

A highlight of the week was the announcement of the winners of the

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annual NNW contest organized by BCNU’s Professional Practice and Advocacy Department. Eight successful applicants were selected from over 100 expressions of interest. Winners received passes to attend the Women Deliver conference held in Vancouver June 3-6. Women Deliver is the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights and well-being of girls and women.

Congratulations to RIVA region’s Lindsay Barton, Pacific Rim region’s Tanis Finlay, Thompson North Okanagan region’s Neelya Krikke and Kari Walker, South Islands region’s Stephanie Spinney and Simon Fraser region’s Melissa Vannerus. Two student applicants were also selected, and the winners were Meghan Leahy

of North Island College and Mohsen Choudhary of the College of the Rockies. (Read more about Women Deliver on page 12).

Throughout the week, members also took to social media to celebrate the contributions of their colleagues. One lucky member, Honeylette Abesamis, won an iPad for submitting a post to BCNU’s Facebook event. She was randomly selected from dozens of individuals who posted about a mentor or colleague who is a role model for their nursing advocacy work, political engagement, or humanitarian efforts.

The week also saw dozens of member outreach initiatives organized around the province that included thank-you cards, lunch, snacks, gifts, and more. •

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NURSES CELEBRATE!

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BCNU MEMBERS ACROSS THE PROVINCE TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR busy schedules during National Nursing Week May 6–13 to acknowledge the invaluable work they do in their community.

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THE PEOPLE 1. BCNU South Fraser Valley region members Huy Nguyen, Wen Cabiles, Ed David, Steve Victoria, BCNU bus driver Will Cook, and South Fraser Valley region co-chairs Hardev Bhullar and Walter Lumamba at Surrey Memorial hospital. 2. Pacific Rim region’s Honeylette Abesamis was the lucky winner of BCNU’s National Nursing Week iPad contest. 3. Thompson North Okanagan region members Leah Takats and Sheryl Walters at 100 Mile House’s Fischer Place long-term care facility. 4. BCNU Simon Fraser region members enjoy tea at Maple Ridge Seniors Village. From left: Marcia Vogel, Kritika Sharma, Wendy Gibbs, Jereme Bennett and Bernadette Agapito. 5. Behind the scenes during production of BCNU’s National Nursing Week TV spot. 6. BCNU Shaughnessy Heights region members serve popcorn at BC Women’s Hospital. From left: Sherry Lucchesi, Claudette Jut, Gurvir Sekhon and Andie McKinnon. 7. BCNU President Christine Sorensen (top left) visits Thompson North Okanagan region members at Royal Inland Hospital. Back row: Tracy Quewezance, Brad French, Mona Hinds. Front row: Pavnique Randhawa, Sherrie Morrish and Donna Cavanagh. 8. BCNU South Islands region members gather at Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital. From left: Lynnda Smith, Patricia Crown, Irene McKinlay, Rebecca Zemlak, Royal Jubilee full-time steward Richard Fields, Wendy Dimaculangan, Dolores Nohr, Daphne Wass and Stephan Kirchgatter.

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A NEW APPROACH Leaders from BCNU and the Health Employers’ Association of BC participate in an “evening of dialogue” held during BCNU’s May convention. The discussion highlighted the new collaborative approach that was taken when bargaining the latest Nurses’ Bargaining Association collective agreement.

ENABLING SUCCESS BCNU and health employers are taking a new collaborative approach to NBA contract implementation

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HE 2019-2022 NURSES’ Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial collective agreement was ratified on Jan. 21 and came into effect April 1.

The contract contains negotiated memoranda of understanding that require the NBA and health employers to jointly develop implementation plans for much of the negotiated articles of agreement. This work has now begun and BCNU’s elected leaders and servicing staff are on course to implement one of the most innovative collective agreements reached between a public sector union and the provincial government.

In many ways, it’s a project that’s been years in the making.

Ground-breaking language promising safe staffing levels was bargained in 2012 that obligated employers to replace nurses on short- and long-term absences, or call in staff when there was additional patient demand. And for the first time, in-charge nurses had the right to participate in staffing decisions and call in nurses where patient care needs required them.

“We wanted all parties to work together and realize the contract’s potential to address workplace concerns.”

BCNU President Christine Sorensen

In 2016 special committees were bargained in order to assess and manage the implementation of this language. But despite these efforts, many challenges remained. Nurses were still short-staffed or were working unpaid to cover shift

COLLABORATION IN ACTION BCNU director of professional practice Heather Straight (right), director of servicing Donna Bouzan (bottom left) and other leaders from BCNU met with Health Employers’ Association of BC reps in Burnaby on June 6 to help develop effective NBA contract implementation strategies.

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handovers, and their time and expertise as professionals was not being recognized.

It was time to try something new.

During contract negotiations, BCNU’s bargaining committee took a long look at the patterns that have emerged in the management of health-care delivery in the province. “We wanted all parties to be able to work together and realize the contract’s potential to effectively address workplace concerns,” explains BCNU President Christine Sorensen.

The bargaining committee met with Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC) representatives to openly and honestly discuss staffing challenges and other issues that exist in the health-care system, and to think creatively about solutions to shared concerns. It was an effort that allowed each party to gain a greater understanding of the other’s perspective on a problem, and better acknowledge their common objective of safe patient care. continued on page 14

LISTENING TO NURSES

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HE NEW INTEREST-BASED BARGAINING approach that’s been adopted by BCNU and health employers is based on an honest commitment by both parties to work with and actively listen to each other. The goal is to understand the specific impacts that contact language can have on an individual nurse, and to solve problems at the local level.

This new approach was put to the test shortly after the Nurses’ Bargaining Association contract came into effect – and nurses’ voices were heard.

Throughout the ratification process, members began to express concerns that the negotiated cap on the number of hours nurses could maintain in their overtime (OT) banks as outlined in Article 27.04 Overtime was too restrictive.

The proposal to limit OT-bank hours had been brought forward by health employers concerned about the effect large OT banks’ were having on their ability to adequately staff shifts. They also noted the financial liability that existed

from carrying upwards of 200 hours of an employee’s owed time on the books year-over-year.

But following ratification, negotiators from both sides agreed that this article needed a second look after nurses presented various scenarios depicting some of the unintended consequences of this provision. For example, operating room nurses depend on their overtime banks to cover seasonal periods when operating theatres are closed.

It was agreed that a 45-hour cap posed a significant setback for these nurses, and the article was revised. Members affected by the changes were pleased to learn that the OT bank cap would increase three-fold to 150 hours.

Solutions like this will help to reduce grievances, and fewer grievances will save the health-care system money – money that can be spent on new nurses. This is a promising example of what collaboration can look like. Contract language was bargained, reviewed and reconsidered based on well-documented and measured discussion. •

WAGE GRIDS ALIGNED LPNs see higher total income over a nurses’ career THANKS TO THE TREMENDOUS efforts of the BCNU Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) negotiators, licensed practical nurses covered by the provincial collective agreement now have a wage grid that is aligned with the general wage schedule of most other BCNU members.

BCNU’s bargaining committee pushed for the change after hearing from LPNs throughout the pre-bargaining meetings and at the union’s provincial bargaining

conference. And when agreeing to an integrated schedule, negotiators took into consideration the long-term need to retain nurses if the province is to solve its ongoing staffing crisis.

LPNs’ wage schedules were transferred to the NBA contract after the provincial government enacted legislation in 2013 that allowed LPNs to be represented by the NBA following years of representation by the multi-sec-

HOW DO WAGE GRIDS WORK? IN THE RECENT ROUND OF PUBLIC SECTOR BARGAINING, THE GOVERNment maintained a “sustainable services” mandate that limited all public sector workers, including teachers and nurses, to a non-negotiable six percent wage increase over three years.

This means, that on the anniversary date of the contract or any other agreed-to date, workers receive the general wage increase. In addition, increment steps are added to provide further compensation when an employee reaches the anniversary of their hire date. Once the top step has been reached, only the general wage increase applies.

tor Facilities Bargaining Association.

However, the merging of LPNs’ existing five-step wage schedule into the NBA’s nine-step grid meant LPNs reaching steps four, six, and eight of their service wouldn’t receive wage increases.

BCNU recognized that this wasn’t right.

Following ratification of the 2019-2022 contract, BCNU and health employers worked out the details of an integrated wage grid that was fair for all nurses.

Now, LPN members will receive wage increases at each step of their service.

By the time a starting Level 1 LPN reaches the top of the nine-step grid, they will have received a 10.7 percent overall wage increase.

LPNs working at the top step of the previous grid have now moved to Step 7 of the new grid. While it appears to be two steps back, the wage rate is actually higher, and allows for a further two years of wage increases up to and including Year 9. •

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BC NURSES TAKE VIOLENCE MESSAGE TO OTTAWA

REMOTE SUBMISSION BCNU Executive Councillor Adriane Gear and BCNU OH&S director Moninder Singh speak to House of Commons Standing Committee on Health about violence against nurses in BC.

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CNU BROUGHT ITS mission to end violence against nurses to the federal level, by giving a presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, a body that studies issues relating to the mandate, management and operation of Health Canada.

BCNU Executive Councillor Adriane Gear was joined by the union’s Occupational Health and Safety director, Moninder Singh, on June 7 to present a submission to the committee about the growing epidemic of violence against nurses in BC and the rest of Canada.

“All too often, we hear statements like ‘Violence is part of the job’ and ‘Is it really a crime?’ It is this lack of understanding that motivates all of us at BCNU to work towards changing this culture,” Gear reported. “From a nurse manager in an emergency room, to a federal politician in parliament, we believe the safety of our nurses is

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everyone’s responsibility.”

The presentation acknowledged much of the work BCNU has done to engage with all levels of government to help ensure nurses’ needs are met.

It also highlighted union recommendations aimed at reducing violent incidents, such as adding appropriately trained security personnel, improving nurse staffing, enforcing existing zero-tolerance violence policies and reducing overcrowding in hospitals.

Comprehensive statistics and data collected through BCNUcommissioned surveys and WorkSafeBC reports conducted over the last few years were also presented to the committee.

“According to a survey we conducted in 2017, more than 40 percent of nurses said they were thinking of leaving the profession entirely because of workplace violence,” reported Gear.

“It is this level of despair that pushes us to keep asking, ‘Why?’” •

ENABLING SUCCESS continued from page 12 Sorensen says the outcome is a negotiated contract that will fundamentally shift workplace culture in favour of collaboration and problem solving at the local level. She credits BCNU and HEABC CEOs Umar Sheikh and Michael McMillan for the breakthrough.

“The two had established a level of trust in their relationship that allowed for this approach to be taken seriously.”

Both Sheikh and McMillan shared their insights during an evening of dialogue that was held for BCNU members at this year’s annual convention. They explained how parties used an interest-based bargaining approach to crafting contract language that better addressed the root causes of the issues and concerns they had brought to the table.

Throughout the evening, they stressed the importance of developing strong relationships between individual nurses and managers tasked with implementing the contract, and said success will be measured in the number of positive, collaborative partnerships created along the way.

The vision is an entirely new way to administer not only a public sector contract, but health-care delivery itself, as health authorities now have financial incentives to collaborate with nurses on the ground at each and every worksite to resolve concerns.

This new collaborative approach will also help shape the future of nurses’ pension and extended health-care benefits as both parties sit down to develop proposals to bring to members over the next 12 months.

In the meantime, BCNU and HEABC negotiators have drafted and signed joint contract interpretations in order to bring clarity to the actual application of the language. Like the contract itself, these documents are key resources for both the employer and our members and are available on the BCNU website.

More joint contract interpretations will be available online in the months to come, and further committee updates that will be shared via BCNU eNews. •

HEALTH AND SAFETY

THESE EYES HAVE SEEN SO MUCH SUFFERING.

NOW THEY SEE HOPE. Bonnie Christie’s journey from despair to helping other nurses

phone rang in the intensive care unit at BC Children’s Hospital. The call was from a rural BC hospital and they needed to transfer an eight-year-old boy to the continued on page 17 Children’s ICU right away.

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HEALTH & SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

NURSES CELEBRATE MENTAL HEALTH INJURY LEGISLATION

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N APRIL 16, NURSES in British Columbia received the news they’d been rallying for, lobbying for and fighting for, for over a year: finally, nurses were being added to the list of occupations that now have easier access to workers’ compensation for mental-health disorders that come from work-related trauma.

The list had previously included paramedics, police officers, firefighters, corrections officers and other first responders.

The regulatory changes, which took effect on April 16, means members who have been living with mental health injuries including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of workplace trauma, will now have access to

services and compensation.

BCNU President Christine Sorensen says she’s pleased to hear the provincial government is acknowledging the mentally demanding profession that is nursing, and that all too often, nurses are exposed to human suffering, trauma and violence.

“Finally, BCNU’s demands and the needs of thousands of nurses have been met,” she says. “Nurses, up until now, have been facing barriers in getting claims accepted by WorkSafeBC. It’s nice to see the government making the health and well-being of nurses a priority.”

Provincial labour minister Harry Bains joined Sorensen at BCNU’s provincial office on April 24 at an event held to recognize the achievement.

Also in attendance were BCNU council members regional mental health reps, OH&S reps and lobby coordinators.

SAVOURING SUCCESS BCNU members gather at the union’s provincial office on April 24 to celebrate regulatory changes allowing nurses access to services and compensation for mental injuries sustained on the job. From left: Simon Fraser region’s Bonnie Christie, BCNU executive councillor Adriane Gear, BCNU President Christine Sorensen and provincial labour minister Harry Bains.

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Bains thanked those nurses who contacted him directly, shared their stories and pushed for the legislation.

“We knew that this was the right decision. There’s no doubt in my mind that the work you do is difficult, it is complicated and it is stressful,” said Bains. “We want to remove those barriers to make sure that you don’t have that extra stress of navigating through a very complicated WorkSafeBC system.

I’ve heard stories from members about how hard they had to fight to prove that their condition is work related. I think this is long overdue.”

WorkSafeBC data from 2016 shows that nurses accounted for nearly 12 percent of all mental disorder claims and over 10 percent of all claims were for PTSD.

“Finally, BCNU’s demands and the needs of thousands of nurses have been met.”

BCNU President Christine Sorensen

For Sorensen, the fight for presumptive legislation has introduced her to nurses from all kinds of worksites, in all types of health care settings who have suffered from mental injury as a result of something that has happened at work – and she’s come to realize that many have suffered in silence.

“For too long, nurses have held their stories in their hearts, but haven’t shared them and it’s time to share how these things are impacting us psychologically,” she says. “Nurses need safe workplaces, they need to go to work safely and go home safely without the threat of mental injury or physical injury.” •

THESE EYES continued from page 15 Bonnie Christie was a senior RN on duty the evening the boy arrived. “I started removing his bandages and blood began flowing like a waterfall,” she recalls. “He had been ripped apart at the legs in a car accident while he delivered newspapers to his neighbours.” Staff were unable to stop the bleeding and he died shortly afterwards.

Christie saw a lot of death and injury in 21 years of pediatric nursing. She remembers when two young girls were brought to the unit covered in third-degree burns. Their mother died in the fire as her estranged husband tried to burn down their house.

Christie remembers another young girl arriving with burns so severe they had to transfer her to a specialty hospital in the US. Other staff members told her the girl’s mother set her on fire while intoxicated.

She also remembers a young boy who was admitted with head wounds. When she took off his bandages part of his brain fell on the floor. His father had hit him with an axe.

Christie recalls other children who were sick and injured. And she remembers some who died horrible deaths.

“Nurses don’t treat our patients as detached observers,” says Christie. “We also feel loss when people die in terrible circumstances.”

Christie has a long and distinguished career as a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurse. After graduating she started her PICU career at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre Children’s Hospital. At 21 she was the youngest PICU nurse they had ever hired.

After three years in Winnipeg she joined the BC Children’s Hospital PICU team and worked there for 18 years.

At Children’s she was a preceptor, a clinical resource nurse and taught the clinical component of the Pediatric Critical Care Program at BCIT. Along

with the medical director she created the hospital’s Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy program to help children who can’t tolerate regular dialysis.

“Being a PICU nurse was my passion,” says Christie. “But as l look back I can see I was in distress as early as 2009. I thought that moving to lower acuity units would help, but my symptoms only got worse.”

“I wanted him to feel the trauma that I felt, and I wanted him to make commitments that other nurses would never go through what I did.”

Bonnie Christie

In 2009 Christie transferred to a number of lower-acuity units at the Royal Columbian Hospital before eventually moving to an office environment at the Patient Transfer Network.

“I hoped that moving out of acute care would reduce my anxiety, but listening to patients’ stories and histories over the phone was more than I could take,” she explains.

In 2014 Christie started having nightmares. She dreamt of pools of blood and people hanging on chain link fences with hooks through their scalps.

She had constant panic attacks.

In 2016 her doctor diagnosed her

NURSES DELIVERED! BCNU members celebrate nurses’ inclusion in provincial mental injury legislation on April 24. Clockwise from top left: BCNU RIVA region chair Sara Mattu and lobby coordinator Reynaldo Ortiz, Coastal Mountain region chair Kath-Ann Terrett, Vancouver Metro region members Elaine Wu and Ada Sin, Shaughnessy Heights region chair Claudette Jut, Simon Fraser region lobby coordinator Maria Huertas, Simon Fraser region co-chair Wendy Gibbs, Vancouver Metro region chair Meghan Friesen and Simon Fraser region co-chair Lynn Lagace.

with work-related post-traumatic stress disorder, submitted a WorkSafeBC claim and referred her to a psychiatrist who confirmed the diagnosis. But WorkSafeBC’s claim evaluation process took four months and required Christie to re-live many of her traumas.

“To get my WorkSafeBC claim accepted I had to re-tell my story over and over,” says Christie. “And every time I did that I re-lived what I went through. During that time I was crying all day long and had so much anxiety I couldn’t leave the house.”

In 2018 firefighters, peace officers, paramedics and correctional officers were given an important WorkSafeBC protection called the Presumption of Mental Injury. That means they don’t need to prove that a mental injury is caused by workplace trauma – it’s assumed to be work-related once their doctor gives a diagnosis. But nurses

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HEALTH & SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

were excluded from that legislation.

In 2018 Christie met BCNU Executive Councillor Adriane Gear who was leading the union’s campaign to get nurses added to the list of occupations protected with the presumption of mental injury.

“Extraordinary things rarely happen by accident,” says Gear. “And one of the great privileges of my career was meeting Christie and having her take a leading role in our campaign to get the provincial government to give nurses the presumption of mental injury.”

During the fall of 2018 Christie told her story to hundreds of nurses at BCNU membership meetings. And in response to her story members sent about 2,000 personal emails to Premier John Horgan and Labour Minister Harry Bains asking them to grant nurses this important protection.

“I want to thank members who sent those emails because they paved the road for Christie to meet with Labour Minister Bains in October 2018,” says Gear. “We also had a lot of support from Green Party Leader Dr. Andrew Weaver who pushed the government to add nurses to the legislation.”

Last October Christie and BCNU President Christine Sorensen went to

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Victoria to meet with Labour Minister Harry Bains. But first, Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver wanted to formally introduce Christie to the BC Legislature and tell her story to members of the assembly.

“It was very emotional for me sitting in the public gallery and hearing Dr. Weaver tell my story,” says Christie.

“I was afraid that it wouldn’t have an impact. But as he started talking, I could hear the noise level go down and saw legislators turning their heads to focus on what he was saying.”

Later that day Christie entered the labour minister’s office to make her case for nurses getting the presumption of mental injury.

“Meeting Minister Bains was very tough, but I was determined to have an impact,” says Christie. “I wanted him to hear what I went through trying to prove my injury to WorkSafeBC while I was in the middle of acute PTSD symptoms. I wanted him to feel the trauma that I felt, and I wanted him to make commitments that other nurses would never go through what I did.”

In that meeting Christie talked for almost an hour and as soon as she finished Bains made the commitment to include nurses as soon as he could

LOBBY EFFORT BCNU executive councillor Adriane Gear takes member Bonnie Christie’s story to provincial legislators during last fall’s outreach tour.

change the law. [The law was amended on April 16, 2019.]

“Gaining this protection is an important achievement for nurses,” says Gear. “Our union will never stop advancing solutions to prevent violence and help nurses who are harmed by workplace traumas.”

Christie can never work in health care again, but she now has hope that her colleagues won’t go through what she did with WorkSafeBC. “Now that we’ve gained the presumption of mental injury we need to push for better clinical services for people who are injured by trauma,” she argues. “I’m going to take an extended break to focus on the next chapter of my life, but if the Labour Minister needs more encouragement to improve WorkSafeBC services I’ll be happy to twist his arm again.” •

RURAL AND REMOTE NURSING

SEISMIC WARNING Haida Gwaii Hospital sees attention paid to emergency preparedness and planning

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HE TSUNAMI EVACUAtion alert that sounded over Haida Gwaii in the early morning hours of January 23 saw staff working at Masset’s Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital springing into action to move patients to safety. However, as they responded to the emergency, they quickly realized something was missing – a Northern Health transport van that should have been parked and at the ready for this very kind of event.

As a result, nurses working at the islands’ only hospital scrambled on their own, loading frail patients into a nurse’s personal car and asking one patient to drive as fast as they could to higher ground.

To make matters worse, they discovered that the hospital’s storage unit, which was full of needed emergency supplies, was locked and inaccessible.

And when they reached the evacuation site on a hilltop south of town around 3 a.m., they realized the medications in the hospital grab-and-go bags they had brought had expired. Communicating their predicament to other first responders also became difficult on account of poor cell-phone reception.

Fortunately, the community was unaffected by the seismic event that triggered the alarm. But the clear lack of an emergency response plan for the hospital raised serious concerns for BCNU North West region chair Teri Forster, who contacted the Northern Health Authority (NHA) immediately after the incident to ask for improvements and upgrades.

In a recent submission to the NHA

board, Forster indicated the hospital didn’t have an NHA vehicle available, which meant nursing staff had to use a personal vehicle to evacuate the longterm care and acute care areas of the hospital.

STRESSFUL CONDITIONS Haida Gwaii nurses Luke Borserio and Christina Lord were both working Jan. 23 when a tsunami evacuation alert was sounded.

“These brave individuals will feel more supported and prepared if anything like this happens again.”

BCNU North West region chair Teri Forster

“Nurses shouldn’t have been the ones solely relied on to evacuate a hospital under the threat of a natural disaster,” says Forster. “Those working that night did the best they could under extremely stressful conditions. The truth is, Northern Health didn’t take the time to ensure that emergency preparedness and planning were a top priority.”

BCNU President Christine Sorensen also expressed concern, asking what measures NHA had taken after a previous natural disaster scare a few years ago.

“Things really weren’t well organized,” she said after reviewing the evacuation event report. “Our question is, ‘what’s really changed since the earthquake of 2012?’”

Before 2016, the Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital had a dedicated bus for emergency evacuations, but the vehicle was sold, largely because it was old and getting too costly to repair. It also had a slow-loading hydraulic lift.

NHA has since acquired a new seven-passenger van and working satellite phone. Staff can also expect to receive an emergency orientation that outlines detailed evacuation plans to prepare them for the next seismic event.

“We are pleased to see Northern Health taking action on our concerns,” says Sorensen. “I think this was a wake-up call for the health authority and we just hope they got the message this time.”

For many of the nurses who scrambled to assist patients that night, having BCNU stand up for them, and demand improvements at their worksite, has been warmly welcomed.

“January 23 was a traumatizing experience for those nurses, and I can only imagine how abandoned they must have felt,” says Forster. “With a much-needed transport van parked at the hospital, and an emergency plan now in effect, I hope these brave individuals will feel more supported and prepared if anything like this happens again.” •

UPDATE MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2019

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CHAMPIONS OF MEDICARE Patientintervenor Mariel Schooff meets with BCNU President Christine Sorensen on May 17.

BCNU is playing a critical role supporting the legal counsel for Schooff and other intervenors in the ongoing BC Supreme Court trial on the future of health care.

PUBLIC HEALTH CARE

DAY IN COURT BCNU-supported patient intervenors finally testify in marathon trial on the future of medicare

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HEN MARIEL Schooff took the stand in court this May, she had no idea it would take more than 10 years of waiting before she would get the chance to tell her story to a judge.

Schooff is one of several BCNUsupported patient intervenors in the ongoing BC Supreme Court trial on the future of health care. The Port Coquitlam native now lives in Chatham, Ontario to be close to her daughter and retired husband’s family. She returned to BC to testify.

During her testimony, Schooff spoke about the financial burden she and her family incurred after being referred for treatment at a for-profit surgical facility.

Schooff has suffered from chronic sinus infections most of her life, and had two prior sinus surgeries that failed to resolve her symptoms. In 2002, she was referred to a surgeon who specialized in endoscopic sinus surgery for a potential third surgery.

She was told by the surgeon that the wait for the endoscopic surgery she would require could be five-years long.

But a devastated Schooff was given another option. The specialist surgeon she was referred to also worked at Vancouver’s for-profit False Creek Surgical Centre, which had recently purchased the equipment needed for

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the surgery, and she would be able to have the procedure there – for a price: $6,125.75.

It wasn’t an easy choice, but Schooff and her husband went to her bank, borrowed against the equity in their house, and got a line of credit to pay for her surgery.

The operation was successful, but the experience compelled Schooff to write a letter to the Vancouver Sun in 2003 about her situation, and how she felt about the fact that patients were being forced to pay for medically necessary services that are covered by the province’s public health insurance plan.

She continues to be motivated to speak out on behalf of others. “There were a lot of people who phoned me [after writing the letter] and I felt very strongly that I could speak out for them – those who don’t have means to pay.”

Schooff filed written affidavits with the court in 2008 and 2014. Back in Vancouver, she was grateful for the opportunity to finally testify at the trial.

“Everything kept getting postponed.

I wondered if it was ever going to happen,” she confesses. Her testimony comes after years of delays and legal manoeuvring on the part of the plaintiffs in the trial, led by Vancouver’s for-profit Cambie Surgery Centre. The plaintiffs concluded their evidence in April.

The case, which has turned into a protracted legal battle over the constitu-

tionality of Canada’s public health-care laws, revolves around the practice of extra-billing, where a doctor or private clinic charges a publicly-insured patient additional fees for medically necessary services.

Cambie owner, Dr. Brian Day, has fully admitted to breaking provisions of the BC Medicare Protection Act and has been litigating for more than 10 years to prevent the province from enforcing the law in the interest of all British Columbians.

Day has become the standard bearer of for-profit health care, and is aiming to have the laws that make up BC’s single-payer health insurance system – commonly known as medicare – struck down. If he succeeds, all Canadians could see themselves paying for expensive private insurance for access to hospital and physician services.

Schooff doesn’t buy Day’s argument that for-profit facilities like his help to reduce surgical wait times in the public system. “He’s not expanding access to health care because most people can’t afford the services he offers,” she says. “He’s fooling himself by thinking he’s offering more options. For-profit facilities are going to be using the same nurses [who work in the public system] and there is already a shortage.”

BCNU has consistently advocated for equity in the provision of health care.

In fact, it was BCNU that began ringing the bell in 2003 over for-profit clinics’ unchecked and illegal billing for publicly insured services. And since 2006, the union has been providing legal support to Schooff and other patients who have suffered financially at the hands of continued on page 22

In the context of the continuing overdose crisis that is affecting families and communities across BC, the province cannot wait for action at the federal level.

Immediate provincial action is warranted. As the Provincial Health Officer of BC, I recommend that the province urgently move to decriminalize people who possess controlled substances for personal use. This is a fundamental underpinning and necessary next step for the continued provincial response to the overdose crisis in BC. DR. BONNIE HENRY

I

T GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT BC’s opioid overdose crisis continues to be an overwhelmingly important health issue, yet it must be said that, despite the considerable efforts made to confront the crisis, greater action is required.

BC is home to some of the most progressive harm reduction policies and practices in Canada – from a clinic that distributes prescription heroin, to opioid vending machines, to the Take Home Naloxone program and supervised injection sites. Yet the province’s overdose crisis continues to be the worst in the country – almost 2,000 British Columbians died of preventable opioid overdose in 2016 and 2017. Last year, some 130 people died every month due to an overdose. Each one somebody’s child, sibling, spouse, parent, colleague,

friend, or client.

Since the beginning of the crisis, BCNU has been a vocal advocate for awareness and an active proponent of harm reduction and the need for change in both policy and the law in dealing with it.

That’s why the union is endorsing an April report by BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, which offers a single, urgent recommendation for tackling the crisis in an appropriate and responsible manner: decriminalize people who use drugs.

The PHO report reinforces a growing consensus that the criminalization and stigmatization of people who use substances has not reduced substance use, but increased health harms. It also recognizes that the toxicity of the drug supply remains a huge issue that cannot

be solved by harm reduction measures alone.

The report is a decriminalization-of-people approach that looks for alternative pathways for law enforcement to link people to supports and services they may need.

“With still close to 100 drug-related deaths each month in BC, greater government action is urgently required,” says BCNU President Christine Sorensen. “This report provides tangible solutions that can save lives.”

A CALL TO ACTION

Henry’s recommendation was informed by current political realities. The federal government has indicated that it won’t make changes to the Controlled Drugs continued on page 22

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DAY IN COURT continued from page 20

OPIOID CRISIS continued from page 21

for-profit health-care providers.

“Nurses have been very supportive, and I’m grateful they are advocating on behalf of all patients,” Schooff says.

The trial is ongoing. Several groups have joined the defendant BC Government as intervenors in this case.

They include the Attorney General of Canada, the group of patient intervenors supported by BCNU, the BC Health Coalition and Canadian Doctors for Medicare.

They dispute Day’s claim that allowing British Columbians to privately pay for medically necessary services at for-profit clinics would reduce surgical wait times in the public system.

Universal public health care that provides care based upon need and not ability to pay – medicare – is the safest, most efficient and most cost-effective way to provide care for all.

Lawyers representing the BCNUsupported patient intervenors have warned that the case could determine the fate of Canada’s public health care system, and argued that the plaintiffs’ true goal is access to more patients who are insured under a US-style private health insurance model – allowing doctors to earn more money than those who only work in the public system.

At the trial’s current pace, the court is not expected to make a ruling until next spring at the earliest. Meanwhile, Cambie Surgery Corporation has successfully sought a court injunction that prevents the province from auditing for-profit surgical facilities while the case is before the courts, and as the litigation drags on, it’s “business as usual” as Cambie and others continue to flout public health-care laws and take advantage of vulnerable patients.

Regardless of the outcome of this case, it will likely be appealed at the BC Court of Appeal and may ultimately end up at the Supreme Court of Canada. •

and Substances Act under which the legal framework for illegal substance use in BC falls. As a result, Henry has recommended legislative change at the provincial level, recognizing the fact that the provincial government has the ability to decriminalize and destigmatize the people who use substances if federal government won’t decriminalize the substances themselves.

Henry provides options for amending the province’s Police Act in a manner that would guide law enforcement in its interaction with people who use controlled substances. This could include developing a new regulation that would prevent police officers from expending resources on the enforcement of simple possession offences under federal law.

While possession itself remains illegal, this approach creates alternative pathways for law enforcement to link people to supports and services they may need.

Caroline Brunt is a Vancouver Community College nursing instructor and former street nurse. She worked in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside for

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almost 20 years and understands the need for legislative change. “Our current drug laws are abstinence-based and punishment-related. That doesn’t help us manage the health-care issues around substance use,” she argues.

Unfortunately, Mike Farnworth, BC’s minister of public safety and solicitor general, dismissed Henry’s recommendation, claiming the province has no jurisdiction to act because possession of illegal substances is governed by federal law, and that he can’t direct police on how to conduct operations.

Legal advocates and community organizations have since countered this claim, and have argued that enacting legislation to amend the Police Act is within the authority of the province, which bears responsibility for ensuring the health of British Columbians.

“We seriously urge Minister Farnworth to take a second look at the report,” says Sorensen. “He has a responsibility to support reasoned and evidence-based proposals that could help stem the opioid crisis.”

BEVEL UP Groundbreaking 2007 documentary more relevant today BEVEL UP IS AN AWARD-WINNING documentary and learning resource to help health-care workers deliver compassionate care to people who use substances. Now, it is available for the first Watch time as a free online harm-reduction resource. the film The film and accompanying educational playlists are on your mobile designed to give students and instructors access to the device knowledge and experience of pioneering practitioners.

BCNU helped sponsor a relaunch of Bevel Up in a digital format to help raise awareness of the work nurses are doing in the midst of today’s ongoing opioid crisis.

The camera follows street nurses as they reach out to people working in the sex trade, and people who use substances in the alleys and hotels of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Most importantly the nurses reflect on the attitudes they bring to their work—attitudes that can make or break their relationships with the people to whom they provide practical, non-judgemental health care on a daily basis.

who use substances.

It was Brunt who initiated the idea for the film. She is featured in it along with colleagues and Downtown Eastside residents. She was motivated by a desire to break down the barriers of stigma that prevent RAISING AWARENESS Street nurse Caroline Brunt, people from receiving the BCNU director of professional practice and advocacy care they need.

Heather Straight and nurse Kinnon Ross at BCNU’s May convention. Brunt helped produce the 2007 “We ethically and documentary Bevel Up, parts of which were screened morally need to give care at the annual meeting. Ross shared her compelling and equally to everyone no brave personal story of substance use disorder. matter what,” she argues.

“Yes, there are challenges to that, however the way we talk to DECRIMINALIZE people in the movie is really how most SUBSTANCE USE TO caregivers talk to people with cancer REDUCE STIGMA and cardiac issues. So why don’t we all Community nurses know that one of talk to people who use drugs the same the biggest problems associated with way?” she asks. the use of controlled substances is that It is this attitude and approach that those who use them are often reluctant has garnered Bevel Up accolades and to seek treatment due to the stigma they acclaim. Brunt now uses the film and face. This exacerbates chronic health accompanying educational materials in conditions, increases isolation and her courses. “I have speakers with lived further adds to the complexities of the experience using drugs come in to share issue. This aversion often comes from their stories with my students. the experience of being discriminated “The film provides another way for against by the very health-care workers people to connect on a human level who are tasked with providing care. with what is happening with those who This reality was driven home in the use drugs, and how it affects them,” she 2007 film Bevel Up – Drugs, Users and says.

Outreach Nursing. The stories told and lessons to be learned are still as current and relevant as ever in the wake of today’s opioid crisis. That’s why BCNU recently provided financial STOPPING THE HARM support for the digital re-release of the documentary.

Report calls for decriminalization of people who use drugs in BC “We wanted to ensure that its messages, lessons and legacy continue to educate and inform those in the DESPITE NUMEROUS HEALTH community who are helping people with initiatives following the declaration of substance-use disorder, and others who BC’s public health emergency in 2016, would like to learn more about it,” says BC’s provincial health officer recently Sorensen. declared that the number of people Bevel Up offers education on how to dying from and vulnerable to overdose provide non-judgemental communiremains unacceptably high. cation and care and a practical underThe Office of the Provincial Health standing of how to work with people Officer’s special report published in

KEEPING THE CONVERSATION GOING

Creating a dialogue around harm reduction was a key goal of Bevel Up. Twelve years later, the need to amplify that dialogue is stronger than ever.

There is recognition that substance use isn’t going away, and that as a public health issue it needs to be addressed humanely or more lives will be lost.

There is also near-unanimous consensus that the “war on drugs” has been an unmitigated failure, and that we can’t arrest our way out of the problem.

Simply put, the “cure” of criminalization and prohibition has led to more harm than the substances these laws were designed to control.

“That’s why the PHO’s recommendation should be adopted,” says Sorensen.

“It’s also why the federal government should declare a public health emergency and take measures to increase the safety of the drug supply.”

In the meantime, Sorensen says BCNU will continue to advocate for increased harm reduction, better resources for members who are working directly with communities affected by the opioid crisis and be a loud voice in the call for action by all levels of government. •

Read the report on your mobile device.

April provides an analysis of the harms associated with criminal justice-based approaches to drug policy, and offers a recommendation to further support response efforts: decriminalization of people who possess controlled drugs for personal use.

UPDATE MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2019

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FEATURE

positive optimism filled the air at Vancouver’s Jack Poole Plaza on the afternoon of May 30. Hundreds of BC Nurses’ Union members with signs and megaphones in hand had gathered following a march along the Coal Harbour waterfront.

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BCNU CONVENTION 2019

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FEATURE

“What do we want? Safety for nurses! When do we want it? Now!” was the chant that echoed far and wide.

Over 500 delegates and observers from across BC were in town for the union’s 38th annual convention, and they were calling on the provincial government to provide properly trained security officers at health-care worksites.

But along with the demand for action, there was also cause for celebration.

Only a year earlier, BCNU members rallied near the same location to call attention to the violence they experience on the job and to demand that nurses be included in mental injury presumption legislation the provincial government had passed in March 2018.

At the time they were deeply disappointed with the government’s decision to exclude nurses from the legislation that gives first responders easier access to compensation from WorkSafeBC after experiencing traumatic events.

“We are not giving up and I am optimistic that we will achieve the protection all nurses deserve,” said BCNU President Christine Sorensen at last year’s rally.

Now, Sorensen was congratulating nurses on scoring a major victory after the government finally enacted changes in April to the Workers Compensation Act by adding nursing to the list of occupations that have the presumption of mental injury when filing for supports and benefits.

Do not be afraid of change, for without change, progress is impossible.”

BCNU President Christine Sorensen

“I am thrilled to be here with all of you this afternoon in this beautiful setting as we recognize the important work you do in your communities, and celebrate the accomplishments that have recently been made—all thanks to your perseverance, your positivity and your hard work!” said Sorensen.

TAKING THE LEAD ON EQUITY ISSUES “But more needs to be EQUITY LEADERS From left: done. Increased security Indigenous Leadership Circle (ILC) rep presence at worksites is Jessica Key, Workers with Disabilities council liaison Danette Thomsen, needed to keep nurses LGBTQ caucus chair Hannah Embree, and patients safe.”

Workers with Disabilities caucus chair Sorensen said BCNU Kelly Woywitka, ILC council liaison Kath-Ann Terrett, Men in Nursing member survey data show (MiN) group council liaison Tracey that having security offiGreenberg, Mosaic of Colour (MoC) cers available to respond caucus council liaison Sara Mattu, quickly and effectively LGBTQ caucus council liaison Tracy Quewezance, Young Nurses Netwok makes nurses feel safer (YNN) chair Sarra Fedick, MiN group and drastically improves chair Lee Frederick, MoC caucus chair the safety culture of the Harwinder Sandhu and Human Rights and Equity committee chair Aman worksite.

Grewal.

“Nurses are seeing positive results from BCNU’s HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY CAUCUS impact of the travel currently undertaken a number of sites that chairs and council liaisons met during convenby members when holding union meetings. have added high-qualtion to share caucus issues and agendas for the BCNU’s equity caucuses work to enhance ity security personnel,” year ahead. The group welcomed BCNU Vice the voice and place of our members who have she reported, pointing President Aman Grewal as the new chair of the experienced historic and systemic discriminato the Kelowna General union’s human rights and equity committee. The tion and marginalization, and were established Hospital emergency room assembled equity leaders spent time reviewing a according to the principles of the Human Rights and Coquitlam’s Forensic convention resolution submitted by members of Code of BC. They recognize the need to support Psychiatric Hospital BCNU’s Indigenous Leadership Circle. members who may feel less welcome and find as two examples that The group also discussed ways to improve participation more difficult by giving them a demonstrate how addicommunications between the caucuses and the space to speak freely about issues that matter tional security is making wider union membership, and the environmental to them. it safer for nurses and

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patients.

Two full-time security officers were assigned to the KGH ER in the spring of 2018 following an innovative partnership between BCNU and Interior Health, and nurses there say the safety environment in the ER has improved.

“Too many of us have experienced violence on the job,” Sorensen told the group. “The slogans on the rally signs we are holding today come straight from the mouths of nurses who have shared their stories of being kicked, punched, bitten and hit. It’s a sad fact that most of us know what it’s like to feel attacked at work. This is unacceptable!”

Sorensen closed the lively event by reminding members that, on average, 26 nurses per month suffer a violent injury at work in BC. “This statistic needs to change, and the union will continue to demand that the addition of properly trained security staff in a variety of health-care facilities is implemented province-wide.”

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

Two days earlier, Sorensen welcomed delegates and observers from across BC before calling the union’s annual meeting to order. She thanked the nurse leaders in attendance for their continued commitment to building a future based on trust, transparency, integrity and excellence.

She also took a minute to explain why the theme of this year’s convention, “The Power to Lead,” was of particular significance to her.

OPENING REMARKS BCNU President Christine Sorensen welcomes delegates on opening day.

“Leadership is about the wise use of power. It is about service. And there is power in giving service to others, to help people, to inspire people and motivate them to reach their fullest potential,” she said. “In this role, I’m often asked what it means to be the leader of the BCNU, the most powerful health-care union in BC. And I usually respond by saying I am only one, and there are many leaders within the BCNU.” Sorensen spoke of her gratitude for the support she has received from members and staff over the last few years, and credited the collective efforts of leaders past and present for being responsible for an impressive history of successes.

“There are many hard-won achievements that have significant meaning for us today,” she said, noting headlines from 1951 when RNs’ top monthly wage was increased to $218, or from 2011, when BCNU stood strong and won at the Supreme Court of Canada on safe injection sites. “And in the last few years, BCNU has bargained expanded paternity leave, safe

staffing language, and standards for psychological health and safety while securing millions of dollars in damages to compensate for employers’ failure to comply with negotiated contract language,” she said.

“It is because of the collective efforts of all of these great leaders that we have the potential to create the change that’s needed in health-care.”

Sorensen took the opportunity to inform the room about the respectful, open and honest dialogue that was front and center throughout the recent bargaining process, where a new collective agreement was negotiated, ahead of schedule. It’s an agreement she described as “innovative” and “nurse-driven.”

“The Nurses’ Bargaining Association focused on problem solving and collaboration to resolve shared workload and staffing issues and to help solve complex issues that impacted our workforce and our lives.

We had a long list of concerns that needed to change and we were committed to finding solutions within the time and funding available to us,” she reported.

“We challenged ourselves and the employer to be innovative and to ‘think outside the box.’”

But Sorensen also recognized some of the concerns that members raised throughout the ratification process, specifically around the negotiated pension plan governance review and the benefits review process.

“Over the next year, as we gather and analyze data from the Municipal Pension Plan,

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FEATURE

Health Benefits Trust and Pacific Blue Cross, we will be reaching out to our members to find out more about what they want in their benefits and pension plans and how best to address their needs and questions,” she said. “Council has voted unanimously to move the proposed vote on benefits from the 500 delegates attending Convention in 2020 to members covered by the provincial collective agreement as a whole.”

Sorensen concluded her address by stating that she’s motivated and committed to move BCNU forward with an ambitious platform. She also encouraged all members to use their powerful collective voices to be bold, speak up and advocate for vulnerable patients, pressure decision makers and challenge the status quo.

“Do not be afraid of change, for without change, progress is impossible,” she said. “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. Let us model the way as leaders in our worksites and our communities. Never forget that you have the power to lead.”

FOSTERING COLLABORATION

Day one of convention also saw BCNU chief executive officer Umar Sheikh providing a report on the current state of servicing and labour relations.

Sheikh told members that the past year has seen the union looking to establish shared goals with a number of partners, including the Health Employers Association of BC, the many levels of government and sister health-care unions.

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CHALLENGING THE PROCESS BCNU CEO Umar Sheikh provides members with an overview of the work the union has being doing to develop collaborative relationships with health employers while advancing nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care.

He recalled a conversation he had with BCNU Council members earlier in the year.

“They provided clear direction to myself and staff, and that was to build stakeholder relationships,” he said. “Fostering collaboration, building trust and committing to the labour relations process is key to developing relationships that yield positive outcomes.”

Sheikh said grievance management will be of paramount importance over the next 12 months as the union meets with senior health employer representatives to resolve outstanding files. He also shared positive servicing trends with members, and noted that while staffing and discipline remain at the top of the list of concerns, filed grievances have fallen 40 percent since 2017.

He said BCNU stewards continue to help members find their voice by advancing grievances when nurses’ concerns are not resolved, and noted that labour relations experts are there to assist with more complex files. He also told members that more than 200 cases have been referred to the BC Healthcare Office of Arbitration for full hearings, and that most have seen suc-

cessful outcomes.

After reminding members that health and safety remains a top priority for the union, Sheikh thanked the Enhanced Disability Management Program reps in attendance by acknowledging their participation in hundreds of meetings taking place around the province in any given week.

He reported that WorkSafeBC advocacy efforts are also a priority, and noted that overexertion, slips and falls, and violence are the primary causes of new claims. Sheikh said long-term disability advocates also continue to stand up for members, boasting a 97 percent success rate on members’ appeals.

Sheikh said the lack of shared data is a barrier to developing solutions, and that health-employer funding would now be used to develop a mobile app that nurses can use to collect data on time spent working short, professional responsibility form management, union leave and grievance tracking.

Sheikh also encouraged nurse leaders in the room to own their power, and noted that real change requires a sustained effort. “So much of the language of the new NBA contract

So much of the language in the new contract was bargained to give nurses the power to lead.”

BCNU CEO Umar Sheikh

was bargained to give nurses the power to lead,” he said. “This is a journey – as long as we can make improvements, stand together and find new courage and new approaches there is nothing stopping the BCNU.”

VICE PRESIDENT WELCOMED

BCNU members welcomed newly elected Vice President Aman Grewal to the podium on the first day of convention.

“I am excited to be here before you today,” said Grewal. “I’ve only been in this role for a short period of time and I have already seen a lot of wonderful and exciting projects starting to come to fruition.” Grewal noted the work that members have done to secure nurses’

SAFER WORKSITES NOW! BCNU President Christine Sorensen leads hundreds of nurses to Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver. Union members gathered to demand properly trained security officers at health-care worksites.

inclusion in mental injury presumption legislation under the Workers Compensation Act and congratulated delegates on this important victory.

“There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes at the union office that frontline nurses do not often get to see,” remarked Grewal.” Staff are working side-by-side with members to assist them with their issues while overseeing the daily operation of a large provincial organization representing more than 47,000 nurses in BC.” As chair of BCNU’s Human Rights and Equity Committee, Grewal provided delegates with an overview of the major issues being addressed by the union’s equity caucuses. This included the Indigenous Leadership Circle’s efforts encouraging Indigenous youth

to consider a career in nursing and the work of Young Nurses Network members who are helping create a nursing culture that supports and mentors newer nurses.

“I will be working closely with all of the human rights and equity caucuses in the year ahead to help align individual caucus mandates with BCNU’s

INSPIRED VISION Newly elected Vice President Aman Grewal addresses delegates on the first day of convention.

CONVENTION VIDEO Watch highlights from the BCNU 2019 convention rally in Vancouver, where nurses called for properly trained safety officers at health-care worksites.

Watch the video on your mobile device

larger strategic direction,” she said.

Grewal thanked BCNU’s 16 regional lobby coordinators for their tireless activism bringing nurses’ voices to politicians and policy makers, and reported that the union is developing a strategy for lobbying candidates ahead of the Oct. 21 federal election. “Priorities include shining the light on the need for workplace violence prevention and pushing for a national pharmacare plan,” she said.

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Grewal encouraged members to volunteer for BCNU at community events being held throughout the province this summer and thanked long-serving BCNU bus driver Doug Payette for his years of service ahead of his retirement.

She closed by thanking members for their support as she embarks on her leadership journey. “I am always up for a challenge and hope my fresh perspective from the frontlines will provide a new lens through which to view our issues. I look forward to working with all of you and having the opportunity to come out to your regions and see the challenges that you face.”

BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS

Day two and three of Convention saw delegates undertake the business of the union and debate resolutions and proposed bylaw amendments. Members voted in

MOSAIC OF COLOUR GATHERS MOSAIC OF COLOUR caucus members gathered over lunch on day one of convention to network and discuss issues of common concern. Individual members shared personal stories about their leadership journeys since becoming active in their union.

The group also talked about the many challenges faced by internationally educated nurses and learned about the supports BCNU has developed to help IENs practise in BC.

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favour of two amendments that will now see the adoption of a revised Constitution and Bylaws. The proposed revision that was carried was the result of the 18-month governance renewal process that involved more than 12,000 members across the province.

Members in attendance defeated a proposed bylaw amendment to Article 13 (Collective Bargaining) that would have required BCNU to conduct all contract ratification votes through electronic voting administered by a third party, and require that vote results show the ratio of yes to no votes at each job site.

A proposed amendment to Article 15 (Conventions of the Union) that would have required BCNU regions to reserve 20 percent of their voting seats for elected delegates who had never attended convention before was deemed out of order because it conflicted with a resolution adopted previously by the convention, namely the newly revised

bylaw articles.

A proposed amendment to Article 3.01 (Officers of the Union) that would have added an executive councillor position to the union’s provincial executive committee was defeated.

A proposed amendment to Article 13.02 (Collective Bargaining) that called for BCNU to negotiate the addition of a registered psychiatric nurse representative position to the Nurses’ Bargaining Association negotiating committee was also defeated.

Delegates voted against a resolution calling on BCNU to create dedicated staff roles designed to improve data collection and information analysis regarding the incidence and risk of workplace injuries.

Delegates voted in favour of a resolution brought forward by members of the BCNU Indigenous Leadership Circle (ILC) that calls on the union to strike a committee in collaboration with the ILC to help determine how

BCNU will implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.

Delegates voted in favour of an amended resolution calling for an independent third-party review of the roles and compensation of full-time stewards, regional executives, enhanced disability management program reps and full-time stewards-at-large. The review report will be approved by delegates at a future convention.

Delegates also voted in favour of a similar resolution calling for an independent third-party review of the roles and compensation of regional chairs/ Council members, and that the review report be approved by delegates at Convention 2020.

REPORT FROM ONTARIO

On the last day of the annual gathering, delegates gave a warm welcome to Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) President Vicki McKenna.

McKenna opened her address by letting BCNU members know that nurse leaders across Canada regularly look to BC for inspiration. “You have a strong and amazing union and you are amazing activists,” she said. “You are true leaders – people know who BCNU is and we see what you are doing.”

She pointed to BC nurses’ advocacy on mental health as the most recent example of leadership. “Your work on securing changes to mental injury presumption legislation is a huge win and I congratulate you all.”

McKenna also provided delegates with a sobering account of the political environment in her home province following the election last year of Doug Ford’s Conservative government. “We are at the beginning of a populist wave in government across this country that is in part a reflection of what is happening south of the border,” she warned.

“We are also in the midst of the most continued on page 34

NEW DELEGATE’S VIEW Every year over 30 percent of the delegates to BCNU’s convention attend for the first time. We asked some of these members ahead of day one why they wanted to attend and what they hoped to learn.

I’m the Indigenous Leadership Circle representative for my region. I’m attending in order to advocate for Indigenous nurses and Indigenous patients in BC, and to put forward some resolutions to achieve those goals.

JESS KEY Coastal Mountain

I came to advocate for my patients. I think the best way to do that is by being involved in the union and being a strong leader in my workplace – and I hope to do that so that we can make some positive change for the health-care system as a whole.

LINDSAY MANNING Central Vancouver

BCNU supported me last year and made sure my concerns were heard when my employer wouldn’t listen. I’ve felt so empowered that I was motivated to run as a delegate for convention, and was very fortunate to be selected.

SANDRA RAMOS Central Vancouver

I became more active in BCNU in the last few years and I decided to put my name forward [to be selected].

If I change nothing then nothing can ever change.

LAURA MARTIN South Islands

I’m here to get some good experience – that’s what being at convention is all about. I’ve heard some good things and I’m excited about participating.

ALISON LUTES South Islands

I’m a steward and I just want to learn more about the changes in the contract so that I can advocate for my members.

SAMEER ARORA Simon Fraser

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CONVENTION 2019 POSTCARDS 1. Shaughnessy Heights region’s Ugochi Ibediro connects with RIVA region’s Ashana Ramsay during a coffee break. 2. South Islands region members Brenda Kelly and Alison Lutes. 3. Vancouver Metro region members Roxie Tupas and Cedric Soriano. 4. South Islands region delegates Irene McKinlay and Laura Martin hold their newly-printed copies of the 2019-2022 Nurses’ Bargaining Association provincial collective agreement. Convention delegates were the first members to receive the document since the contract was ratified in January. 5. BCNU members take their message to the union’s May 30 rally at Jack Poole Plaza. 6. Tsleil-Waututh nation cultural ambassador Gabriel George welcomes delegates to Indigenous territory on convention’s opening day. 7. Simon Fraser region member educator Ann Chin collects donations for the Kettle Society. 8. Thompson North Okanagan region’s Patti Wright (right) purchases 50-50 tickets on a health break. 9. Coastal Mountain region members Arlene Jugado and Genevieve Dallimore. 10. Guest speaker and national director of the Silent No More Foundation Angela Simpson shares her experience of advocating to end violence in health care. 11. Coastal Mountain region members Arlene Jugado, Yolanda Cutanda-Dela Cruz, Amy Orodio, Beverly O’Callaghan and Peter Karanja. 12. Okanagan Similkameen region’s Carla Winchel joins Pacific Rim region delegates Holly Gale and Cindy Webster, and North West region’s Hannah Embree at the LGBTQ caucus booth. 13. Members debated several resolutions throughout the three-day gathering. 14. Simon Fraser region’s Shandy Daramola and Central Vancouver region member Bernard Wong connect on a break. 15. West Kootenay region’s Jeanie Todd and Ron Poland are all smiles after winning the 50/50 draw as past-president Pat Savage looks on. 16. BCNU President Christine Sorensen speaks with media after her opening address. 17. BCNU executive councillor Adriane Gear provides delegates with a health and safety report. 18. BCNU OH&S director Moninder Singh speaks with a member on the convention floor. 19. West Kootenay region members Joanne Fraser and Heather Dyck relax on a coffee break.

20. Coastal Mountain region’s Kath-Ann Terrett, Amy Orodio and Jeanneth Jacome. 21. Vancouver Metro region’s Lub Veverytsa and Adele Skinner.

22. BCNU director of professional practice Heather Straight provides an update on NBA contract implementation 23. Shaughnessy Heights region members Fahrin Jiwani, Bal Borchert and Manpreet Mann on the convention floor. 24. Members bid farewell to retiring BCNU bus driver Doug Payette.

25. RIVA region members Len Vaness and Michael Scott on rally day.

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INDIGENOUS LEADERS Members of BCNU’s Indigenous Leadership Circle met on the first day of convention to discuss a few of the reasons why many Indigenous people have difficulty establishing careers in health care, which include demographics, funding and systemic racism.

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Back row from left: South Fraser Valley region’s Alison Stockbrocks, West Kootenay region’s Erin Roulette, Okanagan Similkameen region’s Miranda Haupt, Thompson North Okanagan region’s Diane Lingren, convention observer Celeste Percy, Coastal Mountain region’s Jessica Key. Front row: Kath-Ann Terrett (BCNU Council Liaison) and Okanagan Similkameen region’s Celine Smith.

RECOGNIZING CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP THE MAJORITY OF BCNU MEMBERS are aware of the union’s province-wide violence-prevention campaign, but nurse leaders gathered at BCNU’s annual convention learned that more than three quarters of all British Columbians have now heard about the issue of violence against nurses.

That’s due in part to the award-winning advertising campaign produced by BCNU’s advertising agency Wasserman and Partners. Delegates learned that

PRIZE WINNERS BCNU President Christine Sorensen and Wasserman and Partners President Stephan Hawes share the BC American Marketing Awards prize they received for the union’s “Violence.

Not Part of the Job.” campaign.

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the agency took home a marketing excellence award at this February’s BC American Marketing Awards. BCNU’s “Violence. Not Part of the Job” campaign won top honours in the community engagement and not-for-profit category.

BCNU communications and campaigns director Sharon Costello congratulated Wasserman president Stephan Hawes on the agency’s success. She also informed members about the research that goes into a successful campaign and shared details about creative and collaborative relationships that BCNU and Wasserman share.

“We have a responsibility to get your message out and we are proud of the work we have done together in this important campaign for change,” said Hawes.

He reminded members that TV ads, while compelling, will never be as powerful as stories told by nurses themselves and encouraged delegates to continue sharing the message with their friends and families.

“Let me express our thanks to BCNU for giving us the opportunity to tell your story,” said Hawes. “This is your fight, your success and very much your award.”

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You have a strong and amazing union and you are amazing activists.”

Ontario Nurses’ Association President Vicki McKenna

THE POWER TO LEAD continued from page 31 massive restructuring of public services we have ever seen,” reported McKenna.

“We’ve been through lots in the past but this is different.”

She reported that since the election, the Ford government has shown no interest in consulting the Ontarians it represents. “Our government has a duty of fair representation and they are not representing the people of Ontario,” she said, noting the recent dramatic changes to health legislation that caught nurses and other health-care workers completely off guard.

McKenna talked about the perversely named People’s Health Care Act introduced last fall that she says will have devastating and far-reaching consequences for the health-care system.

She said the bill dissolves a number of health agencies and reorganizes those remaining under one umbrella. The government has also worsened the turmoil in the province’s long-term care sector, where thousands of residents have been moved and reorganized without consultation.

McKenna told convention delegates that the Ford government has refused to consult with health-care partners and that workers are the last to know about changes that affect them. As an example, she said nurses were told no immediate changes were planned for public health, only to find out a few

WARNING OF THE POPULIST WAVE Ontario Nurses’ Association President Vicki McKenna addresses delegates on the final day of convention.

weeks following a meeting with health ministry staff that the number of public health units in the province was being reduced from 35 to 10.

“This is not about improving services or increasing ‘efficiencies.’ It’s all about money and that’s not good enough for us.” She said the government’s moves also open the door for further privatization of Ontario’s health care system.

“It’s about starving our public system so that it does fail, and then the investors waiting in the wings can be called in to ‘rescue’ us.

“Ford says he’s for the people.

I’m not sure what people he’s talking about, but from what I’ve seen and heard, it’s not the people of Ontario.”

McKenna reported that ONA is organizing and working with community partners and the public to fight back. “We’re holding town hall meetings and webinars and running social media campaigns and lobbying MPPs.” She also said the difficult political reality facing ONA members has made her proud

to support them as leaders in the fight for public services and fairness for all Ontarians.

“They are strong, they are determined, they have a voice and they are experts – and I will not let them forget that!” she said.

She also acknowledged that success will only come if nurses stick together and connect through their union. “I’m inspired by what I’ve seen in BC. I’m glad to be welcomed here and I will be taking what I’ve learned back to Ontario.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Keynote speaker Candace Carnahan took to the stage on the final day of convention and spoke to delegates about the importance of being aware – and saying something – when working in potentially dangerous situations.

She told the room that having the courage to care for others – by standing up for them or encouraging them to refuse work in an unsafe situation – is a truly transformational concept. “If you see something, say something,” was the message Carnahan repeated several times during her presentation.

Carnahan’s passion for occupational health and safety is borne from personal experience.

She recounted how she lost her lower left leg at the age of 21 in a devastating industrial workplace accident near her home in Miramichi, New Brunswick.

During her third summer working at a local paper mill, Carnahan stepped over a conveyor belt, as she’d done many times before. But this time her

foot got caught in a pinch point where the belt came together.

The belt pulled her foot into the machine which kept running for a few seconds until a co-worker heard the screams and hit the emergency stop button.

Left reeling from this life-changing physical injury, Carnahan said she was later appalled to learn that the incident was totally preventable. She learned that the safety guards that had been put in place on the heavy machinery had been removed.

“Many had seen something.

None had said anything,” she remarked.

Carnahan said the emotional fallout from a health and safety incident can be more debilitating than the event itself. “But pointing fingers doesn’t make limbs grow back,” she stated.

“Blame just makes you bitter – you can choose to be bitter or choose to be better.”

Not one to choose bitter, Carnahan re-focused her efforts towards advancing health and safety standards and improving education and awareness for workers. After completing university, she began speaking to high school students before broadening her scope and speaking to employers and health authorities on the need to ramp up health and safety for all workers.

While sharing her story with members, Carnahan removed her prosthetic leg and waved it around. “People often say to me that I don’t ‘look’ like someone with only one leg, but who really looks like someone with a fake leg?” she asked. “Nobody looks like the worker who’s not coming home from work today.”

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Carnahan told the room that excessive workload and fatigue sets workers up for tragedy. “Choosing to power through, to work harder than we are physically able, is a mistake we all make, and when it catches up to us – injuries occur.”

“In situations where we choose to press ‘override’ out of fear, or not trusting our instincts - the fallout can be harmless - but too many times it’s not,” she stressed.

“The first step in not getting hurt is simply knowing you can be,” she warned. “I learned my lesson the hard way – what happened to me can happen to you.”

Carnahan encouraged nurses to keep themselves safe, healthy and most of all be open and aware to the potential dangers in their workplaces – and to find one new thing to do more safely. “Complacency is a killer – it is the enemy of safety,” she argued. “And the hazards we can’t see can be the most dangerous hazards of all.”

Carnahan closed her presen-

STEP UP YOUR SAFETY Keynote motivational speaker Candace Carnahan shared her personal journey from injured worker to determined advocate for occupational health and safety.

tation by asking nurses to have the courage to care for themselves and each other. “Until we receive zero injuries, there is work to be done,” she said before leading convention delegates in an inspired chant that saw the entire room repeating the mantra “If you see something, say something!”

MOVING FORWARD

Sorensen closed this year’s convention by remarking on how the tone of NBA bargaining has

changed for the better, and said she is optimistic about the new relationship BCNU has begun with provincial health employers. “We need to be partners in health care so that we can change the future of health care,” she remarked.

She also congratulated nurses once again on their victory in securing mental injury presumption in WorkSafeBC legislation.

“You made history!” she said, and called on BCNU members to continue their push for violence-free workplaces. “We held an amazing rally and we called on government to listen to nurses – now the province must step up and put the funding in health care to ensure that nurses are safe in their workplaces.”

Echoing Carnahan, Sorensen encouraged members to stand up and speak our when believe their working conditions are unsafe or unfair.

“Thank you for being such inspiring activists – anything can be achieved when we embrace our power to lead.” •

DELEGATES VOTE FOR ELECTORAL BOARD DELEGATES ELECTED THE FIVE members of the BCNU Nomination Committee on the last day of convention. Committee members can hold no BCNU office or full-time positions above that of worksite steward, and must not be seen to be supporting any candidate in provincial or regional BCNU elections. The newly-elected committee’s term begins September 1, 2019 and runs until August 31, 2022.

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ELECTED COMMITTEE From left: Shima Zolfagharkhani, William Howe, Carol Rocker, Paul Terpstra and Michelle Nelson.

BCNU DELIVERS Women Deliver 2019 Conference gives nurses the opportunity to celebrate and learn

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T’S FEBRUARY 2018 AND Stephanie Johnson is delivering a presentation to BCNU’s provincial executive committee about the ways BCNU could be involved in the Women Deliver International Conference being hosted in Vancouver in June 2019.

Johnson was part of the Vancouver Convention Centre team that successfully bid on having the well-known global conference come to Vancouver.

The event, held every three years in a different city, is billed as “the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights and well-being of girls and women in the 21st century.”

Johnson, whose mother happens to be an active BCNU member, said the conference could provide opportunities for BCNU to feature the successful advocacy work it has done on behalf of nurses across BC and the nursing community at large.

Once the decision to participate was made, BCNU jumped into its role with both feet, and union members contributed the second largest volunteer workforce at the event, second only to the City of Vancouver.

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE BCNU Thompson North Okanagan region member Neelya Krikke is flanked by Kenya’s Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell and the First Lady of Burkino Faso, Her Excellency Mrs. Sika Bella Kabore at the Women Deliver conference’s closing plenary.

“Women Deliver offered many avenues for BCNU to showcase our achievements in gender equality and social justice and promote the important work our union has done,” said BCNU President Christine Sorensen.

“We also wanted to make sure our participation would directly benefit members.”

Individual members who volunteered at the three-day event were given access to sessions that featured leading voices from across the globe such as Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or Ziauddin Yousafzi, co-founder along with his daughter, of the Malala Fund.

BCNU East Kootenay region chair Helena Barzilay was on hand to meet and greet conference attendees during several of her volunteer shifts. “I loved it! Being able to chat to attendees from around the world was amazing,” she said.

Barzilay participated in numerous breakout sessions and spent a lot of time at the conference’s “fueling station” – an exhibitor hall where hundreds of organizations had booths and information.

“My favourite breakout session

was ‘From the Playing Field to the Boardroom’ where female athletes from around the world, including Canadian Olympian freestyle skier Jennifer Heil and water polo co-captain Waneek Horn-Miller, spoke about how the opportunity to play sports increased their leadership skills and opened doors that would never have been there had they not played sports,” she reports.

Barzilay learned that 94 percent of women in leadership roles had participated in sports, and she thinks the opportunity to play sports applies to nursing. “Providing young girls access to sports can give them a chance to grow as independent thinkers, work hard to reach goals, and teach them how to be part of a team,” she stated.

BCNU’s provincial executive committee also selected six nurses and two student nurse members to attend the conference as part of BCNU’s Professional Practice and Advocacy Department National Nursing Week contest. Members were invited to submit an expression of interest nominating a nurse leader who had mentored them in their career. More than

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CULTURE NIGHT BCNU members were on hand at the Women Deliver Conference Culture Night on June 5. The free public event gave nurses the opportunity to provide blood pressure checks and celebrate their history of advocacy.

FESTIVE EVENING Winners of BCNU’s Professional Practice and Advocacy Department National Nursing Week contest participate in the Women Deliver Conference Culture Night on June 5. From left: BCNU Thompson North Okanagan region’s Neelya Krikke, College of the Rockies student Mohsen Choudhary (sponsored in partnership with University of Victoria), Thompson North Okanagan region’s Kari Walker, Simon Fraser region’s Melissa Vannerus, BCNU President Christine Sorensen, South Islands region’s Stephanie Spinney, Pacific Rim region’s Tanis Finlay and RIVA region’s Lindsay Barton.

100 members sent submissions.

Neelya Krikke is a nursing care coordinator at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. She nominated a nursing professor from the University of Victoria who instructed her in a course on gender issues in mental health. “My mentor captivated me with her passion and dedication to our nursing profession,” she said. “She was absolutely brilliant in her teaching methods and instilled within me the intrinsic desire to continue my nursing studies and pursue my Masters of Health Studies.”

“I was so happy to hear that I had been selected to attend, I truly felt that I had just won the lottery,” said Krikke, who has been nursing for over 20 years.

The conference’s closing plenary was personal highlight for Krikke. She sat beside Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell from Kenya, and the First Lady of Burkino Faso, Her Excellency Mrs. Sika Bella Kabore. “Together we shared and celebrated three days of global learnings with laughter, commitments, and compassion,” she said.

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I am so impressed with the members who took this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

BCNU President Christine Sorensen

Mwangi-Powell is Global Director of the Girl Generation, a grassroots global advocacy group dedicated to ending the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) that affects more than three million girls and women annually. Krikke reported that foreign practitioners come into Canada, or young girls and women travel from Canada, to have this harmful practice done.

“I am honoured to continue my education and advocate for increasing awareness about FGM and ending its practice within Canada and all other countries,” said Krikke. “Meeting Dr. Mwangi-Powell at the conference inspired the next stage of my nursing career.”

All of the BCNU Professional Practice and Advocacy Department expression of interest winners joined the festivities at the conference’s Culture Night on June 5. The free public celebration at Jack Poole Plaza offered the over 8,000 international attendees the opportunity to mingle with Vancouver residents.

The evening featured a global stage with Canadian performers such Chantal Kreviazuk, food trucks and interactive booths – including BCNU’s.

Over 50 BCNU members were on hand to volunteer at the booth, providing blood pressure checks for the public and speaking to a display that featured BCNU’s history of successful advocacy.

BCNU Fraser Valley region chair Tracey Greenberg volunteered at the conference and then again at Culture Night.

“The campaigns we presented confirm that when nurses put our energies toward something there is no stopping us,” he said. “Our members should be proud of our achievements and own the bragging rights. It shows that change can happen.”

Sorensen says she’s proud of the members who took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in the conference. “We had no idea the presentation that Stephanie Johnson made to us well over a year ago would result in a life-time of memories for many of our members and further inspiration to create the path to gender equality.” •

STUDENT NURSES

YOUNG NURSES TAKE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE A group of Vancouver Island University grads are providing research to support BCNU’s development of a position statement on climate change and human health WHEN SPEAKING WITH Tanys Latham, it quickly becomes clear that the Duncan-based nurse is concerned about her patients’ health and well-being.

“Last year we had forest fires across BC. There was a big cloud of smoke over Vancouver Island and many people were suffering,” she remarks.

Latham is a graduate of Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and recently began working at Cowichan District Hospital. She’s one of a growing number of young nurses concerned about climate change, and she believes that nurses have an important role to play when it comes to responding to the crisis.

“Anyone with cardiovascular issues, or with a job working outside would have been affected and likely would

“We can have a big influence on the public and in the community by spreading awareness.”

Tanys Latham

seek help from our doctors, a health-care professional, or even come into the emergency room – climate change directly impacts my work.”

Latham says there’s no question that the impacts of climate change are becoming ever more visible. Forest fires and droughts are more catastrophic and frequent, aquaculture is under threat as the oceans becomes more acidic, ecosystems are destabilizing, precipitation patterns are changing, glaciers are melting and sea levels are rising.

Provincial government data forecast drier summers with more severe heat

waves and wetter winters.

Annual rainfall is expected to increase between two and 12 percent over the next 30 years. And by 2050, average BC temperatures are expected to have increased by as much as 2.7C. All to say, climate change is real and it is happening now.

Despite such ominous warnings, Latham says she’s inspired by nurse-leaders like Dr. Ann E. Kurth who have called on health-care professionals to rise to the challenges climate change poses. Citing Kurth’s 2017 report Planetary Health and the Role of Nursing: A Call to

Action, Latham argues that nurses are trusted leaders and providers of health care and are in a position to contribute to resilient health systems. “Kurth argues that nurses are change makers who can impact the world,” she says. “And nurses have an obligation to prepare for climate change and other impacts of ecosystem strain on human health.”

Latham is ready to rise to the challenge, but she says more needs to be done early on to equip nursing students for their role in supporting adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS NEEDED

Kurt Kuzminski is a classmate of Latham’s, and another graduate of VIU’s BSN program. Last year he began working as a public health nurse for Vancouver Coastal Health on a child and youth team, serving a population that ranges between five and 25 years of age.

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PHOTO: VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

FUTURE FOCUSED Vancouver Island University BSN grads Serena Gaiga, Tanys Latham, Ivo Nikolov, Kurt Kuzminski and Dulcie Thomson are helping raise awareness about links between climate change, nursing, and human health.

He believes that information and education on climate change is something that is hugely missing in nursing education.

Kuzminski reports that throughout his four years of nursing education, there was one two-hour lecture that only briefly outlined climate change. “And that was it,” he exclaims. “In four years, the biggest public health issue of the century and it only had two hours of air time in a bachelor of science nursing degree.”

VIU nursing students are required to complete a Community of Practice course in years three and four of their BSN program.

Kuzminski says that he and his colleagues saw the course as an opportunity to address the limited attention that climate change is given in nursing education.

He credits the leadership of cohort member Serena Gaiga for spearheading a new Community of Practice (CoP) under the supervision of VIU professors Jeff Lewis, Maureen O’Connor and Lynn Rollison that researched how climate change, nursing and human health are linked.

Kuzminski, Latham, Gaiga and other founding members of the CoP even formed

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“We need to educate in our degree programs, and within our professional bodies, about the health risks and benefits of climate action.”

Kurt Kuzminski

their very own student organization – Nursing Students for Environmental Action Today (NEAT) – with the goal of contributing to climate change research and education.

Prior to helping establish NEAT, Kuzminski and Latham were both involved with Awareness of Climate Change through Education and Research (ACER) – a VIU-based public outreach initiative that promotes greater understanding of the scientific and social implications of climate change to students and the general public. ACER consists of students from different educational disciplines who perform science demonstrations on campus describing how climate change occurs.

The two groups soon decided to join forces.

“When NEAT was founded, it was an intuitive next step for the group to

JULY/AUGUST 2019 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

join ACER, to educate each other and work together,” explains Kuzminski. “ACER already addressed the science of climate change.

What they didn’t have were the health effects of climate change, so we were contributing the public health perspective.”

NEAT organized several educational events, one of them being an on-campus screening of the award-winning 2016 environmental documentary Before the Flood.

In April 2017, ACER and NEAT students volunteered to host a public talk by prominent author and activist Maude Barlow, who read from her book Boiling Point: Government Neglect, Corporate Abuse, and Canada’s Water Crisis.

The event was extremely well attended, as a full house of 300 people showed up to hear Barlow speak

at Nanaimo’s Bowen Park Recreation Complex.

Later that year NEAT organized a climate change symposium at VIU titled Climate Change and Human Health and invited several leading academic researchers from across BC to speak.

WORKING WITH BCNU

The NEAT students reached a significant milestone in 2017, when they were encouraged to provide input into the development of a BCNU position statement on climate change.

Kuzminski was already active in the union through his role as a BCNU student liaison at VIU. He attended the BCNU annual convention in 2016 and raised the issue of the need for equity-based action for climate change mitigation.

NEAT was then invited to attend convention the following year. Latham and classmate Charmaine Lightfoot presented an early version of NEAT’s school poster and talked to nurses from all over the province during convention’s education day.

NEAT member Ivo Nikolov was also attending as a Pacific Rim region delegate.

income, a stable eco-sysWhile there he spoke about the trajectory of his career. tem, sustainable resources NEAT’s research and raised “Having worked in CT scanand social justice – and find the question of how BCNU ning at a level-one trauma research demonstrating how centre, and on call with the could help increase awareclimate change directly and ness about climate change BC Ambulance Service, I indirectly impacts these among nurses. Throughout wanted to become an emerprerequisites. The literature convention, the young gency department nurse. review is now informing nurses’ engagement with That’s what I knew, and it’s BCNU’s ongoing research fellow members helped where I thought I could do further the recognition that a and development of a union the most amount of good,” he position statement that is union position statement on reflects. “But after learning climate change and health in scheduled to be published about the greatest threat to later this year.

BC was needed. human health this century, I The NEAT students feel “Ivo offered to share our chose to pursue the branch of honoured to be given the research to help write the nursing that is most closely opportunity to contribute background section of the linked to climate action: directly to BCNU’s work position statement,” says public health.” on the issue. But they say Kuzminski. The offer was Looking to the future, the most valuable part of accepted, and as a result, Kuzminski says he’s focused Present day changes in labour capacity, vector-borne disease, and food security provide early theimpacts experience been a continues NEAT’s year final on education and advocacy. warning offourth compounded and overwhelming expectedhas if temperature to rise. deepening of their under- an unacceptably project a litera“We need Trends inbecame climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerabilities demonstrate highto educate in our level review of risk forof theresearch current andon future health of populations the world. standing of theacross climate crisis degree programs, and within ture and its effects.

This in turn climate change and human our professional bodies, A lack of progress in reducing emissions and building adaptive capacity threatens both human group to think health. about the health benefits lives and the viability of the national healthmotivated systems theythe depend on, with the potential to disrupt core public health infrastructure about health how services. they could make The students chose to and overwhelm of climate action. We also a positive impact on the highlight the eight prereqneed to advocate for policy Despite these delays, trends in a number of sectors are breathing life in to the beginning of uisites of health outlined change—a a low-carbon transition, and it is clear thatbroader the naturenursing and scale community of the response to climate change great way to do they areofnow a part of. by Ottawa Charter willthe be the determining factorfor in shaping the health nations for centuries to come.that is to ask all federal parKuzminski says researchHealth Promotion – peace, ties to make climate change a Ensuring a widespread understanding of climate change as a central public health issue will ing climate change affected shelter, education, food, priority in their platforms.” be vital in delivering an accelerated response, with the health profession beginning to rise

Key Messages from the 2018 International Lancet Countdown Report •

•

•

•

He says unions have a critical role to play, and describes the voice of BCNU as “bold, innovative and powerful.”

Latham agrees. “As a union, BCNU has power in numbers,” she says. “We can have a big influence on the general public and in the community by spreading awareness, educating the public, mitigating the effects of climate change, and planning for the future.”

There is no question that all NEAT members are committed to making climate change a priority issue in their practice and in their careers. And all believe that nurses are leaders in the health-care system and in their communities, and that the effects of climate change directly affect their work.

“The cost of inaction would be devastating,” argues Kuzminski. “That means taking action should be an urgent priority for us all.” •

to this challenge.2

LANCET COUNTDOWN TRACKING PROGRESS ON HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE THE LANCET COUNTDOWN IS AN INDEPENDENT, global monitoring system dedicated to tracking the health dimensions of the impacts of, and the response to, climate change.

The Countdown tracks 41 indicators across five domains: climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; finance and economics; and public and political engagement.

Its annual reports are the product of a collaboration of 27 leading academic institutions, the UN, and intergovernmental agencies from every continent.

Find out more at www.lancetcountdown.org

Figure 1: Health Impacts of Climate Change. Credit: M.Lee for the US Lancet Countdown Brief

Health Impacts of Climate Change. Credit: M.Lee for the US Lancet Countdown Brief

UPDATE MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2019

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YOUR PENSION SECURING YOUR FUTURE

WORKSHOPS DEMYSTIFY CONTRIBUTION RULES Increase your chances of retiring early with an unreduced pension GOT SORE FEET? BACK hurts? Tired of scraping ice from your windshield before sunrise? It’s okay to admit that you’d rather be retired in Maui. And if that’s the way you feel then read further.

Many nurses assume they need to work into their 60s to build a pension that’s large enough to live on during retirement. But that might not be the case. The Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) has a mechanism to help nurses retire early without pension penalties. It’s called the Rule of 90.

Here’s how the Rule of 90 works – if your age plus years of contributory service adds up to 90 you can retire

before you turn 60 without incurring an early retirement penalty. The rule of 90 helps you get an early unreduced pension, but the amount your pension pays is calculated on your total pensionable service.

Most members assume the pensionable dates on their yearly MPP statements are unchangeable, but that’s not always the case. There are things you may be able do to get an earlier unreduced pension, or increase your MPP benefits, especially if you’ve taken leaves of absence, such as family leaves.

BCNU holds workshops for this very reason so members across the province can better

SERVICE DEFINED Pensionable Service Pensionable service is the amount of full-time equivalent service you earned over the course of your career. It is one of the factors in calculating your pension benefit amount For example, if you worked .5FTE for a year, you will get six months of pensionable service. To buy back pensionable service, contact your human resources department as soon as you return from an approved leave of absence.

Contributory Service Contributory service is different than pensionable service.

Contributory service helps you achieve an unreduced pension with the Rule of 90.

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FAMILY LEAVE It’s especially important for Municipal Pension Plan members who take maternity and family leaves to understand their pension plan in order to maximize pension earnings.

understand how to maximize their retirement benefits.

“I encourage everyone to attend a pension workshop because the information we share could be worth a lot of money,” says BCNU executive councillor Chris Armeanu. “More than 90 percent of nurses are women.

And women tend to move between full-time, part-time and casual status – or even quit mid-career – in order to look after children. They also take maternity and family leaves so understanding our pension plan can help maximize pension earnings.”

At a recent workshop Armeanu and BCNU director of pensions, benefits and special projects Dominique Roelants spoke to members who had taken maternity and family leaves.

Several wanted to know if applying for the child rearing

credit was worth it, or if it was too late to do so. They each took employer-approved leaves from work to raise their children in the early 2000s, but were happy to discover they could retire a year earlier without a reduced pension by claiming the credit.

They learned employees who raise a child under age seven can have child-rearing time recognized as contributory service. That additional contributory service may help them gain an unreduced pension before turning 60.

Unfortunately, they also learned that they couldn’t purchase the unworked time as pensionable service because their leaves were taken more than five years ago, which is beyond the maximum amount of time members are given to buy back service.

PURCHASING MORE PENSIONABLE SERVICE

Another overlooked way to increase pensionable service is to purchase time from the start of your career when you may not have been eligible to contribute to the pension.

When someone works for an MPP employer but does not contribute to the plan, such as during a probationary period, or casual work prior to joining the pension plan, the time they were employed, or service, is called non-contributory.

Casuals must work for two years and earn at least 35 percent of the Canada Pension Plan’s yearly maximum pensionable earnings amount set by the federal government* before being eligible to join the MPP. As soon as you join the plan you

can purchase credits for all of the time worked at your employer. For example, if you worked full-time hours in your first two years as a casual it could increase your annual pension by $3,600.

Armeanu says there are many MPP members who could take advantage of the opportunity to buy contributory service. “If you work at less than your normal assignment for a time, you may be eligible to purchase the difference between the normal assignment and the amount actually worked.”

Buying pensionable service increases the value of your pension, he explains.

“I encourage all members to start retirement planning,” he says. “It’s never too late to learn about the Rule of 90 and other important features of your pension plan, so register for one of our workshops on the BCNU Events Calendar today.” • * The 2019 amount is $20,090

HOW BCNU’s PENSION WORKSHOP CAN IMPACT YOUR RETIREMENT In the examples below each nurse worked from age 26 to 58, had a full-time salary of $90,000 and took two 12-month parental leaves.

Martha never attended a pension workshop. She wasn’t aware that she could purchase her parental leave service and didn’t apply for the child rearing credit. Her annual pension is $50,760. She spends summers in her trailer at a nice lake in Saskatchewan.

Jane didn’t purchase her parental leave because she didn’t attend a pension workshop before the fiveyear buy-back period ended. But she was able to apply for the child

rearing credit. Her annual pension is $54,000. She bought a cabin in Ontario’s beautiful cottage country.

Mai Ling was lucky. She went to a pension workshop as soon as she returned from parental leave and immediately purchased her pensionable service. It was a great deal because her employer paid more than half of the amount. Her pension is $57,600. With great planning she bought a condo on Maui and likes watching the sun set into the Pacific.

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WHO CAN HELP? BCNU IS HERE TO SERVE MEMBERS

BCNU CAN. Here’s how you can get in touch with the right person to help you.

CONTACT YOUR

Stewards for all workplace concerns.

Regional Reps if your steward can’t help, or for all regional matters.

Executive Committee for all provincial, national or union policy issues.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

REGIONAL REPS CENTRAL VANCOUVER Marlene Goertzen Co-chair C 778-874-9330 marlenegoertzen@bcnu.org Judy McGrath Co-chair C 604-970-4339 jmcgrath@bcnu.org COASTAL MOUNTAIN Kath-Ann Terrett Chair C 604-828-0155 kterrett@bcnu.org EAST KOOTENAY Helena Barzilay Chair C 250-919-3310 hbarzilay@bcnu.org FRASER VALLEY Tracey Greenberg Chair C 604-785-8147 traceygreenberg@bcnu.org

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PRESIDENT Christine Sorensen C 250-819-6293 christinesorensen@bcnu.org

TREASURER Sharon Sponton C 250-877-2547 sharonsponton@bcnu.org

VICE PRESIDENT Aman Grewal C 778-879-5485 amangrewal@bcnu.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR Chris Armeanu C 604-209-4260 chrisarmeanu@bcnu.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR Adriane Gear C 778-679-1213 adrianegear@bcnu.org

NORTH EAST Danette Thomsen Chair C 250-960-8621 danettethomsen @bcnu.org

SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS Claudette Jut Chair C 604-786-8422 claudettejut@bcnu.org

SOUTH ISLANDS Lynnda Smith Co-chair C 778-977-6315 lynndasmith@bcnu.org

NORTH WEST Teri Forster Chair C 250-615-8077 teriforster@bcnu.org

SIMON FRASER Lynn Lagace Co-chair C 604-219-4162 lynnlagace@bcnu.org

Margo Wilton Co-chair C 250-818-4862 mwilton@bcnu.org

OKANAGAN-SIMILKAMEEN Rhonda Croft Chair C 250-212-0530 rcroft@bcnu.org

Wendy Gibbs Co-Chair C 604-240-1242 wendygibbs@bcnu.org

PACIFIC RIM Rachel Kimler Chair C 250-816-0865 rachelkimler@bcnu.org RIVA Sara Mattu Chair C 778-989-8231 saramattu@bcnu.org

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SOUTH FRASER VALLEY Hardev Bhullar Co-chair C 778-855-0220 hardevbhullar@bcnu.org Walter Lumamba Co-chair C 604-512-2004 walterlumamba@bcnu.org

THOMPSON NORTH OKANAGAN Tracy Quewezance Chair C 250-320-8064 tquewezance@bcnu.org VANCOUVER METRO Meghan Friesen Chair C 604-250-0751 meghanfriesen@bcnu.org WEST KOOTENAY Ron Poland Chair C 250-368-1085 ronpoland@bcnu.org

COUNCIL PROFILE HERE’S WHO’S WORKING FOR YOU

COMMITTED TO SERVE EAST KOOTENAY CHAIR HELENA BARZILAY

QUICK FACTS NAME Helena Barzilay.

GRADUATED 1992, Selkirk College School of Nursing.

UNION POSITION East Kootenay chair.

WHY I SUPPORT BCNU? "It’s important for people to be treated fairly. Our union helps make that happen."

IN THE LATE 1980s Invermere’s Greenery Restaurant functioned as the informal centre of this small British Columbia town. The green carpets, chairs and tabletops created a homey, comfortable environment.

Most of the locals ate lunch here and exchanged news about life in their rural community. Relationships were strong and constant.

So when Helena Barzilay walked into the restaurant to work the lunch hour on a spring day in 1998, she wasn’t expecting a life-changing encounter.

She still remembers the customer who called to her and said, “My coffee is cold, you need to serve hot coffee here.” It was then that Barzilay realized she needed to leave serving for another career.

“Right then I had an epiphany,” she says. “I realized if I was going to hear complaints from people I wanted them to be about things that really matter.

People want hot coffee, but I needed to start solving bigger problems.”

Soon after this encounter Barzilay went back to school

to start the upgrading she needed to enter nursing, and enrolled in Selkirk College School of Nursing in 1989.

Barzilay says it was inevitable that she would enter nursing. Her mother was a nurse and has a recording of five-year-old Barzilay saying, “I’m going to be a nurse!”

When Barzilay graduated with her RN diploma in 1992 it was hard to find positions in BC. She began work in Edson, Alberta before working in various locations in BC. She also worked in Florida.

“I feel very proud to be the first non-indigenous homecare nurse hired by the Gitxsan Health Society in Hazelton,” says Barzilay.

“It was an honour to work with the Gitxsan and be welcomed into their community.”

In 2001 Barzilay settled into a permanent position at the Invermere Hospital and reconnected with Jonni Sharp, her nursing school preceptor.

Sharp was member of BCNU’s East Kootenay region executive, and she encouraged Barzilay to become a steward and get involved with BCNU. “Jonni helped me consolidate my practice and encouraged me to grow through union work.”

Barzilay attended the 2007 Canadian Federation of Nurses Union convention in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

She says it was a life-changing experience.

“That event blew my world view apart and I really started to understand why unions exist,” she says.

“The convention wasn’t only about looking after our patients – it was about looking after all Canadians.

I finally understood the importance of social determinants like clean water, healthy food and supporting the poor.”

After consolidating her steward skills, Barzilay moved into regional executive positions. She transferred to Cranbrook’s East Kootenay Regional Hospital in 2004 and in 2017 she was elected chair of BCNU’s East Kootenay region. Currently she serves on the Finance and Member Engagement, Steward Recruitment and Retention committees.

Barzilay says she wants to strengthen trust across the union. “When trust is strong we can accomplish a lot.

“Waitressing didn’t challenge me, but the strong relationships staff shared at the Greenery Restaurant are something I’ll carry forever.

I want to build that level of trust in my region and across our union.” •

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OFF DUTY MEMBERS AFTER HOURS

COSPLAY THE PART TERI FORSTER EMBODIES CHARACTERS FROM HER FAVOURITE MOVIES FIVE YEARS AGO, TERI Forster stood on stage for the first time in a competitive “cosplay” setting. Dressed as the adventurous and independent Belle of Beauty and the Beast fame, she waited for her musical cue to dance across the stage at Northern FanCon in Prince George.

“I couldn’t believe how I felt!” Forster recalls after finishing her dance. “I was empowered and felt validated for having done such a great job.”

Since that first performance, Forster has jumped into the cosplay world with both feet, researching characters, designing costumes and planning vacations around competitions.

Cosplay – the art of costume role-playing – has grown rapidly in popularity since the 1990s.

This sub-culture includes adopting the clothing, style and personality of fictional characters from popular culture – including graphic novels, comics, film, TV and video games.

Forster says the cosplay community is inclusive and supportive, no matter a player’s level of experience.

“If you don’t know how to do something, someone will help you – people are so kind,” she reports. “Yes, we are competing against one another, but ultimately we provide mentorship and support.”

FanCons, ComicCons, FanExpos and similar cultural events are held worldwide and attract hundreds of thousands of players

IN CHARACTER Teri Forster “cosplays” the eponymous Jupiter Jones from the 2015 space opera Jupiter Ascending.

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and spectators every year.

Convention programs usually include celebrity panels and workshops on costume design.

Forster is also an enthusiastic cake and cupcake decorator and uses techniques for making gum paste and gelatin flowers in her costume designs.

“I’ve always sewn and crafted and realized quickly that the skills I learned for cake decorating were helpful for costuming,” she explains.

Sometimes Forster combines her nursing and cosplay worlds to build relationships with others.

She has visited the pediatric and youth wards at the University Hospital of Northern BC and led a children’s parade at a FanCon event while in character.

“I have a huge passion for working with marginalized and at-risk youth,” she says.

“Connecting through cosplay can be a neutral category for relationship building with these kids.”

When asked how she finds the time for her hobby while maintaining a healthy worklife balance, Forster admits to leaning on her support system for help.

“My husband, mom, dad and friends have all helped with pinning hems, cutting ribbon, painting and more.

“I have arthritis,” Forster explains, “and long hours at a FanCon can be challenging.

My friends and family who

attend with me are always supportive of my need for breaks, rest and pacing myself.

“Even though cosplay is not his passion, my husband attended his first FanCon earlier this year, and even dressed up for a portion of the day to be with me!”

Forster is chair of BCNU’s North West region. She says she often takes costume materials with her when she travels, and works on her designs when she can – sometimes with help from other nurses. “At a recent council session ahead of a big competition, several council members helped me with last minute details after the meeting. It was an outpouring of amazing and unexpected support.

Forster has now competed in over 10 events, embodying such powerful characters as Jupiter Jones (2015’s Jupiter Ascending), the diva Plavalaguna (1997’s The Fifth Element) and the villainous Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.

Forster shows no sign of resting on her creative laurels. “I’m cosplaying the ogre princess Fiona from Shrek this summer, Valkyrie from Thor Ragnarök next year – and I would love to try some armoured cross play (i.e., play a male character) or gender bend (change a traditional male character to a female or vice versa) – there are so many creative ideas!” •

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