BCNU Update Magazine March 2016

MARCH 2016

PRFs WORK: MAPLE RIDGE HOME HEALTH NURSES SECURE SAFER WORKLOADS

PENSIONS MAKE CENTS: RETIRED MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTING THEIR LOCAL ECONOMIES

UPDATE BRITISH COLUMBIA NURSES’ UNION

EMPOWERED AND EFFECTIVE NEW PROGRAM ENSURES BCNU STEWARDS ARE READY TO LEAD

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

WWW.BCNU.ORG

DR. BERNSTEIN MEMBERS STAND TOGETHER FOR STRONG NEW CONTRACT INSIDE: PULL-OUT BCNU POSITION STATEMENT ON GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE THE FACE OF SAFE PATIENT CARE Tazim Esmail participates in new BCNU provincial ad campaign to support the creation of over 1,600 nurse positions.

SAFER PATIENT CARE

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BCNU’s Hire a Nurse initiative connects members to new nurse positions across BC

THIS JUNE, GET READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE “ I’m a leader at my worksite.

As a steward, I make sure our members get the respect they deserve so that patients can receive the care they need.”

Shima Zolfagharkhani Worksite Steward Buchanan Lodge Steward since 2014

Are you ready to make a difference? Consider becoming a steward.

Talk to a steward at your worksite for more information.

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

UPDATE

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CONTENTS vol 35 no1

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march 2016

BULLYING STOPS HERE! BCNU President Gayle Duteil, Vice President Christine Sorensen and Executive Councillor Adriane Gear show their colours for Pink Shirt Day 2016. Turn to page 10 for more photos of members embracing kindness throughout BC.

UPFRONT

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Check In

News and events from around the province.

16 Working to Live

BCNU Young Nurses’ Network keeps members connected.

19 Cutting Edge

BCNU’s steward leadership program sees strong 1st-year results.

22 Independent Bargaining

Dr. Bernstein members stand together for strong new contract.

34 PRFs Work

Maple Ridge home health nurses secure safer workloads.

49 Pension Power

Retired members are a major support for their local economies.

DEPARTMENTS

5 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 36 BOOK REVIEW 37 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 38 HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY 52 WHO CAN HELP? 53 COUNCIL PROFILE 54 OFF DUTY FEATURE

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CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAFER PATIENT CARE

BCNU’s Hire a Nurse initiative is connecting members to new nurse positions across BC.

BCNU Position statement on gender-affirming care Special pull-out on page 13

BC Nurses’ Union

UPDATE MAGAZINE

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 43,000 members. Signed articles do not necessarily represent official BCNU policies.

EDITOR Lew MacDonald CONTRIBUTORS Juliet Chang, Laura Comuzzi, Sharon Costello, David Cubberley, Gayle Duteil, Gary Fane, Kath Kitts, Shawn Leclair, Michelle Livaja, Robert Macquarrie, Courtney McGillion, Cindy Paton, Catherine Pope, Patricia Wejr PHOTOS David Cubberley, Caroline Flink, Shawn Leclair, Lew MacDonald,

MOVING? NEW EMAIL?

Robert Macquarrie, Catherine Pope

CONTACT US BCNU Communications Department 4060 Regent Street Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P5

STAY CONNECTED

When you move, please let BCNU know your new address so we can keep sending you the Update, election information and other vital union material. Give us your home email address and we’ll send you the latest BCNU bulletins and news releases. And if you’ve changed your name, please let us know.

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 Publications Mail Agreement 40834030 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to BCNU

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

4060 Regent Street Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P5

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

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GAYLE DUTEIL

THE LITTLE UNIT THAT COULD

PHOTO: ALEXIS SULLIVAN WALTERS

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HILE SITTING IN A MEETING RECENTLY DURING THE non-stop “hurry up and wait” process of negotiating a new Nurses’ Bargaining Association provincial contract, I was reminded of one of my favourite childhood stories: The Little Engine That Could.

There’s no question that our organization is working hard right now to secure a new NBA contract. In fact, one could be forgiven for thinking that this is the only thing our union is focused on. But it’s not. Although the majority of our members are employed by health authorities and covered by the NBA contract, many of our members are covered by independent contracts that are negotiated with individual employers.

I would like to recognize one group who have climbed a high hill these past few months – those BCNU members who work for Dr. Bernstein Diet & Health Clinics. The LPNs and medical receptionists of this bargaining unit may not face the demands of a congested emergency department, overcapacity, palliative clients, repeated violence or the death of a resident. But their issues are no less important. They are members who voted to join the union in 2010. New to activism, they banded together to demand respect, fairness and equality from a for-profit company with a tendency to intimidate and bully employees while refusing to allow union reps on its premises.

Contract talks opened last May. But there was little movement with an employer that clearly had no appetite to settle a contract.

A strike vote was taken in December, and while many people were enjoying the holiday season, Dr. Bernstein workers stood strong together, voting 100 percent in favour of job action.

To support these members, the union published full-page newspaper ads not only in Vancouver, but in Toronto where the Dr. Bernstein head office and a majority of the company’s clinics are located. The ads featured a large dinner plate, with a small penny representing an insignificant morsel of food. It was a fitting image given the employer’s limited movement on wages, benefits or willingness to create a respectful work place. But the employer was confident in its position, and after holding several meetings, even closing its clinics to speak privately with our members, it went to the BC Labour Relations Board in January to demand a final offer vote. The bargaining unit rejected the employer’s offer by, you guessed it, 100 percent.

It was at this point that the discussions really started with the help of a mediator and I am so pleased to report that a strong positive ratification vote took place the second week of February. Wage increases, market adjustments, benefit improvements and most importantly, permissible union presence on all worksites, had smiles on all the members’ faces.

The strength and personal growth I observed on the bargaining committee was phenomenal. Thank you Ravinder, Stephanie, Navdeep and Iris. This small group stood together, faced numerous challenges and came out ahead because of their determination and strength.

Nurses covered by the NBA contract can be proud of these sisters, and they too can secure a strong, new provincial contract when they remain united in the goal of safe patient care. update

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

BUDGET 2016

SHIFTING CARE TO THE COMMUNITY MAKES SENSE – BUT RESOURCES NEEDED TO ENSURE SAFE TRANSITION

STRONG AND PROUD Members of BCNU’s LGBT Caucus marched with advocacy group PFLAG Canada and the UBC Pride Society Feb. 26 to speak out against sexual violence and the need for a safe campus. Top, from left: BCNU LGBT caucus members Kath-Ann Terrett, Rhonda Bennett and Anne Kessler. Left: Terrett and UBC student Charlotte Belinger.

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HE BC NURSES’ UNION IS SUPPORTIVE OF NEW investments to improve patient care and expand access to mental health services in BC’s 2016 budget, but union president Gayle Duteil says nurses expect that the required resources will be provided to health authorities in order to shift care safely into the community.

“Shifting more seniors’ care from hospitals to the community level makes sense in an aging society,” said Duteil on Feb. 16, budget day.

“But it only works if there’s funding to expand community nursing, so patients don’t just bounce back into the ER.” The government has also announced it intends to modernize community care and assisted living, which fits with the federal government’s commitment to invest $3-billion in improving home care across Canada. Age-weighted distribution of the new home care money would help to ensure fairness to provinces dealing with greater numbers of seniors, like BC. In 2015, BC’s per capita funding of health care was the third lowest in Canada. update

PROVINCE-WIDE GATHERING Members of BCNU’s Human Rights and Equity caucuses met at the union’s Burnaby office Feb. 25 to network and share plans for the year ahead. Read our report from last December’s Human Rights and Equity conference on page 38.

LGBT STUDENTS SUPPORTED AFTER FLAG BURNING When the pride flag was burned on the University of BC campus in February, BCNU members took quick action and visited the school to show their solidarity with LGBT youth.

Following the burning, students spoke about being fearful. They said homophobic slurs are frequently heard on campus, and that professors openly mock students’ sexual orientation. BCNU also joined a Feb. 26 campus march to protest the intolerance and ignorance that continue to exist at the university.

PENSION REMINDER DON’T FORGET!

March 31, 2016 is a key date for Municipal Pension Plan members considering buying back pensionable service for unpaid leaves of absence.

Details concerning purchase of service can be found on the Municipal or Public Service Pension Plan website at www.pensionsbc.ca.

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

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OR CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

BCNU nominations committee elections will be held at this year’s convention in Vancouver.

The nominations committee is a standing committee of the union. It conducts BCNU elections and assumes responsibility for all aspects of a fair and transparent election process.

An election must be held every three years for the five positions on the committee. Candidates can hold no BCNU office above that of steward, and must not be seen to be supporting any candidate in provincial or regional BCNU elections.

Nominations, biographical sketches and statements and photos must be received at the BCNU office in Burnaby by 5 p.m. on April 15, 2016. For more information contact Mabel Tung, chair, BCNU Democracy in the Union Committee: mtung@bcnu.org

MAKING NEWS

BCNU in the headlines

CALLING FOR COMMUNITY CARE

When hospital ER congestion flared up again in Fraser Health, BCNU President Gayle Duteil spoke to Global News about the problem on Feb. 12. Duteil explained that more nurses are needed in the home and community care sector in Gayle Duteil order to alleviate congestion in hospitals. She acknowledged that the health authority has been shifting resources to the community, but said it’s not enough to stop the spike in ER traffic.

“We certainly believe that residents and patients do

better in their home, they do better in long-term care, but we need to have the right number of staff in place. The right number of nurses in place to care for those individuals,” said Duteil, “We want the shift to home and community care to be a success, because when it’s not, these patients bounce right back into the emergency departments.”

The first week of February saw a record number of Fraser Health patients waiting for beds, with some waiting for up to four hours.

SEASONAL FLU POLICY SURVEY: WE WANT YOUR STORY

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O YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE application or enforcement of seasonal influenza control polices at your worksite? If so you can share your experience in a new survey developed by BCNU’s occupational health and safety department. You have the option of answering questions about the vaccinate-or-mask policy, the influenza outbreak policy, or both policies.

BCNU has consistently taken a strong position opposing mandatory masking for workers who have not received an annual flu shot.

But health employers have refused to consider revisiting the influenza control program policy. In response BCNU has filed an industry-wide application dispute (IWAD) and the dispute has now been advanced to arbitration.

The survey can be accessed behind the BCNU member portal. Your responses will provide input to support grievances.

Please contact your steward for more information. update

BCNU MEMBER BECOMES ANAC PRESIDENT-ELECT BC Children’s Hospital nurse Scott Ramsay was acclaimed President-Elect at the Feb. 16 Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada AGM in Montreal. Ramsay, a Métis from Red River Valley, Manitoba, graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley nursing program in 2015. He is a member of BCNU’s Aboriginal Leadership Circle and takes over from current ANAC President Lisa Bourque-Bearskin in 2017.

WEST COAST CONTINGENT Members of BCNU’s Aboriginal Leadership Circle attended the Feb. 16 Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada AGM. Back row: April Mazzelli, Sherry Ridsdale, Scott Ramsay, BCNU Vice President Christine Sorensen, Lisa Noel, BCNU Council ALC liaison Lori Pearson. Front row: Tania Dick, Diane Lingren and Francine Nuxalkmc Xaxli’p.

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BRINGING HOME THE MESSAGE

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Lobby drive sees nurses meeting with elected officials across BC BCNU’s 16 regional lobby coordinators help lead BCNU campaigns in their communities. They help members join together to press for improvements in their workplaces while also supporting provincial initiatives and social justice movements that reflect the values of BCNU’s membership.

Lobby coordinators are also responsible for ensuring that policy makers and politicians are aware of the issues BCNU members face every day. This winter lobby coordinators met with elected officials across BC and encouraged them to listen and value nurses’ solutions.

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SUCCESS STORY

Unique health care team gathers for bargaining update More than 200 BCNU members employed by SUCCESS work to ensure that residents at the agency’s facilities receive quality health care in a family setting. Many of those members visited the BCNU provincial office on Jan. 18 to meet with BCNU’s provincial leadership, receive an update on bargaining and discuss other union activities.

SUCCESS is a non-profit agency that operates four health care facilities. It is organized as a “wall-to-wall cert,” which means that members of the bargaining unit, while all belonging to BCNU, are covered by three separate collective agreements and three bargaining associations.

The four facilities are staffed by a 215-member health care team that includes food services workers, administrative staff, care aides, LPNs, assisted living attendants and RNs. Three of those sites are located in Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Members working at the 114bed Simon KY Lee Seniors Care Home – that includes 23 special care unit beds – are covered by the Nurses’ Bargaining Association and Facilities Bargaining Association provincial collective agreements.

Members working at SUCCESS’s other facilities – Chieng’s Adult Day Centre, which is connected to the care home and provides services to about 23 people a day; Harmony House, an assisted living facility with 33 rooms; and Richmond’s 55-room Austin Harris Residence assisted living facility – are covered by the Community Bargaining Association provincial collective agreement. SUCCCESS members belong to BCNU’s Vancouver Metro region. They joined BCNU in 2009.

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UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

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to her colleagues about the issues and will help make sure the government follows through on its health care staffing commitments. 3. BCNU South Islands region lobby coordinator Jayne Yearwood meets with Victoria-Swan Lake MLA and opposition spokesperson for education Rob Fleming to talk about the need for full implementation of the NBA provincial collective agreement. 4. RIVA region lobby coordinator Romy de Leon meets with Richmond-Steveston MLA and Parliamentary Secretary for Liquor Reform Policy John Yap on Jan. 11. Yap pledged his support for the BCNU’s goal of seeing the creation of over 1,600 new registered nurse positions by March 31. 5. BCNU South Fraser Valley region lobby coordinator Walter Lumamba and steward liaison Cathy Robinson visit Surrey-Cloverdale MLA and Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux Feb. 1. 6. Freezing rain didn’t stop Kitimat and Terrace nurses from meeting with Skeena MLA and opposition spokesperson for northern economic development Robin Austin Jan. 12. From left: Connie-Lynn Fiola, BCNU North West region lobby coordinator Kathy Buell, Austin, JoAnne Ratchford and Maria Otto. 7. BCNU Vancouver Metro region lobby coordinator Brooke Raphael attended the federal prebudget consultation with Vancouver Quadra MP Joyce Murray Jan. 24. Raphael raised concerns about seniors’ care, mental health care and the need for a national drug plan. 8. BCNU Coastal Mountain region lobby coordinator Liana Cole meets with West VancouverCapilano MLA Ralph Sultan Jan. 13 to discuss NBA bargaining and safe patient care.

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THE PEOPLE

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PICTURE OF DIVERSITY SUCCESS members met at BCNU’s offices Jan. 18.

From left: BCNU Treasurer Mabel Tung, BCNU Vice President Christine Sorensen, SUCCESS steward coordinator Anita Cheng, BCNU President Gayle Duteil, SUCCESS steward coordinator Sally Chiu, BCNU Vancouver Metro region chair Megan Friesen, and SUCCESS care home stewards Stella Lew, Susanna Chan and Lawrence Ng.

1. BCNU South Islands region lobby coordinator Jayne Yearwood meets with Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Andrew Weaver Jan. 25 to discuss the need to hire more nurses and violence in the workplace. 2. BCNU South Fraser Valley region steward liaison Cathy Robinson, lobby coordinator Walter Lumamba and Noel Atilano meet with independent South Delta MLA Vicki Huntington Jan. 20. They shared stories about working short and the need for investment in seniors’ care. Huntington committed to speak

TAKING IT TO THE STREET

THE PEOPLE 1. Amelita Orodio, Valerie Williams, Paddy Treavor, Donna Maras, Jenefer Albindia, Violeta Ducusin and Meridith McLean. 2. Lions Gate Hospital nurses Rachael Hodgson and Rachel Yi. 3. Eagle Ridge Hospital nurses Celia Cortes, Joyce Tankeh and Pat Torok. 4.

Nicole LeSage and Stefanie Paludetto.

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TEAM PLAYERS SUCCESS food services staff (from left) Olivia Yim, David Fung, Johnny Cheung and food services steward Daniel Chan are part of a 215-member health care team.

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BCNU Coastal Mountain region members took advantage of their most recent regional meeting to organize an impromptu rally.

Nurses lined Highway 1 Feb. 3 and received honks of support for their message of safe patient care.

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THE PEOPLE 1. From left: North East region’s Niamh Walsh, Simon Fraser region’s Maria Huertes, Thompson North Okanagan region’s Scott Duvall, Pacific Rim region’s Rosie Chrest, BCNU’s executive councillor for health and safety Adriane Gear, and Coastal Mountain region’s Liz Thompson and Harpreet Hothi. 2. North East region’s Susan Ohlin and Brenda Edwards. 3.

Pacific Rim region’s Karen Stephenson, RIVA region’s Liz Goba and Simon Fraser region’s Linda Touch. 4.

Victoria General Hospital’s steward team. 5. North West region lobby coordinator Kathy Buell (centre) is joined by members at Terrace’s Mills Memorial Hospital. 6. Prince Rupert Regional Hospital’s OR nurses. 7. Simon Fraser region’s Rina McNary and Thompson North Okanagan region’s Myrna Nichols.

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ANTI-BULLYING DAY

BCNU EMBRACES KINDNESS!

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ORKSITES ACROSS the province were awash in pink Feb. 24 as BCNU members stood up with other Canadians to raise awareness and take action to end bullying and harassment in the workplace. Hundreds of members showed their support by posting photos of themselves with colleagues in pink attire on BCNU’s Our Nurses Matter Facebook album.

Bullying and harassment are prevalent in health care, and workplace bullying is associated with nurses leaving their job or the nursing profession. Some 60 percent of new nursing grads leave their first position within six months, partly due to bullying.

Exposure to workplace bullying – whether in person or online – can impact the physical and mental health of workers, permeating all facets of personal and professional life. Not only does the worker suffer, so do their families and co-workers.

This can lead to decreased job satisfaction, motivation and morale, and can negatively affect patient outcomes.

WorkSafeBC created new policies in 2013 to address bullying and harassment.

Their aim is to define what they are and to explain the duties of employers, workers and supervisors in order to prevent these kinds of acts from occurring in the workplace.

Anti-Bullying Day – also known as Pink Shirt Day – was started by two Nova Scotia students who organized a protest to support a Grade 9 boy who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt. update

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING

RAPE KITS COME TO SQUAMISH

Local advocates’ years-long fight to have the services available closer to home finally sees results

PHOTO: JENNIFER THUNCHER

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OR ANYONE WHO HAS survived rape, receiving immediate medical treatment to address concerns about infection, disease and pregnancy is a vital first step. The second step, the sexual assault forensic exam, which is also called a rape kit, is essential when collecting evidence that could be used in a police sexual assault investigation.

Previously, people who have been sexually assaulted and live in Squamish or the rest of the Sea-to-Sky corridor, which stretches from Horseshoe Bay to north of Pemberton, have had to travel hours to access rape kits at Vancouver General Hospital.

However, Vancouver Coastal Health announced last November that a public health nurse would be available to offer the forensic exam. This comes after a years-long fight by local advocates to have the services available closer to home.

Nancy Skucas works Monday to Friday at Squamish General Hospital and was recently trained to administer the forensic exam. She started her new role at the hospital in mid-December and says her first priority when a sexual assault victim comes in is to provide emotional support and crisis intervention.

“Usually I see them after they have been assessed. My first and foremost priority is victim comfort. Going through a forensic examination, or even just coming to the emergency room post-sexual assault is very traumatic,” says Skucas. “I do my best to make sure the person feels heard, is comfortable and feels supported.”

Skucas is available on an on-call basis, and called only if there is a referral and the victim would like to proceed with a forensic

exam. Testing can be done up to seven days after an assault. She is trained to do a full head-to-toe assessment, including wherever the patient says they were assaulted. At various steps along the way, the patient is asked for consent for the exam to continue.

Clothing is packaged up in an envelope, a mouth swab is taken, and evidence such as blood, fluids, hair fibres or debris is collected.

“The whole time, the patient is in charge,” says Skucas.

According to the World Health Organization, 35 percent of women world-

LOCAL CARE Squamish General Hospital public health nurse Nancy Skucas is proud to be able to administer the sexual assault forensic exam in her community. Sea-to-Sky corridor residents previously had to travel hours to access rape kits at Vancouver General Hospital.

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wide experienced either physical and/or sexual violence in 2013.

In Abbotsford, victims of physical or sexual violence also have a place to go to receive medical attention and talk to a trained professional. Susan Short is the coordinator for the forensic nursing service at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and also works as a forensic nurse examiner. She goes into action dozens of times each year treating victims of sexual assault or international violence.

The program began in Surrey in 1992 and expanded to Abbotsford in 1999. While it used to focus solely on sexual assault cases, it has since expanded to include domestic violence cases and human trafficking cases.

Short says the number of patients they see has doubled since 1999.

“When the program started, the expectation was 52 cases per year. It stayed around that number for about five years. But last year, we saw well over 100 patients. People are more willing to come forward about it.

There used to be a stigma about reporting anything.”

Short says although the number of patients they see has increased, there is still a lack of awareness that prevents women from getting the help they need.

“Many people still don’t know our office even exists,” says Short. “Many victims also don’t know that they can receive treatment at the hospital without filing an immediate police report.”

For Skucas, being able to provide such an important service closer to home is something she feels proud to do.

“I’ve always wanted to work for the sexual assault program at BC Women’s but I have lived too far away. I’ve often felt clients run into barriers when trying to figure out how they are going to get to Vancouver after an assault.

While the work I do is very challenging, I don’t think there’s any greater job than being able to provide choices to someone and see them regain some bit of control back in their life.” update

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SEASONAL POSTCARD CAMPAIGN

UNION URGES PROVINCE TO MAKE MENTAL HEALTH CARE A PRIORITY

and receiving care can mean the difference between life and death.

In addition to calling for a long-term mental health strategy, BCNU has lobbied strongly for reopening Abbotsford Regional Hospital’s adolescent psychiatric unit. Sorensen says more prevention is needed and more education should be available for those caring for an increasing number of dementia patients.

“I think we see youth in crisis all over the province who are searching for help and they’re just not able to receive it.”

BCNU VICE PRESIDENT CHRISTINE SORENSEN

PERSONAL DELIVERY BCNU’s seasonal postcard campaign gathered more than 4,500 individual signatures calling for a provincial mental health strategy. All were delivered to the legislature Jan. 25. From left: BCNU Vice President Christine Sorensen, Royal Jubilee Hospital worksite steward Patricia Crown, BCNU South Islands region lobby coordinator Jayne Yearwood, BCNU’s executive councillor of health and Safety Adriane Gear, BCNU full-time community steward Judith Raymer, BCNU South Islands region co-chair Margo Wilton, BCNU South Islands region OH&S rep Ken Giles and BCNU South Islands region co-chair Lynnda Smith.

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HE MENTAL HEALTH care system in BC is in crisis.

Patients lack support, and insufficient services mean nurses struggle to provide safe

patient care.

For the past few months, nurses all over BC have been reaching out in their communities to gather public support for better mental health services.

On January 25, BCNU Vice President Christine Sorensen travelled to Victoria to personally deliver 4,500 signed postcards to the premier and health minister urging them to make mental health care a priority.

Sorensen was joined by BCNU’s executive councillor for health and safety, Adriane Gear and members of the BCNU South Islands regional executive.

“I think we see youth in crisis all over the province who are searching for help and they’re just not able to receive it,” said Sorensen, speaking to media on the day of the event. “We also see a lot of seniors who are in long-term care facilities with dementia, who really would get better care if there was a long-term mental health care strategy.”

Sorensen said more support can’t come soon enough for patients and families struggling with a mental health crisis. “I recently met a young man in Prince George who spent eight days in the ER waiting for a bed in a psychiatric unit. That’s an unbelievable amount of time to wait for the care he needed.”

The BCNU postcard explains that more mental health resources are needed immediately in hospitals and the community,

Coincidentally, one day after BCNU delivered the postcards to the legislature, the all-party Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth recommended the appointment of a provincial minister of mental health. The committee also recommended putting health care professionals in schools to teach anti-anxiety skills to students, making mental health education mandatory, expanding the delivery of clinical services to rural and remote areas through technology such as Telehealth, and developing culturally appropriate mental health programs for aboriginal children, youth and young adults.

One in five people will experience mental illness in their lifetime, and nurses are no exception.

“It’s important for nurses to also consider their own mental health,” says Gear. “Many nurses are routinely exposed to trauma, violence and human suffering on a daily basis. That can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout and post-traumatic stress in themselves and their colleagues.” update

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN TODAY'S HEALTH CARE WORKPLACE Register for one of BCNU’s personal resilience workshops today!

BCNU’s popular resilience workshop for members has been expanded across the province and scheduled through the spring.

These one-day workshops have received overwhelming positive response from members who attended them in the fall.

Workshops are held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A light breakfast commences at 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be provided. The workshops are free to selected nurses, but please note that salary replacement and/or travel expense reimbursement is not available.

Maximum registration is capped at 20 people – so don’t delay!

WORKSHOP DATES Lower Mainland March 31 BCNU Education Centre June 02 BCNU Education Centre June 03 BCNU Education Centre June 16 BCNU Education Centre Fraser Valley April 28 Langley, Coast Hotel June 17 Abbotsford, Ramada Hotel The North March 03 Williams Lake, Ramada Hotel April 01 Smithers, Prestige Hudson Bay Lodge April 29 Prince George, Ramada Downtown Interior March 08 March 09 March 10 April 22 May 05 May 06

Penticton, Ramada Hotel Kelowna, Four Points Sheraton Airport Kamloops, Coast Hotel Castlegar, District Community Complex Kelowna, Four Points Sheraton Airport Penticton, Ramada Hotel

Vancouver Island April 07 Victoria, Coast Harbourside Hotel April 08 Victoria, Coast Harbourside Hotel April 14 Nanaimo, Coast Bastion Hotel April 15 Courtenay, Crown Isle Resort June 09 Nanaimo, Coast Bastion Hotel June 10 Victoria, Coast Harbourside Hotel To register please send your name and designation (LPN, RN or RPN), contact information (email address and phone number) to Beth MacPherson at bethmacpherson@bcnu.org.

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PRIVATIZATION

TPP TRADE DEAL WILL HURT CANADIAN HEALTH CARE THE TRANS-PACIFIC TRADE DEAL SIGNED BY CANADA and other countries on Feb. 4 will severely weaken Canada’s public health care system. That’s the finding of two recent studies published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

The far-reaching Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) covers 12 countries that represent 40 percent of global trade (Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia). Ratification of the massive deal could take up to two years.

The TPP would require Canada to extend patent terms to compensate brand name pharmaceutical firms for regulatory delays in approving drugs. This policy change could add $636 million annually to the price of drugs in Canada, according to the study, Involuntary Medication: The Possible Effects of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on the Cost and Regulation of Medicine in Canada.

“Higher drug costs would make pharmacare more costly, and lawsuits from adversely affected drug companies are more likely under TPP’s investor-state dispute settlement mechanism,” says study author Joel Lexchin, a professor in the School of Health Policy and Management at York University.

The second study, Major Complications: The TPP and Canadian Health Care, by CCPA trade expert Scott Sinclair, finds that the TPP investor protections would make it more difficult and costly for Canadian governments to establish new public health programs, including a national prescription drug program, which is on the agenda of ongoing federal-provincial health talks.

According to both studies, the TPP includes many new rights for US and Japanese drug companies to comment on, review and appeal Canadian regulatory decisions, which could adversely affect drug approvals and safety. Faster regulatory approvals of medicines, which might result from the TPP, have been shown to lead to a higher incidence of safety problems, including warnings and withdrawals.

The studies also note that public health regulation, from controls on trans-fats to regulating legalized marijuana, are also fully exposed to lawsuits from disgruntled foreign investors.

The TPP expands these rights to cover investors from Japan, Malaysia, Australia and other countries.

Overall, the reports warn that TPP will obstruct efforts to renew and expand public health care in the face of new challenges. update FIND OUT MORE Read the CCPA report Major Complications on your mobile device

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CARE WITHOUT FEAR

Nurses helping patients who fear deportation by Canadian border police

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ORGE ALFONSO (NAME changed to protect his identity) was playing soccer last summer, when he suffered a nasty kick that damaged his kidney. The 22-yearold, who was visiting from Venezuela, spent three weeks at Royal Columbian Hospital.

While still a patient, he was questioned by a hospital director about his status in Canada and told if he didn’t make a payment by the end of the week, he’d be sent home. Alfonso thought he had medical insurance through the soccer team he was visiting with, but it turned out that he wasn’t covered.

Alfonso says the hospital then called the federal police force that enforces immigration. Two officials from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) showed up at his bedside, where he was questioned about his expired tourist visa. Within a few weeks, he was deported.

This troubling situation happens with surprising regularity. In the last two years, Fraser Health has referred 500 patients to CBSA. That’s why many vulnerable foreigners in need of medical services turn to Sanctuary Health, a grassroots network of community health workers, organizers and others from diverse backgrounds who advocate that all people should have access to health care.

On a day-to-day basis Sanctuary Health responds to emergent issues by word-ofmouth or referral by community agencies or members. They provide outreach and hands-on medical care to anyone who cannot access care or who avoids going to hospital for fear of deportation or arrest.

The health care volunteers are reliant on free clinic space and supplies, and operate without any public funding.

Sarah Reaburn is a nurse who volunteers with the group. “For many Canadians, or foreigners with immigration status, we assume the hospital is a safe place – a place

BORDER SERVICES AT THE BEDSIDE Fraser Health Authority has referred over 500 patients to the Canada Border Services Agency in the last two years.

you go when you are seeking refuge from trouble. However, for people who face barriers to care such as not having immigration status or language differences, a BC hospital can be a dangerous place that means deportation, debt and even death if forced to return to their home country,” she explains.

Sanctuary Health estimates there are between 3,000 and 5,000 undocumented immigrants living in Metro Vancouver and many are afraid to go to an emergency room or see a doctor.

“With some clients, we give direct nursing care such as dressing changes, wound care, assessment or just comforting them through a difficult time,” says Reaburn.

She also informs clients about safe places they can receive medical treatment and coordinates services with community health centres, nurse practitioners or doctors in their network.

“This often includes liaising with clinic staff or care providers to discuss the client’s case and explain how vulnerable the client is. Many people are very scared to go to clinics because they fear deportation. Once we confirm they are accepted and safe, the client then needs reassurance that they’ll be safe and will receive care.”

Fraser Health officials have said that

the health authority contacts CBSA for billing purposes because non-residents are charged different rates from residents, and that a call to CBSA is required to confirm a patient’s status.

That’s a problem, according to BCNU Treasurer and Human Rights and Equity Committee chair Mabel Tung. “A patient’s immigration status should not be allowed to affect the level of care they receive,” she says. “If people fear seeking care they require, their acuity will increase, and they will end up requiring intensive care that could have been avoided had they seen a health care provider sooner.” The end result is needless suffering and increased costs to the health care system that could have been prevented.

“A patient’s immigration status should not be allowed to affect the level of care they receive.”

MABEL TUNG, BCNU TREASURER AND HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY COMMITTEE CHAIR.

Fortunately, some health authorities have since revised polices that saw them calling CBSA when a patient’s immigration status was in question. Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care no longer contact the agency without a patient’s consent. The city of Vancouver is also working to designate itself a “sanctuary city” by 2016 so that undocumented immigrants can access municipal services, regardless of their status. These moves make sense – both ethically and financially.

Back at his home in Venezuela, Alfonso is feeling better and has almost made a full recovery. He says he received excellent care from the nurses and doctors at Royal Columbian Hospital. And he’s especially grateful for the kindness and support he received from a nurse with Sanctuary Health during his ordeal with CBSA. update

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

15

CARE DELIVERY MODEL REDESIGN

TOO FEW NURSES BCNU survey confirms that Island Health’s care model restructuring makes it harder to deliver safe patient care

N

URSES RAISED THE alarm when Island Heath first began implementing a care model regime at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital in 2013 that saw nurses being replaced with unregulated care aides. The policy triggered a long and hard campaign that was ultimately successful in pushing the health authority to agree to a staffing settlement last summer that substantially restored the 48,000 annual nursing hours that were cut from four medical and surgical units at the facility.

However, despite nurses’ concerns, Island Health has continued to restructure care delivery at four other Vancouver Island hospitals. In response, BCNU surveyed nurses working on medical and surgical units subject to Care Delivery Model Redesign (CDMR) at the affected worksites: Cowichan District Hospital in Duncan, Saanich Peninsula, and Victoria General and Royal Jubilee hospitals in Greater Victoria. The union held eight onsite meetings last October and November to explain the survey that was completed by over 200 nurses.

Island Health says CDMR transfers nonnursing duties to care aides and this allows nurses to focus more on care planning, discharge planning and educating patients and families, without any impact on the quality and safety of patient care.

But these claims were clearly contradicted by the experiences of nurses working on CDMR units. Nurses surveyed said that CDMR prevents them delivering the quality and safety of care their commitment and professional standards demand. Over half reported that their non-nursing duties have increased over the last year, and a full three quarters said they are “exhausted and troubled by the inability to deliver safe

TOO FEW NURSES = SAFE PATIENT CARE Baseline adequate for workload

81%

disagreed

Enough time for safe patient care

Too much work for one nurse

30%

71%

Physical abuse by patients

daily

21% a few

disagreed

times/week

SURVEY RESULTS

78%

a few times/year or more More nurses needed to meet patient demand.

TOO FEW NURSES = CARE LEFT UNDONE Top six tasks left undone: Developing/updating care plans Educating patients/families

Stated non-nursing duties have increased

*

56%

*

Exhausted, troubled by inability to deliver safe care

Oral hygiene Adequately documenting nursing care Administering meds on time

*

Discharge planning

*Supposed to improve under CDMR!

*

77% agree

39%

strongly

Confident management will resolve problems with patient care

45%

Not at all confident SURVEY RESULTS BCNU members working at four Vancouver Island hospitals feel more nurses are needed in order to meet the demands of rising patient acuity and complexity.

care.” The message: more nurses are needed in order to meet the demands of rising patient acuity and complexity.

BCNU expects the survey results to inform Island Health staffing decisions now that the health authority has committed to

hire an additional 290 FTEs under the terms of an arbitrated staffing agreement reached with the union in January. The survey certainly make a strong case that staffing on CDMR units should be a priority for new hires. update

16

Q&A YOUNG NURSES

AN INTERVIEW WITH YOUNG NURSES’ NETWORK CHAIR CATHERINE CLUTCHEY SUPPORT NETWORK Shima Zolfagharkhani, Danna Cattermole, Carley Merkeley, Catherine Clutchey and other Young Nurses’ Network members meet through the year to share experiences and address issues of common concern.

UPDATE It’s been two

Y

OUNG NURSES OR nurses in the early years of their careers face some unique challenges. BCNU’s Young Nurses’ Network (YNN) enables young nurses and nursing students (age 35 or younger) to connect. Network members can meet socially, share experiences, address issues of concern and get more involved in BCNU. Catherine Clutchey chairs the YNN. Nursing since her early twenties, she is wellversed in the issues that matter to a younger generation of nurses who are ready for the next chapter of their lives to take shape.

When not working at Surrey Memorial Hospital’s NICU, or chairing the YNN, she takes advantage of her youth by staying busy as an adoptive, biological and foster mom to six boys, aged 2 months to 10 years.

Update sat down with Clutchey recently to find out more about the work of the YNN.

years since Update spoke with the YNN. How has the group changed since then?

CLUTCHEY We now have over 1,000 members in our various Facebook groups. The YNN regional representatives meet twice a year and each regional group meets at different times throughout the year. Most members are RNs and LPNs. We look forward to more RPNs joining us, as well as students who are welcome to join us too.

UPDATE What kind of support does YNN receive from BCNU? CLUTCHEY The union recognizes that the young nurses of today are our future nurse leaders. As a result, the BCNU Human Rights and Equity committee supports us as a special interest group, and we are provided with administrative and financial support.

They recognize the power in our generation and have supported us in our efforts to engage our peers, both as union members and as fellow nurses, to help young nurses succeed within the union and within nursing in general.

UPDATE What are the top three topics of

discussion amongst the group members?

CLUTCHEY Young nurses face different challenges within the workplace. Right now, one of our directions is regarding work-life balance. This is one of the biggest issues we face when we start working as a nurse. We have begun working on curriculum using the book, B is for Balance: A Nurse’s Guide for Enjoying Life at Work and at Home by Sharon Weinstein, which we hope to roll out to all regions later this year. We also have fulsome discussions regularly regarding pensions, seniority, maternity leaves and union engagement.

UPDATE What influence does the YNN have within BCNU? CLUTCHEY In the past, members have brought up the need for greater diversity within the union’s leadership, especially when it comes to age. We believe that even with less experience, every nurse has something to offer. With the development of the YNN, I can say there has been a huge increase in younger members gaining executive and leadership positions within their region and within the BCNU organization.

As well, we are discriminated against in the workplace. The notion that “nurses eat their young” continues to ring true.

We hope that every nurse feels they have a voice. BCNU does not support workplace bullying, and by supporting the YNN, they are helping to create a space where young nurses can be heard.

UPDATE On the topic of having a voice, recently a young nurse looking for someone to talk to following a particularly stressful day, reached out for support in the BCNU YNN Facebook group. She works casual, and therefore did not feel she had a close enough relationship with her fellow colleagues to talk with them. How is it that we have this nurse, after having had a bad shift, reaching out to a group of fellow BCNU nurses on a Facebook site for support instead of her warm-blooded colleagues who had been right beside her for the entire shift? How commonplace is it now for young nurses to turn to social media for support instead of to each other?

CLUTCHEY Unfortunately I hear about this every day. As the provincial chair of the YNN, I receive emails, messages and phone

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

calls multiple times a week from members that are not ready to talk to anyone else about their issues. I hope that with some cultivation, the YNN can be this place. The groups tend to be very kind, lack drama and are supportive places for members. The reps are approachable and enjoy problem solving for their members.

UPDATE Is casual status the new norm for young nurses in the workforce? How does that affect young nurses?

CLUTCHEY We know that BC has up to 30 percent of nurses in casual positions. This seems to be the new norm. As the union, and as stewards, we need to learn how to support these nurses, and protect them from being taken advantage of. Let’s face it, most casuals are young nurses. Some wish to stay casual, but many are working casual while waiting for a permanent position. There is also a trend for young nurses in part-time positions. I would like to see us support members who want to work part-time and not casual.

UPDATE What concerns do young nurses have around work-life balance? How are they different from the issues older nurses experienced when they were starting out?

CLUTCHEY Young nurses work to live. Many older nurses live to work. That is a generational difference between us. This is also why many young nurses are choosing part-time and casual positions. I also believe work-life balance is one of the most difficult parts about beginning to work as a nurse. Nursing can take over your life. We want to ensure nurses, all nurses, have the tools and supports to choose the right balance for themselves. Nurses need to feel that it’s okay to put their needs before their units, and still be able to continue to practice safely and within the policies of their employer and within their standards of practice.

UPDATE As chair of YNN, what are you most proud of so far?

CLUTCHEY We are just launching the YNN reps’ resource binder. It has taken time to develop, but we hope that by equipping our reps in areas such as social media safety and surviving shift work, we can empower the nurses in their regions.

For more information about how you can become involved with the YNN in your region, look them up on Facebook and join the YNN email list ynn@bcnu.org. update

17

THE FUTURE OF NURSING BCNU delegation attends annual student nursing conference

NETWORKED NURSES BCNU Young Nurses’ Network chair Catherine Clutchey, BCNU South Fraser Valley region co-chair Michelle Sordal, and YNN rep Danna Cattermole at the BCNU table during this year’s Canadian Nursing Student Association national conference.

THE CANADIAN NURSING STUDENT ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONFERENCE was held Jan. 27–30 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. BC students were well-represented thanks in part to BCNU’s sponsorship of 12 students, plus two additional students who were sponsored by BCNU’s Thompson North Okanagan region.

The students were joined by BCNU North West region chair Sharon Sponton, BCNU South Fraser Valley region co-chair Michelle Sordal, BCNU Young Nurses’ Network chair Catherine Clutchey, and YNN rep Danna Cattermole.

The annual event was an invaluable networking opportunity for everyone involved. “We were able to meet with many students from across Canada, share information about BCNU, our caucus groups, and the current Hire a Nurse campaign,” says Sordal. “We were also able to connect with leaders from the Canadian Nurses Association, Canada Health Infoway, and other nursing unions.”

A major area of concern addressed at this year’s conference was the challenges many student nurses are facing when writing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Mental health nursing and workplace bullying were other popular topics of discussion.

Elections were held for a new CNSA Board of Directors, and Bryce Boynton from the University of Saskatchewan was elected president for 2016–17. The conference marked the end of the terms of several BC students who served on CNSA’s board, including president Dawn Tisdale of North Island College and vice president Terrace Desnomie of Langara College.

Sordal reports that the BCNU-sponsored students were very grateful to be able to attend the conference and enjoyed their time there. Next year’s conference will be held in Winnipeg, and the CNSA Western Regional Conference will be held in Edmonton in November. update

18

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR INSITE Harm reduction strategies face Ottawa's ire no longer

STILL PROVIDING CARE Vancouver’s Insite supervised-injection facility was the target of a sustained legal attack by the Conservative federal government.

A

RECENT VISIT FROM Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott has signaled a new chapter of government cooperation and support for the work of Vancouver’s Insite supervised-injection site. Philpott visited the facility while in Vancouver in January for a meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts for discussions on a new health accord.

The minister, who is also a family physician, said she was “deeply impressed” by Insite’s work. This sentiment signals a virtual 180-degree turn in the federal government’s attitude toward harm reduction strategies for intravenous drug users.

Philpott’s predecessors in the Harper Conservative government were philo-

sophically opposed to Insite, fought against it in court throughout its mandate, and last year passed a bill making it harder to open new supervised-injection sites.

BC nurses and other health care advocates have been on the front lines in the fight to ensure that all Canadians receive access to the health care they need, and community nurses working at Insite have been authorized by the College of Registered Nurses of BC to provide its clinical services.

Started in 2003, Insite provides clean equipment and space for intravenous drug use, first aid, treatment for overdoses, wound care counselling and more.

It is located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, one of Canada’s most dispossessed neighbourhoods, where residents must cope with extreme poverty, homelessness, high rates of mental illness, violence and other social problems.

“BCNU is a passionate advocate of the right of all people to experience healthy lives, respect and dignity, and this includes those who are addicted to drugs,” says union president Gayle Duteil. “Our members have been instrumental in providing harm reduction services at Insite and elsewhere and I applaud their excellent standard of care.”

Despite the overwhelming legal, clinical and social evidence that harm reduction

approaches are effective, the previous federal government bucked the growing international trend toward support for harm reduction, and instead launched a failed legal offensive in an attempt to shut down Insite, losing two provincial-level cases and a final Supreme Court of Canada battle.

“The 2013 Supreme Court decision that upheld the right of Insite to remain open was a victory for the people of Canada, the majority of whom support harm reduction approaches,” says Duteil. BCNU was an intervener in the court case, acting as one of many parties on behalf of the people of BC.

“BCNU is a passionate advocate of the right of all people to experience healthy lives, respect and dignity, and this includes those who are addicted to drugs.”

BCNU PRESIDENT GAYLE DUTEIL

Following the decision, the Conservative government continued to push an ideological agenda that had no scientific, medical or legal merit, introducing the so-called Respect for Communities Act in 2015 that makes it extremely difficult to open new supervised-injection sites. BCNU and other supporters of supervised-injection sites have called on the new federal government to repeal the legislation, however it has yet to make a specific commitment regarding the law.

In the meantime, BC nurses will be working with other health care providers to promote cost-effective harm reduction approaches that help to save lives, reduce suffering and make society safer. update

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

EMPOWERED AND EFFECTIVE

BCNU’s innovative new leadership and labour relations program provides cutting-edge steward education

T

RAINING STEWARDS TO resolve workplace issues is one of the BC Nurses’ Union’s most important priorities.

BCNU’s success is built on a foundation of member engagement, so resourcing and mentoring workplace leaders must take place if practice conditions are going to improve.

Members gain workplace advocates when the union invests in steward education. And developing effective workplace advocates is what BCNU’s new Leadership and Labour Relations (LLR) program is all about.

Launched in 2014, the program’s first-year evaluation shows that stewards who take

SKILLED STEWARD BCNU’s new leadership and labour relations training program is giving stewards like Connie Fiola more confidence and satisfaction in their roles as member advocates.

courses in the program gain confidence and are more effective in their roles.

The LLR program focuses on leadership, development and labour relations practice, with the goal of empowering stewards to effectively uphold contracts and support members at the worksite. LLR is open to all BCNU stewards at three progressive levels of training – foundation, intermediate and advanced – through core courses and specialty electives.

“The union’s very pleased with the success of the LLR program,” says BCNU president Gayle Duteil. “When workplace leaders get the training they need it translates into higher satisfaction for members

19

and better problem solving.”

Connie Fiola is a new steward in the LLR program and she works in the ER at Kitimat General Hospital.

“When you’re working in a small community it’s really important that local leaders have a strong skill set,” says Fiola. “The staff at Kitimat are incredible and I’m really proud to advocate for them.”

“When you’re working in a small community it’s really important that local leaders have a strong skill set.”

CONNIE FIOLA

Fiola became a steward when she went to a BCNU North West regional meeting and her regional chair, Sharon Sponton, encouraged her to take a leadership role at her facility.

“I got ensnared in the Sharon Sponton steward lasso, but as I look back, I’m really happy she caught me,” she laughs. “My facility doesn’t have the clinical and staffing supports that larger communities like Terrace have, so Kitimat activists need to work hard to improve practice conditions and patient care in our own community.”

When Fiola became a steward there were unresolved PRFs dating back to 2012 and staff had largely stopped completing new PRFs because practice issues weren’t being resolved. Now, she reports that there are over 160 active PRFs at Kitimat hospital and more than 120 have advanced to the committee stage.

“For us, the PRF themes are about staffing,” she says. “There’s a shortage of

20

nurses – chiefly specialty trained nurses, and that means there’s a lot of overtime.”

But the LLR program is about more that proving stewards with the hard skills needed to effectively advocate on members’ behalf. It’s also an important community building opportunity that allows stewards from across the province to share their steward related leadership experiences.

“The best thing about taking the LLR courses is they’re a lot of fun,” says Fiola.

“The program is very interactive so I get to practice new skills with other nurses from diverse backgrounds. And I’ve met really great people and built new connections across the province.”

Now at its one-year mark, the LLR program is beginning to show some impressive results. Over 90 percent of workplace stewards are still active after taking program courses, and the number of overall grievances filed has increased by 181 percent.

“The increase in both steward retention and grievances is very important for the union,” says Duteil. “It indicates that stewards are happier in their roles and feel comfortable tackling and resolving more workplace issues. That has a direct impact on improving practice conditions and patient outcomes.”

The first year of the LLR program also featured a pilot of BCNU’s online education. All of the core courses have online lesson components that extend the in-class learning and networking after the face-toface delivery is complete. Participants have said they appreciate the extended access to classroom resources online and having the opportunity to connect, network and problem solve with other stewards post-course.

Lake Cowichan community nurse Ted

READY TO LEAD Just some of the stewards who attended BCNU’s Leadership and Labour Relations Program Skillful Steward workshop Jan. 19 – 21. Workshop participants included Tracy Parsons, Jaye Harding, Samantha Molloy, Terra De Cooman, Kimberly Magnant, Margaret Redekopp, Lorilee Sweeney, Amanda Boonstra, Jacquelynn Tobias, Terri Jones, William Scobbie, Effie Warden, Cindy Whiting, Michele Greenaway, Clara Roubal, Nashrah Sidik, Jo-Anna Haner, Diane Lingren, Lynn McLeod, Melody Pawloff, Cory Allen, Tami Donaldson and Vicki Montgomery.

SEEING RESULTS BCNU’s new Leadership and Labour Relations (LLR) program has had tremendous success in its first year. Almost all of the steward course participants have remained active in the worksites since registering for the program, and report feeling more confident applying their skills at work. Most important, LLR grads are now filing record numbers of grievances, PRFs and notices of complaint.

K E Y S T R E N G T H S

IN CLASS • Course content • Facilitators • Networking

ONLINE • Resources • Community • Accessibility

3X

more

Grievances

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

“The skills I’m learning through BCNU help me when I’m in new situations and feel really stretched.”

TED GAMBLE

Gamble has taken a number of courses in the LLR program and says it’s had a huge impact on his confidence and effectiveness.

Gamble is a steward at Duncan Home and Community Care and is also active on volunteer community boards. He reports initiating three workload grievances and filing numerous PRFs since taking LLR program courses.

“The courses are helping me find common ground with managers because I now try to create win-win situations,” he explains. “At the end of the day nurses and managers all want better health outcomes for patients so I try to stay focused on

those objectives.”

BCNU’s LLR program courses are also helping Gamble with community volunteer work. “In the past I’ve been very opinionated and have done things like write lots of letters to the editor,” says Gamble. “But the LLR courses gave me the skills I need to be more effective at presenting my ideas.”

His mayor recently appointed him to the Lake Cowichan Parks and Recreation Commission and he’s been elected chairperson of a community group that’s advocating for more seniors’ resources in Lake Cowichan.

“I’m always looking for new opportunities to grow but I often feel stretched in the process,” says Gamble. “The skills I’m learning through BCNU help me when I’m in new situations and feel really stretched.”

Fiola agrees that the LLR courses are also having a positive effect on her personal life.

“I’m really looking forward to the course in Crucial Conversations,” she says. “Once I master that course my persuasion skills should be strong enough to finally get my partner to do everything I ask him to do – and he’ll even think it’s his idea.” update

21

SKILLED STEWARDS BCNU’s Leadership and Labour Relations programs provide stewards with cuttingedge education to better advocate for members. Below is just a sample of what’s on offer. Visit www.bcnu.org for additional courses and dates.

Building Union Strength (BUS)

Members learn about their rights under their collective agreement, BCNU’s commitment to social justice, and how to improve working conditions and relationships in the workplace.

BUS is open to all members.

The Skillful Steward

This course highlights the crucial role stewards play in upholding union rights, and helping new stewards develop competencies in contract interpretation, union-management meetings and grievance handling.

Crucial Conversations

Stewards learn to recognize high stakes situations before they escalate into crisis through a set of dialogue skills that help achieve mutual objectives while maintaining mutual respect.

Leading Self: the Microskills of Leadership

Self-awareness is at the core of effective leadership. Participants identify their intentions as leaders, learn strategies to improve personal resilience and gain a deeper understanding of their leadership style.

The Resourceful Steward

6X

16 X

PRFs

NOCs

more

more

91%

apply their

SKILLS AT WORK

Stewards build upon foundational steward competencies to develop their expertise in two of five key areas of the contract, including discipline, displacement, duty to accommodate, selection and workload.

Leading with Others

Stewards develop the skills and awareness needed to build a culture of union engagement among members and steward teams.

Participants learn strategies to organize, support and mobilize, and bring about the power and influence needed to make change.

22 INDEPENDENT BARGAINING

ONE CONTRACT AT A TIME

There is no question that negotiating a new Nurses’ Bargaining Association provincial collective agreement is a high priority for the union. Regular readers of Update magazine will have seen many stories about the ongoing work BCNU members and stewards are doing to ensure that provincial health employers live up to the terms of the 2012-2014 NBA contract.

But did you know that there are over 1,500 BCNU members who are covered by separate contracts negotiated with individual employers? These so-called independent contracts cover a range of worksites, from private sector employers, to non-profit long-term care facilities, to hospice care, jails and worksites covered by the former public service contract.

This issue features a range of stories on recent bargaining successes these members have achieved, one contract at a time.

DR. BERNSTEIN STAFF TAKE ON EMPLOYER AND WIN

Strong contract gains include wages, sick time, union access to worksite and respect

I

T’S NOT EVERY DAY THAT A small group of employees takes on an aggressive employer and wins.

But that’s exactly what happened when 43 BCNU members at Dr. Bernstein Diet & Health Clinics stood up for what they needed and pushed back against management pressure to sign a bad contract.

In this round of bargaining Dr. Bernstein staff insisted on meeting their primary objectives for better wages, improved sick time, union access to the workplace and professional respect. And that’s what they got after voting 100 percent for strike action and 100 percent to reject Bernstein’s final contract offer.

“I’m extremely proud of our members at Bernstein’s,” says BCNU president Gayle Duteil. “Watching their determination to reach bargaining goals, and their resilience resisting employer pressure to sign a bad contract was a real inspiration.”

In 2010 LPNs and medical receptionists at eight Dr. Bernstein clinics in the Lower Mainland joined BCNU and since then it’s been a battle to get a very controlling employer to respect their desire to unionize and treat them as professionals. Dr. Bernstein is a large privately-held company with almost 60 clinics in BC, Alberta and Ontario.

“Dr. Bernstein can be a very unreasonable

RATIFIED AND SATISFIED Members of the Dr. Bernstein BCNU bargaining committee receive flowers after successfully ratifying a new collective agreement Feb. 11. From left: LPN Iris Gourley, BCNU Manager of Special Projects Garnet Zimmerman, LPN Navdeep Dhaliwal, BCNU campaigns officer Robert Macquarrie, BCNU labour relations officer Cheryl King, BCNU South Fraser Valley region co-chair Jonathan Karmazinuk, LPN Stephanie McKenzie, BCNU South Fraser Valley region co-chair Michelle Sordal and medical receptionist Ravinder Singh.

employer so it was fascinating to watch our members grow together during contract negotiations,” says BCNU South Fraser cochair Jonathan Karmazinuk. “Every meeting was well attended, and votes to support the negotiating team were strong. Employees

clearly had enough at the workplace and were determined to take on management until they got what they needed.”

In the spring of 2015 negotiations for a second contract with Bernstein’s got off to a slow start and during the remainder of the

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

23

On February 3, 2016, the LRB mediated a deal that included all of our members’ priority items. Wages improved significantly, sick time was expanded, BCNU gained access to clinics and the union negotiated strong language to build workplace respect.

Ravi Singh is an LPN at Bernstein’s and also a member of the BCNU bargaining team. Singh has seen big changes in employee culture because of this round of bargaining. Before, she says employees would tolerate managers micromanag-

CONTRACT DETAILS Dr. Bernstein nurses and medical receptionists review their new contract before ratification Feb. 11.

year it was tough to make progress.

By December, talks were going nowhere and the union decided to take a strike vote.

Support from members was overwhelming – almost the entire membership participated in the vote and gave the bargaining committee a 100 percent mandate for job action.

Around that time Dr. Bernstein’s chief operating officer held mandatory employee sessions where he gave management’s position on bargaining, complained about the union’s advertising and suggested employees had it pretty good already because they don’t have to work weekends and holidays.

If management hoped the mandatory sessions would pressure employees into signing a quick settlement they were wrong – it had the opposite effect. Employees became more resolute to reach their goals.

And Dr. Bernstein also had to worry about its brand reputation. Paying low employee wages within the context of public debate on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us isn’t really great for business. And that was a point that BCNU was determined to exploit during bargaining.

The union took out full page ads in the Vancouver Province and Toronto Star in December to raise the income inequality issues with Dr. Bernstein. BCNU clearly let them know that we would be aggressive in promoting wage fairness for their employees if they didn’t get back to the bargaining table with reasonable proposals.

With a strike vote in hand BCNU met with the employer in January, but again talks went nowhere. Then Bernstein’s made the surprising move of applying to the BC Labour Relations Board (LRB) to force employees to vote on the employer’s “final contract offer.” That can only happen once in the bargaining process and if employees accepted the deal bargaining would be over.

But that final offer vote backfired spectacularly – employees rejected it by 100 percent.

By late January, the 100 percent strike vote, the rejection of the final contract offer, and the threat of more BCNU advertising worked together to get the employer back to the table. And this time negotiations were assisted by the LRB who would help both parties find common ground.

“Employees have lots of great ideas on improving the business, but they need to be respected and feel comfortable bringing their ideas forward.”

RAVI SINGH

ing almost every aspect of the workplace, such as timing bathroom breaks, but now employees are asserting their need for professionalism and respect.

“I want the Bernstein culture to become a much more relaxed work environment,” says Singh. “Right now it’s very tense for both employees and management and it’s not a great wellness environment for patients. We want patients to meet their health goals so changing the corporate culture to one that’s more caring will help them do that.”

Singh says the current culture is more like a parent-child relationship between management and staff, but it needs to become a professional environment where it’s adults collaborating toward shared goals.

“That’s when everyone’s skills and expericontinue on page 25

24

INDEPENDENT BARGAINING

VANCOUVER ISLAND

SECURING A DEAL AT ARROWSMITH LODGE

Unity and persistence help to secure a new agreement for nurses working for cash-strapped non-profit employer

F

OR BC NURSES’ UNION members working at Parksville’s Arrowsmith Lodge, a new collective agreement that provided wage and other gains seemed unlikely in early December. Contract negotiations had been dragging on, and management at the 75-bed long-term care facility insisted its financial woes be solved by gutting nurses’ benefits, as it had done 18 months earlier with other members of its staff represented by the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU).

But a strike vote that saw 94 percent of nurses in favour of job action, and a negotiating team’s determination to see its own proposals taken seriously finally brought

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO CARE BCNU bargaining team members (from left) Helene Smithson, Mary Wort and Joanne Ord worked hard to secure a deal in a difficult negotiating environment at Parksville’s Arrowsmith Lodge (Not pictured: Gena Vowles).

management back to its senses. After an intense week of renewed bargaining early in January, Arrowsmith’s 31 LPNs and RNs had a new tentative agreement without major benefit cuts.

The agreement is scheduled to be ratified March 3. The 68-month deal provides annual wage gains of 1.25 percent, 1.75 percent, 2 percent and 2 percent beginning in April 2016. A seven percent wage increase is remarkable given an employer who was crying poor, but it took some creativity, solidarity and a willingness to shave some benefits temporarily in order to make it happen.

A complicating factor when bargaining with non-profit employers like Arrowsmith is the lack of a level health care funding

playing field. Island Health’s inadequate funding means that Arrowsmith and other non-profit operations struggle with a revenue shortfall. The health authority provides less financial support for nonprofit care homes than it does for either its owned-and-operated public care homes or for-profit facilities, despite the fact that all of these operations face similar costs.

It was this financial crunch that led Arrowsmith to pull out of the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) in 2013. The employer came to the negotiating table asking frontline workers to sacrifice previously bargained rights and benefits – such as long-term disability (LTD) coverage – in order to make up for the funding shortfall. The fact that HEU had bargained first and settled fast while accepting major concessions only compounded the headache for the Arrowsmith nurses, as the HEU deal set up the expectation that BCNU would follow suit.

But the BCNU bargaining team was resolved not to go down this path, knowing that benefit cuts would only make it harder to retain and attract the top-notch nurses needed to deliver safe patient care at Arrowsmith.

“Staff in long-term care really are like family to the residents who live there,” says bargaining team member Joanne Ord. “We understand that cutting benefits only increases turnover and instability, making it harder to retain nurses to care safely for these elderly patients.

“Knowing this was the wrong path meant we were determined to find a better way,” she says. “I’m so proud of all our nurses for standing together for so many months to achieve the best contract that we could given the challenging circumstances that we were faced with.”

The bargaining committee managed to come up with a creative alternative to help address the employer’s push to trim expenses while ensuring that nurses didn’t give up significant benefits. Their idea was to switch benefit providers from Pacific Blue Cross to Equitable Life, a move that would cut annual employer-paid premiums significantly. The key was that this

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

25

change could be done while maintaining a comparable benefits package. But the employer refused to take this proposal seriously and stubbornly stuck to demands for concessions. It even wanted to start fresh, as though neither the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) contract nor the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) contract covering LPNs had ever existed.

It also proposed getting rid of existing job security language and dropping the right to severance pay, making it easier to contractout nursing work down the line.

“I’m so proud of all our nurses for standing together for so many months to achieve the best contract that we could given the challenging circumstances that we were faced with.”

JOANNE ORD

In the end it was the solid December strike vote that turned the corner, bringing publicity and raising public awareness of Arrowsmith’s refusal to consider alternatives. That pressure, coupled with the resolve of local nurses, got management to come back to the table and ultimately generated far better results. Not only did the terms of the NBA agreement come through intact, including LTD and job security, the new independent contract included some new language gains as well. These include: • A non-discrimination policy that sets expectations for a respectful workplace, with a formal complaints procedure.

• Enriched orientation provisions, including increased shifts, a minimum of one continue on page 26

UNANIMOUS DECISION Dr. Bernstein workers rejected their employer’s demand to vote on a final contract by voting 100 percent in favour of strike action.

BERNSTEIN EMPLOYEES continued from page 23

ence can be harnessed for what’s best for the patient and for the business,” says Singh. “Employees have lots of great ideas on improving the business, but they need to be respected and feel comfortable bringing their ideas forward.”

Singh and her colleagues hope this round of bargaining will have long-term impact on Dr. Bernstein. “I’m confident that the

staff will ask questions of both the union and management – and we’ll certainly keep supporting each other like we did during negotiations.

“If we’re able to improve the employeemanagement relationship it will be good for everyone,” says Singh. “Staff will be happier and retention will increase, patients will have a better experience and the bottom line will improve through productivity. There can and should be winwin’s for everyone.” update

DR. BERNSTEIN

CONTRACT GAINS • Wage increases over four years • Medical receptionists: 15.4% (includes a 9.4% market adjustment for 2015) • LPNs: 8.5%

• Strong language on union access to workplaces

• Improvements to Paid Personal Time (sick time)

• New language on scheduling travel around child-care responsibilities

• Better benefits: • dental coverage increases to 85% • per-visit maximums on paramedical payments are removed

• Clear language on workplace respect

• Travel expenses become part of contract

• BCNU to provide joint union/management health and safety training

26

INDEPENDENT BARGAINING

SECURING A DEAL continued from page 24

night shift, care planning, care conferences and resident assessment instrument training.

• Defined timelines for leave approvals.

• FBA contract language on parental leave that provides top-ups for all regular employees on leave.

• Porting of LPN-specific language from the FBA contract, such as seniority, call-in provisions, and the 90-day trial to ensure that LPNs retained or improved their rights and benefits.

• A system of text/email notification for employer call-ins to decrease the need for individual phone calls.

The switch in benefit providers also delivers an employee and family assistance program, a new benefit that takes effect in 2018. Under it, employees’ families will have 24-7 access to a wide range of guidance and counselling services to help them deal with crises as they arise.

The new contract also contains a clause constraining the employer from agreeing to any “me-too” clauses affecting BCNU’s next round of bargaining. Me-too clauses are being negotiated by weaker unions that settle quickly and accept concessions as a way of reinforcing management’s demands that BCNU accept similar concessions.

The gains in the new agreement weren’t achieved without short-term pain, however.

Some trimming of benefits at the margins was required. This included reduced sick leave accrual (from 1.5 to .75 days per month, rising to one day per month for full-time employees in 2018) and special leave accumulation, which is frozen for two years. However, no benefit language was removed from the contract, and most reductions return to previous levels or better within its term.

“We did the best we could in difficult circumstances by targeting areas where cuts would have the least impact and steering clear of more detrimental changes,” says Ord. “We have to keep affiliate contracts comparable to the NBA agreement or we’ll lose our ability to attract and retain good nurses.” update

LANGLEY LONGTERM CARE NURSES Gert Hanson (left) and Michelle Rodriguez (right) worked to bargain new collective agreements at their worksites recently.

Hanson works at Fort Langley’s Simpson Manor and Rodriguez works at Langley Gardens.

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT

Langley residential care home nurses make contract gains after taking cuts in previous years

W

HEN TALKING WITH GERT HANSON, IT’S CLEAR that she has a deep appreciation for the seniors in her care.

“Our elderly are the most precious commodity we have. They are the forerunners who have gone before us – those who have done what we are doing,” she says. “At one time they were outgoing and they had careers and they were going strong and raising families. Now they are coming to the end of their life, and it’s so important that they are treated with dignity and their individuality is respected.”

Hanson’s commitment to seniors is also evident in the way she describes her therapeutic relationship with residents. “The elderly are very much cast aside and we are

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

“People can say they are too busy and have other responsibilities but it’s important that someone is representing members at the bargaining table.”

GERT HANSON

missing the preciousness of those left. Life is just happening and I think we’re definitely missing it by not slowing down and taking the time to hear. They’re not going to speak quickly. They’re going to speak slowly. They’re going to sputter their words out, and we need to have the patience for really embracing them where they are at.”

Hanson works at Fort Langley’s Simpson Manor, a 96-bed residential care facility that’s owned and operated by Decker Management.

The RN worked in the emergency room at Surrey Memorial Hospital and in psychiatric nursing for many years before taking a regular position at Simpson Manor in 2009.

“I’m surprised I’m still here,” she admits.

“I’ve been at this care home because of the wonderful people I work with – and I enjoy the residents of course.”

Hanson says the move suited her. “I work mainly nights, so I’m a little more removed from the residents because they’re sleeping, a lot of them.”

This environment is in stark contrast to her previous worksite. “I came here for a change because the Surrey Memorial ER was a crazy MASH unit – and that was before they built their new ER. I was feeling a little burnt out in that job.”

However, Hanson reports doing a stint recently in Abbotsford Regional Hospital in order to keep her medical skills honed. “I want to keep my foot in the door doing more hands-on nursing, because I do love it.”

Workers at Simpson Manor are covered by separate independent contracts. Six regular and two casual RNs are represented

by BCNU while the majority of staff – LPNs and care aides – are represented by the Hospital Employees’ Union.

Hanson says that, while resident acuity

in a care home is different than that of an acute care facility, the amount of individual responsibility is greater. “You’re in charge of 100 people, and that’s a lot you are overseeing in a night shift because there’s nobody else to act as a go-to person, whether you have a fire or an emergency – a fall, somebody having a heart attack – whatever situation may present itself, you are the person who’s going to be in charge of that,” she explains.

The commitment Hanson shows to her residents’ care was also given to her co-workers during negotiations for a new collective agreement last year.

“I have been in bargaining twice because I was the only person willing to do it,” she confesses. “People can say they are too busy and have other responsibilities – we can all say that – but it’s important that someone is representing [members at the bargaining table].”

Hanson says this round of bargaining was a welcome change from the previous one, when the group saw significant cuts to its 2012-2015 contract, due to the employer’s financial hardship and health authority budget cuts. “We started paying for a portion of our pension and extended health benefit premiums, and we gave up some of our sick time and vacation time,” she says, recalling the last round.

The cuts were accepted in order to protect members’ job security and enrolment in the municipal pension plan (MPP). “The pension was the most important thing for members. We told management we were willing to give up a lot of things as long as it didn’t take our pension. That’s was the thing that we wanted to save.”

She says the tone was different this time.

“Coming into contract negotiations, we

27

didn’t want to lose anything,” she said. “We said, ‘There’s not a lot of give here, we’re looking for something back.’”

Hanson, along with BCNU negotiator Laura Anderson, was able to make some important gains, including the addition of new respectful workplace language to the contract that covers bullying, personal and psychological harassment.

A three-year tentative agreement was reached last November and ratified Dec. 7.

The latest contract sees a 60 percent reduction in the cost of LTD premiums paid by members, a wage increase of 2 percent at ratification, 1.5 percent in 2016 and another 1.5 percent in 2017. There will be no contracting out for the life of the agreement.

Hanson also credits the facility manager for the progress that was made. “You have to have someone who’s really willing to be honest and to open the books to you, willing to look at things, and come to the table sincerely and seriously.”

“We did get a raise over a three-year period that was substantial, and I just thought it all went quite smoothly.” update

SIMPSON MANOR CONTRACT GAINS • Wage increases over three years • 2% at ratification • 1.5% on April 1, 2016 • 1.5% on April 1, 2017 • 60% savings on cost of employee-paid LTD premiums • Respectful workplace language that includes bullying, personal & psychological harassment • No contracting out for the life of the contract

FEATURE

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

SAFER PATIENT CARE

for

BCNU’s Hire a Nurse initiative connects members to new nurse positions across BC

“

“Today I’m making an urgent appeal to nurses working casual: if you want a regular nursing job, apply today, or as soon as you can. As you can imagine, hiring so many people in a relatively short period of time is a huge undertaking.”

With those words, BCNU President Gayle Duteil officially launched the joint campaign to fill new nursing vacancies in the province. Duteil was speaking at a joint news conference held Jan. 19 in Vancouver. She was joined by BC’s health minister Terry Lake and CEOs from the province’s six health authorities.

The announcement came on the heels of an arbitrated staffing settlement reached between BCNU,

the Ministry of Health, the Health Employers Association of BC and provincial health authorities earlier in the month. The deal is, in many ways, the closing chapter in the union’s ongoing effort to compel employers to follow through on the staffing commitments they made to nurses in the last round of collective bargaining.

“I’m very pleased to be here today for this significant announce-

30

FEATURE

ment,” said Duteil. “To nurses working 16-hour days, to those working short in ERs and operating rooms, and to community nurses with overwhelming caseloads, this agreement means relief is on the way.”

Duteil explained the consequences of health employers’ inaction to the assembled media. “Nursing shortages lead to serious problems in the health care system and the lives of patients,” she said. “I’ve seen it first hand while working in the ER: cancelled surgeries, patients who don’t receive care when they need it, and patients who deserve better.”

The settlement now commits health authorities to hire more than 1,600 nurses

by March 31, increase access to specialty education, and strengthen community care.

Duteil committed to work closely with health authorities to expedite bringing additional nurses into the system. While it’s the health authorities’ responsibility to hire, she said that BCNU will do everything it can to support the process by being the first point of contact for applicants.

“The union knows there have been recruitment challenges in the past and that there are many BC nurses who want to work full time, but haven’t been hired.”

The joint announcement made headline news, and has put the issue of BC’s shortage of nursing positions front-and-centre, just as the union negotiates a new Nurses’ Bargaining Association provincial collective agreement.

BCNU has wasted no time reaching out to nurses affected by the settlement. The union’s Hire a Nurse initiative was rolled out on the day of the joint announcement.

A website has been set up to receive nurses’ applications and a province-wide TV and social media advertising campaign will connect with both nurses and the public in order to drive home the message that safe patient care is BCNU’s top priority.

Hire a Nurse is focusing first on inviting the more than 7,000 casual RN and RPN members to indicate their interest in being considered for regular jobs as part of the process. Its second priority is to connect with new nurse graduates, followed by any nurses not currently working for health authorities.

JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT BCNU President Gayle Duteil joins Health Minister Terry Lake and CEOs from the province’s six health authorities for a Jan. 19 news conference to announce the hiring of over 1,600 nurses by March 31.

THE AD CAMPAIGN BCNU has launched a television and online ad campaign to raise awareness about the need for ongoing investments in nurse staffing to ensure safe patient care.

Our TV ad calls for decision makers to live up to their promise to hire the nurses they said they would. It will reach communities from Prince George to Surrey. You’ll likely see the ad run during many prime time and news programs on TV and online stations including Global TV, CTV and CBC over the four-week campaign. It’s estimated that our “Hire a Nurse” campaign message will be seen over 12 million times by television, online and social media viewers.

Mannequins were used to illustrate the value and importance of experienced and educated nurses for the well-being of all British Columbians.

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The health authorities themselves have implemented an expedited hiring process to help fill the vacancies before the March 31 deadline. The process will vary by health authority, but under the terms of the settlement, some may choose to hold a quick job fair as one means of expediting the hiring process.

If a job fair is held, BCNU members in regular positions will have access to these

positions; however, health authorities may award them directly based on seniority. The posting period for these positions would be one week.

The 90-day period in which these special hiring provisions prevail will disrupt the regular job posting and application process for NBA nurses, and normal access to posted positions will resume on April 1, 2016.

Health authorities are required to inform

Nurse/Health Authority Committees (N/ HACs) of their hiring processes before moving ahead.

“The accelerated creation and filling of over 1,600 positions removes a major obstacle to achieving a new contract for all nurses,” says Duteil. “March 31 is an important date, and we are all working to achieve these agreed-to staffing goals – BC’s patients deserve no less.” update

THREE-PART STRATEGY The joint campaign launched to fill new vacancies has three important parts. First, nurses currently working in casual positions will be contacted to assess their interest and be matched with positions accordingly. In addition, specialty educated nurses from outside the province will be recruited to help address the need for more than 2,000 specialty positions over the next two years. BCNU will engage with Health Match BC to plan this effort, while also working with health employers and the BCIT school of nursing to address the shortfall of specialty educated nurse graduates in the province. Finally, new grads and student nurses in their final term will be contacted to assist with recruitment into regular positions.

NURSES CURRENTLY WORKING IN CASUAL POSITIONS are being contacted to assess their interest in accepting regular positions.

Databases are being used to track responses, including those of LPNs, and Nurse-Health Authority committees (N/HAC) are identifying regular positions and matching candidates accordingly.

C A S UA L

HIRE A NURSE

BCNU is collaborating with provincial health employers to ensure that all nurses are aware of the opportunities that have been created.

resume bcnu.org/hireanurse

N/HAC

1,600+

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BC NU RS ES ’U NI ON

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SPECIALTY EDUCATED NURSES from outside the province are being recruited to help address the need for more than 2,000 specialty positions over the next two years. BCNU is engaging with Health Match BC to plan this recruitment effort. However, we will continue to focus our efforts on supporting BC nurses to access specialty education and will work with the Ministry of Health, health authorities and the BCIT school of nursing to address the shortfall in specialty nurse graduates in BC.

PE

A CI

NEW GRADS AND STUDENT NURSES IN THEIR FINAL TERM are being contacted to assist with recruitment into regular positions.

ER

S

7K contacted

RM FINAL TE

2K needed

specialty

WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE CAMPAIGN TO HIRE MORE NURSES? Visit the BCNU website for up-to-date information, subscribe to BCNU’s weekly member e-news, talk to your steward or call your regional chair.

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FEATURE

A MADE-IN-BC SOLUTION More seats, better recruitment needed to address province-wide shortage of specialty educated nurses

A

looming shortage of specialty educated nurses that was acknowledged in the April 2015 nurse staffing grievance settlement between BCNU and health employers has required a concerted effort aimed at implementing measures to quickly expand the supply.

The increasing demand for specialty educated nurses has meant that BCNU members at many specialty units across BC are working short, working too much overtime and expected to work on-call.

Some units – like the ER at Kelowna General Hospital, the Jim Pattison OR at Vancouver General Hospital and Surrey Memorial Hospital’s family birthing unit to name but a few – are experiencing chronic workload issues that result in high staff turnover.

According to health authority estimates, more than 1,000 new specialty nurses are required in each of the next two years alone, exceeding current capacity by hundreds of spaces. As a first step in addressing this crisis, the settlement agreement awarded $5-million to create new specialty seats and support nurses to access the seats. To date, 152 new spaces for 2015– 2016 have been added.

Most of these additional seats have been created by BCIT, the single-largest provider of specialty education in the province and the only program of its scope in Canada. BCIT has a reputation for high quality education in everything from critical care nursing to emergency and pediatrics.

Unfortunately, BC’s demand is much greater than its post-secondary education system’s capacity to rapidly offer more seats. This is a real obstacle to the madein-BC solution that’s needed to properly address the shortage, and to ensure that

SPECIALTY EDUCATED NURSES NEEDED BCNU would like to see a firm commitment that increases the province’s capacity to 850 funded student FTEs a year.

every local nurse who wants to specialize in fields like emergency, operating room, intensive care, or maternity gets a supported seat. However, meeting this goal requires more capacity than is now available, even with the $5-million expansion.

BCNU would like to see a firm commitment that increases BC’s capacity to 850 funded student FTEs a year. That would help bring supply and demand into balance, but it must be sustained to ensure there is a consistent stream of nurses entering specialty units.

The task of quickly adding more spaces

to accommodate the added learners poses difficult challenges. This includes the problem of finding appropriate instructors for the various specialties, typically experienced nurses who have to be seconded from front-line jobs where they will be difficult to replace due to the shortage.

The difficulty in locating hospital units with sufficient staffing and flexibility to allow for the required clinical placements poses another limit to expansion.

And while newly educated practitioners may already be seasoned nurses, they are novices in their new specialty areas.

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

“

The space at BCIT and the position at BC Women’s Hospital, when I graduate, is a real opportunity at this point in my career.

”

CHRISTINE SWITZER

Integrating these nurses into their new specialty often means that overworked nurses on short-staffed units must find the additional time to serve as mentors to help their new colleagues consolidate their skills.

The decision to pursue specialty education also requires some sacrifice on the part of nurse-learners too. Courses are lengthy and require on-line theory components to be completed while many nurse are still working in their existing positions.

Christine Switzer has started a course in neonatal nursing and is being sponsored to join the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at BC Women’s Hospital. She is currently doing the online portion, followed by a month of in-class full-time learning, then a month of clinical placement, and then eight buddy shifts in the NICU to consolidate her skills.

She says she wasn’t ready to go directly

NEW NURSING POSITIONS ACROSS BC Fraser Health

400

Interior Health

300

Island Health

290

Northern Health

100

Provincial Health Services

238

Providence Health Care Vancouver Coastal Health TOTAL:

80 235 1,663

into a narrowed specialty when she was a brand new grad, and didn’t feel comfortable providing such a high level of care.

“I wasn’t ready to do neonatal intensive care straight out of nursing school, even though I did know I was interested in it. I wanted to get more nursing practice under my belt before attempting it,” she says. It took a year-and-a-half of work on a high acuity unit before she started thinking about a specialty. She took half a dozen shadow shifts to make sure it was actually what she wanted to do, and then contacted the head of NICU to let them know she was interested in applying.

“Now I know I’m really ready for it,” says Switzer. “So the space at BCIT and the position at BC Women’s, when I graduate, is a real opportunity at this point in my career.”

The limitations on BC’s ability to expand capacity and fill vacancies means that an annual shortfall of 100–150 specialty educated nurses remains in the province. In the meantime, some of these nurses will have to be recruited from outside BC. So BCNU is working with Health Match BC, a BC government-funded agency that has been recruiting health care professionals for over 15 years, to try to fill the gap.

In the meantime, it is critical that health authorities support BC nurses in completing specialty education in sufficient quantities to both meet the demand, and provide career pathways and learning opportunities that will help retain nurses. update

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SPREAD THE WORD! JOINT CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO FILL NEW VACANCIES The more than 1,600 additional nurse full-time equivalent positions created under the new staffing agreement means that as many nurses as possible must be identified to match and fill the vacancies that have been created.

BCNU is collaborating with health authorities and Providence Health Care to ensure that all nurses are aware of the opportunities that have been created. Nurses currently working in regular positions now have access to positions within an expedited hiring framework and will receive information from their health authority.

BCNU is contacting members working in casual positions to assess their interest in accepting regular positions. They are encouraged to complete an online form and upload their resumé. All information is being submitted to health authorities for their use.

Students about to graduate, and nurses not currently working in health authorities may also complete the form.

If you are any of the following, please visit the BCNU website to complete the online form: • BCNU CASUAL NURSE • GRADUATING NURSE • A NURSE NOT CURRENTLY WORKING FOR A BC HEALTH AUTHORITY • A NURSE SEEKING A POSITION IN ANOTHER HEALTH AUTHORITY Please note: If you are a member of another BC union, you are ineligible to complete this form. Please contact your union for more information.

NEED MORE INFORMATION? email hireanurse@bcnu.org or call 604-433-2268 (Toll-free 1-800-663-9991) and follow the menu prompts.

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PRFs

IN THE WORKPLACE Review Committee (SRC) last year. The SRC is composed of a BCNU rep and a health authority rep. The committee is tasked with completing a review of the matter and issuing a report. In this case, improvements based on SRC recommendations were underway as soon as nurses began working in 2016.

“The PRF process, when it works, is absolutely fantastic,” says Deb Bradshaw-White, the full-time community steward for BCNU’s Simon Fraser region. “It’s a way of speaking up for the nurses, standing up for patients and putting the employer on notice that there is an issue.”

Debbie Reynolds is a steward at the home health office for

PUTTING CLIENTS FIRST FRASER HEALTH NURSES USE PRFs TO SECURE SAFER WORKLOADS AND FASTER RESPONSE RATES FOR CLIENTS

THE FACE OF HOME HEALTH BCNU full-time community steward Deb Bradshaw-White and steward Debbie Reynolds successfully used the PRF process to address unsafe workloads that resulted from Fraser Health’s Home First initiative.

IT WAS A GREAT START TO the new year for home health nurses in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows after ongoing efforts filing a series of PRFs resulted in much-needed relief to workload and professional practice issues at their worksite.

PRFs, or professional responsibility forms, can be a highly effective way of addressing core issues or concerns on the job.

This was certainly the case for the 17 home health nurses who filed five PRFs on a variety of concerns and issues involving patient care and safety related to

deferred care and wait times for clients, workload issues, recruitment and retention, overtime, and baseline staffing.

The nurses made several recommendations in their PRF campaign. These included ensuring that vacant lines and shifts be filled in a timely manner, implementing a system that better reflects the actual workload being conducted by home care nurses, and conducting a semi-annual review of workload hours and overtime use.

The nurses’ recommendations were referred to the Senior

“If you do not file PRFs over unsafe workload and extended waitlists, both nurses and clients will continue to suffer.”

DEBBIE REYNOLDS

Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, and she’s been a driving force when it comes to encouraging her colleagues to file PRFs. She

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

“If you’re going to insist that people be sent home to recover, you need to provide the infrastructure in the community to handle the work.”

DEB BRADSHAW-WHITE

says that seeing nurses struggling to deal with workload pressures and unreasonable wait times that existed for new patients made her jump into action.

“Many vacancies were not being filled so baseline staffing levels were rarely met, and the working nurses were constantly being asked to cover the extra work while being told that overtime was not allowed,” she explains. “Cutting corners and making deferrals were constantly required and no mandatory education or staff meetings were happening to support our professional skills.”

Reynolds says the decision to take action wasn’t a difficult one in that she and her colleagues were feeling the stress of both heavy workload and moral distress, trying to provide safe patient care without enough staff. They also realized they needed to advocate for safer workloads and a faster response rate for the clients who needed them.

“We felt it was time to take professional responsibility and raise the alarm when it became apparent that many new clients were waiting too long to get much needed care,” she says. “The growing push for community care will only make

the situation worse if nothing changes to support safe patient care.”

Nurses have reported increased workloads since Fraser Health rolled out its Home First initiative in 2010.

The stated goal of the program is to allow patients to recover at home rather than spend extra time in the hospital. However, the front-line staff report that they are under significant pressure to see numerous clients on a daily basis.

“It is shocking what these nurses are up against,” says Bradshaw-White. “Some patients have healed before the nurse has even seen them at home,” she reports. “On top of unrealistic workloads, nurses experience serious moral distress when they can’t see all their patients. If you’re going to insist that people be sent home to recover, you need to provide the infrastructure in the community to handle the work.”

While Reynolds doesn’t consider her case unique, in that most health care units manage heavy workloads, she says she and her colleagues have noticed positive changes since the SRC recommendations were handed down. Their baseline staffing is being maintained, their workload assignments are more

reasonable and they are once again seeing regular meetings and professional education happen. Finally, they are hopeful that these improvements will continue as health care in the community is expanded.

It is, as Reynolds puts it, a reminder of why PRFs exist and why it’s important to take action.

“PRFs can be an effective way

35

to force change. To members who are hesitant to take such action, if you do not file PRFs over unsafe workload and extended waitlists, both nurses and clients will continue to suffer from the lack of resources. Over the long term, unsafe workload will cause staff burnout, errors and poor client care.” update

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL PRF ADVOCATES If you need help, please contact your current PRF advocates listed below.

Pacific Rim Ray Hawkes rayhawkes@bcnu.org

South Fraser Valley Catherine Clutchey catherineclutchey@bcnu.org

South Islands vacant TBD

Simon Fraser Cameron Ward camward@bcnu.org

Vancouver Metro Andrea Rauh andrearauh@bcnu.org

Okanagan Similkameen Kristine Congram kristinecongram@bcnu.org

Coastal Mountain Pauline Barlow paulinebarlow@bcnu.org

Thompson North Okanagan Chauni Johnson chaunijohnson@bcnu.org

RIVA Sara Johl sarajohl@bcnu.org

East Kootenay Jaye Harding jayeharding@bcnu.org

Shaughnessy Heights Manpreet Mann manpreetmann@bcnu.org

West Kootenay Glenna Lynch glennalynch@bcnu.org

Central Vancouver vacant TBD

North East Barb Erickson barbaraerickson@bcnu.org

Fraser Valley Janice Young janiceyoung@bcnu.org

North West Louise Weightman louiseweightman@bcnu.org

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BOOK REVIEW

STICKING WITH THE EVIDENCE GLOBAL NETWORK A BEACON OF TRUTH FOR POLICY MAKERS IN JANUARY, BCNU WAS invited to attend a Vancouver meeting with international leaders of the Cochrane Steering Group. Cochrane is a not-forprofit independent global network of researchers, clinicians, patient advocates and others that analyzes scientific evidence through systematic reviews that are free from commercial sponsorship. The union welcomed the opportunity to attend as we strongly believe in examining the evidence when considering our response to health care policy that affects the lives of our members and our patients.

Cochrane Canada is one of 14 centres worldwide. But it’s in trouble, and currently is without sufficient secure funding. Since 2005, the Canadian Institute of Health Research has been the primary funder but changes to its granting system meant an end to the financial support for Cochrane Canada in 2015.

So Cochrane is reaching out – asking groups and individuals to advocate for sustained funding. In attendance at the January meeting was University of Victoria health policy researcher Alan Cassels, well known to those who follow the literature on the exploits of the pharmaceutical industry.

Cassels has written a book,

chronicling the beginning in 1992 and subsequent evolution of Cochrane (named after Scottish physician Archie Cochrane). The Cochrane Collaboration – Medicine’s Best-Kept Secret, as the cover explains, describes how “in the complex, ever-evolving realm of modern medicine” Cochrane can help you to “understand what’s hocus-pocus and what really works.” Cochrane turns the evidence generated through research into useful information for making everyday decisions about health.

Cochrane’s logo incorporates a forest plot graph.

Cassels explains that these present a picture of a metaanalysis, a method used in the first groundbreaking work on care of women in labour and delivery: “The studies are represented by horizontal lines of varying widths, along which the effectiveness of each is plotted…. In obstetrics, these images showed which treatments worked best to stop the uterus from contracting prematurely, or which drugs worked best for women who were expected to give birth to a premature infant. The availability of these images could save lives.”

Cassels is able to take a dense topic and present it in an engag-

ing and accessible way, describing the challenges and rewards of collaboration as experienced

by Cochrane as it grew and expanded throughout the world. One of the most difficult challenges was to convince practitioners, policy makers and citizens themselves to change as a result of the evidence. In his book, Cassels comments that we all benefit if we better understand the effectiveness, safety, and comparative value of what we are buying.

In the last five years, Cochrane Canada produced 332 reviews and updates, trained 2896 new systematic reviewers, led 97 knowledge translation events and undertook 35 evidence-into-policy workshops. Several examples of reviews have direct implications for BCNU members. One examined influenza vaccination for health care workers who care for people aged 60 and over living in residential care.

The review concluded there was no evidence to support compulsory vaccination of health care workers. BC spends

The Cochrane Collaboration: Medicine’s Best-Kept Secret Alan Cassels 2015, Agio Publishing, Victoria, BC

at least $20 per worker for vaccines with little or no additional health benefit. Another review looked at neuraminidase inhibitors (e.g., Tamiflu) for preventing and treating influenza. It found no additional health benefit by using a Tamiflu treatment course. As BCNU President Gayle Duteil stated in a letter to Federal Health Minister, Dr. Jane Philpott, urging support for Cochrane, “In the current climate of scarce health care dollars, we cannot afford to direct funds to treatments that either don’t work or actually cause harm.” update

PP&A

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE & ADVOCACY

THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF NURSING NEW DEPARTMENT WILL FURTHER BCNU’s STRATEGIC GOALS BCNU’s ONGOING AND important work of negotiating strong collective agreements for its members is essential to the union’s success. And as a labour union, the ongoing member support and assistance with resolving workplace concerns from grievances to arbitrations, duty to accommodate, classifications and negotiations is often the most visible aspect of our work.

But on a day-to-day basis, we do so much more. From assisting members with safety issues and representation with WorkSafeBC, to providing union education and steward development, the union’s structure reflects the strategic priorities of the membership and the services it provides to them.

For many years, BCNU has increasingly promoted the important role we’ve played in advocating for nurses and their practice, and in the area of health policy. This was recognized during the union’s 2015 strategic planning meeting. Council members agreed it was important that BCNU demonstrate its commitment to being

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

ing of some existing staff resources while also creating space for new staff positions. BCNU’s Licensing, Education, Advocacy and Practice program staff who offer assistance when a nurse’s license is at risk, the union’s professional responsibility process staff, our human rights, equity and health policy officer, and clerical support will now be part of the department.

The union has also created two important research and health policy officer positions. All staff in the new department report to Patricia Wejr, BCNU Director of Communication Systems and Policy Advisor.

The research and health policy officers will be responsible for much of the new work of the department. This will include fostering research partnerships with internal and external groups, representing BCNU on collaborative research projects, analyzing data on key strategic questions, and analyzing results from survey and evaluation projects to advance BCNU’s goals and objectives. But

37

much value will be added by all team members sharing expertise and carrying projects as a group rather than in relative isolation.

In the year ahead, the new department will be developing an action plan and identifying and responding to organizational needs, including seeking member input through focus groups and surveys. It will also be conducting a gap analysis of nursing regulatory bodies regarding past and current services provided, and advocating for improvement to the Health Professions Act and the handling of practice complaints.

“There’s lots of work in the coming months as the new department gets up and running,” says Duteil. “But I’m looking forward to the support that it will provide to nurses – both with helping them meet their professional responsibilities as established in provincial legislation and regulatory body standards, and providing them with policy solutions for safe patient care.” update

a professional union that provides professional practice support in addition to its labour relations activity. To this end, it was decided that a professional practice and advocacy department be created with the objective of supporting clinical practice and education, mentorship, research and leadership in nursing and enhancing public knowledge of the nursing profession.

BCNU President Gayle Duteil is excited about the new strategic direction. “Members will look at BCNU as a professional organization that provides services that fulfil their professional needs,” she says. “BCNU will now truly be the professional voice of nursing in BC.” In many ways the impetus for BCNU’s new strategic direction began in 2005, with the passing of the BC Health Professions Act. Prior to 2005, the Registered Nurses Association of BC performed the function of both a licensing body, which regulated the profession, and a professional association, which advocated for the professional interests of members. When nurses were brought under the Health Professions Act, RNABC became the College of STRONG ADVOCATES Staff members of BCNU’s new Professional Practice and Registered Nurses of BC Department, from left: professional advocacy officer (PRF) Suzie with a new, narrower man- Advocacy Ford, professional advocacy officer (LEAP) Deb Charrois, research and health date. It, along with colleges policy officer Tarya Laviolette, human rights, equity and health policy assistant responsible for RPNs and Michelle Wijesinghe, and research and health policy officer MC Breadner. Not pictured: professional advocacy officer (PRF) Gina Ramsey, PRF assistant Jennifer LPNs, is focused on the professional advocacy officer (LEAP) Tony Edgecombe, professional primary role of regulation. Bishop, advocacy officer (LEAP) Liz Hargreaves, LEAP assistant Kate Pratsides, human The new BCNU depart- rights, equity and health policy officer Hanif Karim, and BCNU director of communication systems and policy advisor Patricia Wejr. ment will see the realign-

38

HR&E HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY

ANNUAL CONFERENCE HONOURS INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY AND ADDRESSES THE POLITICS OF RECONCILIATION For over a century, the central goals of Canada’s Aboriginal policy were to eliminate Aboriginal governments; ignore Aboriginal rights; terminate the Treaties; and, through a process of assimilation, cause Aboriginal peoples to cease to exist as distinct legal, social, cultural, religious, and racial entities in Canada.

The establishment and operation of residential schools were a central element of this policy, which can best be described as “cultural genocide.”

Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

BCNU PROUDLY celebrates the profound diversity of its membership, and the union’s commitment to human rights means an ongoing commitment to improving the safety, well-being and working conditions of a diverse membership in its workplaces and communities.

The most significant expression of this commitment can be seen in the union’s annual

Human Rights and Equity Conference. This year’s event took place Dec. 7 in Richmond.

Titled: “Home: Indigenous sovereignty and the politics of reconciliation,” the conference theme was a timely reflection of the wider acknowledgement of the historical and current injustices faced by Canada’s indigenous peoples following last year’s release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

BCNU also recognizes that the struggle for human rights should include an acknowledgement of past and present wrongs, and an ongoing commitment not just to “truth and reconciliation,” but to economic, social, cultural and political justice for all people who have faced and continue to face discrimination – wherever they may be.

Conference attendees were greeted by the haunting music of Cris Derkson, a renowned cellist who comes from a line of chiefs from North Tall Cree.

BCNU President Gayle Duteil opened the conference by greeting some 200 BCNU member attendees who came from all regions of the province.

“BCNU has a long-standing

and deeply held commitment to the principle of human rights, a commitment which is shaped by a fundamental belief that the right to health care and the right to equitable access to the social determinants of health should belong to all of us.” She said that the union especially recognizes the injustices faced by indigenous peoples across Canada through colonization, displacement and government policies that have been accurately described as genocidal.

The day also began with a welcome from St’at’imc Nation cultural advisor and elder Gerry Oleman who offered an opening prayer and thoughts on the notions of home and reconciliation.

The morning featured a screening of the documentary Trick or Treaty by the Abenaki film maker Alanis Obomsawin.

The film focuses on the 1905 Treaty No. 9 – also known as the James Bay treaty – between the Canadian government and the Cree and Ojibway nations.

It tells the story of how the Cree and Ojibway signatories – who did not speak or understand English – were deceived and lied to about what was actually written in the agreement.

6

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

1

3

2

TALKING TRUTH Over 200 BCNU members and guests gathered in Richmond on Dec. 7 to learn and share experiences at BCNU’s annual Human Rights and Equity Conference.

1. BCNU President Gayle Duteil welcomes Aboriginal filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin and director Renae Morriseau. 2. BCNU’s Aboriginal Leadership Circle hosted this year’s conference. 3. BCNU Treasurer and Human Rights and Equity committee chair Mabel Tung shares a moment with BCNU Executive Councillor Deb Ducharme. 4. BCNU Simon Fraser region co-chair Lynn Lagace and North West region member Michael Prevost address conference. 5. Conference participants share items that signify “home.”

6. St’at’imc Nation cultural advisor and elder Gerry Oleman offers an opening prayer. 7. Aboriginal nurse practitioner Tania Dick addresses conference.

8. Aboriginal cellist Cris Derkson accompanies Alderville First Nation writer, poet and scholar Dr. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. 9. Charlene Emes-Copley and June Shackley.

4

5

7

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8

9

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WHAT DOES “HOME” MEAN TO ME?

Participants of December’s Human Rights and Equity Conference were asked to bring an item to the conference that symbolized the idea of “home.”

SALVETINA AGBA South Islands region Canada is home to me, but I am originally from Nigeria, Africa. This art is the shape of a woman. Nigeria is a male-dominated society. This art shows that women can achieve whatever they can put their minds to. So this art represents excellence. I got an education and reached my goal of being a psychiatric nurse – and as a woman in Nigeria, that is a challenge.

STEPHI KREBS West Kootenay region (student) This is a photo of my friend and I while we were back country skiing. I was born and raised in Nelson. The mountains mean a lot to me. I would have brought them if I could. I could never live anywhere without mountains. I have a deep connection to wilderness and the outside.

JULIE DUTT Simon Fraser region I brought a picture of flowering chives.

It’s a photograph that I took just past out Lillooet while out venturing. It reminds me of when I was a young girl going and spending the summers at my great grannie’s house in Vancouver. She used to grow these chives in this planter outside in her backyard. When I saw them growing in the wild, it reminded me of a happy time when I was a young girl.

YOLANDA CUTANDADELA CRUZ Coastal Mountain region (retired) I brought this bamboo found in my homeland as it represents strength. Bamboo can resist strong winds and won’t fall down. Internationally educated nurses – despite the obstacles and difficulties in getting their license to practice – follow the process and stand tall and proud as nurses, like bamboo.

Oral stories are an important way for First Nations people to keep their history alive, and elders and their elders before them have shared that the oral promises from the commissioners were not included in the written agreement. In reality, Treaty No. 9 was a promise to share resources, to share the land – not to surrender them.

After lunch delegates broke out into smaller groups to hear from Aboriginal speakers who are leaders in their fields, such as SFU professor of Anthropology Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn of the Piikani First Nation and Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, a Vancouver filmmaker whose work is rooted in social justice and community engagement.

Group members were invited to share and discuss an item they were asked to bring to the conference that symbolized the idea of “home.” BCNU Executive Councillor Deb Ducharme noted that “many members had different definitions of home; from land, to family or a place where one felt supported in beliefs.”

An afternoon plenary session allowed participants to share their thoughts from the breakout sessions and reflect on actions they could take to engage in the difficult work of genuine reconciliation.

BCNU Aboriginal Leadership Circle member Rhonda Bennett suggested that members lobby their MPs and ask them to support the call for Canada to sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Over 173 countries have signed the declaration. Unfortunately, Canada is not one of them.

Another member noted that BC’s school curriculum is being reviewed to address the historical inaccuracies around the treaties in Canada, and parents were encouraged to help shape educational content through their local parent advisory committees.

The afternoon was rounded out with powerful stories from Alderville First Nation writer, poet, and scholar Dr. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.

The inspiring and educational conference concluded with a performance that combined the written words of Simpson and the music of cellist Cris Derkson. update

BCNU CONVENTION

2016

May 17 – 19 Hyatt Regency Hotel Vancouver

MONDAY, MAY 16

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Registration – Regency Foyer

6:30 am – 7:30 am

Wellness Workshops

4:45 pm – 5:00 pm

Sergeant At Arms, Scrutineers and Ombudsperson meets with Parliamentarian (Balmoral Room)

8:30 am – 8:45 am

Call to Order

8:45 am – 9:00 am

Vice President’s Report

9:00 am – 9:30 am

Executive Councillors’ Report

9:30 am – 10:00 am

Questions on Reports Resolutions & Bylaws

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

New Delegates Information Session (Balmoral Room)

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Delegate Whip Information Meeting (Windsor Room)

10:30 am – 12:00 pm 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Talk to the President

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

“Sweet” & Greet

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Resolutions & Bylaws

4:00 pm – 4:55 pm

Resolutions & Bylaws

4:55 pm – 5:00 pm

Recognition of Retiring Activists

No Host Bar

TUESDAY, MAY 17 6:30 am – 7:30 am

Wellness Workshops

7:30 am – 8:30 am Registration

6:30 pm

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Banquet

8:30 am – 9:00 am

Call to Order

9:00 am – 9:20 am

Year in Review Video

THURSDAY, MAY 19

9:20 am – 10:00 am

President’s Opening Remarks

6:30 am – 7:30 am

Wellness Workshop

10:30 am – 10:35 am

Delegate Count

9:00 am – 9:15 am

Call to Order

10:35 am – 11:05 am

Finance Report

9:15 am – 10:15 am

Resolutions & Bylaws

11:05 am – 12:00 pm

Executive Director Report

10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Key Note Speaker

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Contract 2014

12:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Rally or Political Action Event

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Open Forum

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Resolutions & Bylaws

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Open Forum

4:00 pm Closing remarks

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Resolutions Committee meeting

4:15 pm Adjournment

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm TBD

42 Proposed Bylaw amendments for Convention 2016 AMENDMENT 1 CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

3.05 To delete current wording of 3.05.

3.05 Beginning in 2014, the term of office shall

Article 3 – Officers of the Union 3.05 (a) The term of office shall be two (2) years or until a successor is elected and takes office. (b) The terms of President and VicePresident elected in 2014, and thereafter, shall be three (3) years or until a successor is elected and takes office. (c) The terms of office of Treasurer and Executive Councillors elected in 2011, and thereafter, shall be three (3) years or until a successor is elected and takes office.

Moved by: Seconded by: Bylaws Committee Recommendation:

be three (3) years or until a successor is elected and takes office.

To insert “Beginning in 2014, the term of office shall be three (3) years or until a successor is elected and takes office.” after “3.05”.

Mabel Tung Jonathan Karmazinuk None

AMENDMENT 2 CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

4.01

4.01 Officers of the Union, as defined in Article 3.01 shall be elected by the members of the union in 2014 and every three (3) years thereafter. The President shall declare elected to office the candidate who receives the largest number of votes.

Whenever there is but one (1) candidate for any of these offices, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare that candidate elected.

Article 4 – Election of Officers 4.01 The President and Vice-President shall be elected by the Members of the Union in 2012 for a two (2) year term. The President and Vice-President shall be elected by the members of the Union in 2014 and every three (3) years thereafter (“President and Vice-President Election Years”). The President shall declare elected to office the candidate who receives the largest number of votes.

Whenever there is but one (1) candidate for any of these offices, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare that candidate elected.

To delete current wording of 4.01.

Amendment continued on next page

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

4.02 (a) The Treasurer shall be elected by the Members of the Union in 2011 and every three (3) years thereafter (“Treasurer Election Years”). The President shall declare elected to office the candidate receiving the largest number of votes.

Whenever there is but one (1) candidate for any of these offices, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare that candidate elected. (b) The two (2) Executive Councillors shall be elected by the Members of the Union in 2011 and every three (3) years thereafter (“Executive Councillors Election Years”). The President shall declare elected to office the two (2) candidates receiving the largest number of votes.

Whenever there are but two (2) candidates for these offices, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare those candidates elected.

4.02 To delete current wording of 4.02.

Moved by: Seconded by: Bylaws Committee Recommendation:

43

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

To insert “Officers of the Union, as defined in Article 3.01 shall be elected by the members of the union in 2014 and every three (3) years thereafter. The President shall declare elected to office the candidate who receives the largest number of votes.

Whenever there is but one (1) candidate for any of these offices, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare that candidate elected.” after “4.01”.

To renumber Article 4 as appropriate.

Mabel Tung Jonathan Karmazinuk None

AMENDMENT 3 CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

4.03 (a) There shall be a Standing Committee on Nominations for the Union (the “Nominations Committee”) comprised of five (5) members elected by the delegates to the Annual convention of the Union in 2011, in 2013, and every three (3) years thereafter. The President shall declare elected to office the five (5) candidates who receive the largest number of votes.

Whenever there is but five (5) candidates for these positions, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare those candidates elected. (b) The term of office of members of the Nominations Committee elected in 2011 shall be two (2) years. (c) The term of office of members of the Nominations Committee elected in 2013, and thereafter, shall be three (3) years. …

4.03 To delete “in 2011” after “Union” in “(a)”

4.02 (a) There shall be a Standing Committee on Nominations for the Union (the “Nominations Committee”) comprised of five (5) members elected by the delegates to the Annual convention of the Union in 2013, and every three (3) years thereafter. The President shall declare elected to office the five (5) candidates who receive the largest number of votes. Whenever there is but five (5) candidates for these positions, the vote shall be dispensed with and the President shall declare those candidates elected. (b) The term of office of members of the Nominations Committee shall be three (3) years. …

Moved by: Seconded by: Bylaws Committee Recommendation:

To delete current wording of “(b)” To delete “elected in 2013, and thereafter,” after “Nominations Committee” in “(c)”.

To renumber Article 4 as appropriate.

Mabel Tung Jonathan Karmazinuk None

44

AMENDMENT 4 CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

4.04 The Committee’s duties shall include: (a) To rule on the eligibility of all candidates for elected office and membership on the Council. (b) To implement the procedure for obtaining nominations for the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and the Executive Councillors. (c) To obtain candidate(s) for any office for which no nomination has been received. (d) To prepare and present the ticket of nominations for the offices of President and Vice-President to the President and designated Executive Director in each of the President and Vice-President Election Years as defined in Article 4.01 of these bylaws. (e) To prepare and present the ticket of nominations for the office of Treasurer to the President and designated Executive Director in each of the Treasurer Election Years as defined in Article 4.02(a) of these Bylaws. (f) To prepare and present the ticket of nominations for the two (2) Executive Councillors to the President and designated Executive Director in each of the Executive Councillors Election Years as defined in Article 4.02(b) of these Bylaws. (g) To conduct and oversee the election and report the results of the election to the President. (h) To receive complaints from Union Members with regard to an election process. (i) To investigate, resolve and remedy complaints referred to in 4.04(h) above. (j) To attend at the Annual Conventions and at the Provincial Bargaining Conferences of the Union as provincially funded observers.

4.04 To delete current wording of “(d)”

4.03 The Committee’s duties shall include: (a) To rule on the eligibility of all candidates for elected office and membership on the Council. (b) To implement the procedure for obtaining nominations for the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and the Executive Councillors. (c) To obtain candidate(s) for any office for which no nomination has been received. (d) To prepare and present the ticket of nominations for all officers defined under Article 3.01 to the President and designated Executive Director. (e) To conduct and oversee the election and report the results of the election to the President. (f) To receive complaints from Union Members with regard to an election process. (g) To investigate, resolve and remedy complaints referred to in 4.04(f) above. (h) To attend at the Annual Conventions and at the Provincial Bargaining Conferences of the Union as provincially funded observers.

Moved by: Seconded by: Bylaws Committee Recommendation:

To insert after “(d)” “To prepare and present the ticket of nominations for all offices defined under Article 3.01 to the President and designated Executive Director” To delete current wording of “(e)” To insert after “(e)” “To conduct and oversee the election and report the results of the election to the President.”

To delete current wording of “(f)” To insert after “(f)” “To receive complaints from Union Members with regard to an election process.”

To renumber Article 4 as appropriate.

Mabel Tung Jonathan Karmazinuk None

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

45

AMENDMENT 5 CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

To delete current wording of (a), (b), & (c) after “7.03”.

7.03 (a) The terms of office of all Regional Council Members, as defined by Article 7.01 of these Bylaws, elected in 2014 and thereafter shall be three (3) years commencing on the first day of September following election.

Article 7 – Term of Regional Council Membership and Vacancies 7.03 (a) The terms of office of the current Regional Council Members elected in the following regions: South Islands (1), Pacific Rim, Central Vancouver (1), Shaughnessy Heights, RIVA, Fraser Valley, South Fraser Valley (1), Simon Fraser (1), Thompson North Okanagan and East Kootenay shall be extended until August 31, 2014. (b) Election of Regional Council Members in the following regions: South Islands (1), Coastal Mountain, Vancouver Metro, Central Vancouver (1), South Fraser Valley (1), Simon Fraser (1), Okanagan Similkameen, West Kootenay, North West and North East shall proceed in 2012, and in 2014, and every 3 years thereafter. (c) The terms of office of the Regional Council Members defined by Article 7.03(b) of these Bylaws who are elected in 2012 shall be two (2) years commencing on the first day of September 2012. (d) The terms of office of all Regional Council Members, as defined by Article 7.01 of these Bylaws, elected in 2014 and thereafter shall be three (3) years commencing on the first day of September following election.

Moved by: Seconded by: Bylaws Committee Recommendation:

To renumber Article 7 as appropriate.

Mabel Tung Jonathan Karmazinuk None

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AMENDMENT 6

CURRENT WORDING

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

IF ADOPTED, WILL READ

Article 4 – Election of Officers 4.06 In the event of a tie vote, a name will be drawn by the Chairman of the Nominations Committee.

To delete “a name will be drawn by the Chairman of the Nominations Committee” after “vote,”

To insert “the Chairman of the Nominations Committee shall conduct a run-off vote lasting no longer than seven (7) days in duration between the tied candidates” after “vote,”.

Moved by: Seconded by: Bylaws Committee Recommendation:

Mabel Tung Jonathan Karmazinuk None

4.06 In the event of a tie vote, the Chairman of the Nominations Committee shall conduct a run-off vote lasting no longer than seven (7) days in duration between the tied candidates.

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

47

Resolutions RESOLUTION 1

RESOLUTION 2

Submitted by: Will Offley Moved by: Will Offley Seconded by: Michael Scott Whereas,

Whereas,

Whereas,

Whereas,

Resolved,

the Leap Manifesto* calls for Canada based on values BCNU holds dear, including “respect for indigenous rights, internationalism, human rights, diversity and environmental stewardship”; and

Whereas,

in Article 38.01 of the NBA, Natural Mother and Article 38.06 Supplemental Employment Benefits Plan (“SEB”), under the current collective agreement only those on “maternity leave” are entitled to SEB covered in article 38.06; and

Whereas,

the current collective agreement language in article 38.01 and 38.06 excludes those parents/ Mothers who require a gestational surrogate to carry their biological child. It excludes same sex male couples who use a gestational surrogate to carry their child with use of donor egg and biological sperm. It excludes all parents who adopt an infant or small child; and

Whereas,

the current collective agreement has attached the SEB plan solely to the 17 weeks of Maternity EI benefits provided by the government;

Resolved,

the manifesto and its supporting documents show that climate change can be stopped without penalizing working people; and

that this matter be considered at the next contract negotiations in order to include parents/mothers who use gestational surrogates and adoptive parents.

Costing:

15 weeks at 85% of wages of “normal weekly earnings” to the above parent/ mothers.

the manifesto was expressly conceived to begin a discussion of the way forward toward a Canada and a world protected from environmental disaster and fit for human habitation;

RESOLUTION 3

the manifesto has been endorsed by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario; by unions such as the Public Service Association of Canada, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, CUPE Ontario and the Toronto York Region Labour Council; by labour leaders such as Hassan Yussuf, Sid Ryan, Andre Frappier, Paul Moist and Mike Palacek; by Idle No More and aboriginal leaders like Ellen Gabriel, Guujaw, Tantoo Cardinal, Art Manuel and Stewart Phillips; by writers such as Michael Ondaatje, William Gibson, Joseph Boyden, Naomi Klein and Gabor Mate; by musicians such as Alanis Morissette, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Carole Pope and Bruce Cockburn, by women’s groups, anti-poverty organizations, environmental coalitions, faith groups and over 32,000 individual Canadians; and

that BCNU endorse the manifesto and enter this conversation; and

Further Resolved, that BCNU urge its members to read the manifesto and consider adding their names to it as well. Link found here: https://leapmanifesto.org/ en/the-leap-manifesto/#manifesto-content Costing:

Submitted by: Ashley Oscienny Moved by: Ashley Oscienny Seconded by: Kelly McColm

None.

Submitted by: Joanne Hamberg Moved by: Joanne Hamberg Seconded by: Kathi Dempsey Whereas,

the BCNU strategic direction 2 states “advance the health, socio-economic status, work-life balance, and workplace safety of our members”; and

Whereas,

BCNU advocates under NBA Article 32.06 for a manageable workload that is not excessive; and

Resolution continued on next page

48

Whereas,

the bargaining gain of 2012-2014 contract was that community nurses will be replaced for at least two weeks of vacation each year; and

Whereas,

co-chair regions can cross cover each other;

Resolved,

that single chair regions receive two weeks’ vacation backfill annually by a current executive officer within the same region commencing 2016.

RESOLUTION 5 Submitted by: Colleen Driscoll Moved by: Colleen Driscoll Seconded by: Cathy Robinson Whereas,

BCNU wants to outreach to all its members; and

Whereas,

BCNU demonstrate solidarity by promoting unity of our members based on shared goals and values; and

Whereas,

BCNU wants to provide contract interpretation/ educational/outreach to support and educate members on contract language; and

RESOLUTION 4

Whereas,

Submitted by: Simon Fraser Regional Executive Moved by: Maria Huertas Seconded by: Sharyn Ho

BCNU wants to advance the health, social economic status, work-life balance and workplace safety of our members; and

Whereas,

BCNU wants to enhance BCNU’s capacity to respond to and protect our number one priority, our members;

Resolved,

BCNU continue to fund the Building Union Strength (BUS) or a similar day that is provided by the BUS Member Educators and fully funded and salary reimbursed for members.

Costing:

The educator’s budget is about $100,000 and BUS course budget of 600 members was about $330,000 in 2015.

Costing:

Whereas,

12 single chairs regions x 75 hours = 900 x $60/hr (amount union reimburses employer) = $54,000 maximum cost.

stewards are frontline activists that service members and enforce and uphold the collective agreement(s); and

Whereas,

strong stewards = a strong union; and

Whereas,

successful campaigns such as “grievalanche” depend on stewards to put into action and achieve results; and

Whereas,

multiple surveys and evaluations indicate most stewards want and need on-going support and education; and

Whereas,

the member engagement and steward recruitment and retention committee examined the issue and recommended steward planning be increased to 4 days per year;

Resolved,

Costing:

BCNU fund up to 4 steward planning days per region per year.

RESOLUTION 6 Submitted by: Karen Evjen Moved by: Karen Evjen Seconded by: Walter Lumamba Whereas,

the BCNU’s vision statement states the British Columbia Nurses Union will be the Champion for our members, the professional voice of nursing and the leading advocate for publicly funded health care;

Resolved,

that the BCNU does not organize non-nursing professions with the exception of wall to wall certifications.

$500,000/year.

Your Pension

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

49

SECURING YOUR FUTURE

COMMUNITY ASSET PUBLIC SECTOR PENSIONINCOME SPENDING BENEFITS BC ECONOMY

ACCESS TO A DEFINED benefit pension is one of the most important advantages of union membership. It’s hard to put a price on the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ll have a secure and steady income in your old age.

It’s no secret that defined benefit pension plan members tend to be more financially secure than non‐members. In Canada, only 10–15 percent of defined benefit beneficiaries collect the guaranteed income supplement (GIS), a supplemental payment to the old age security pension the government provides to low income seniors. In contrast, between 45 and 50 percent of other retirees collect the GIS. This means that defined benefit pension plan members save the government money. In fact, defined benefit pensions reduce the annual GIS payout

by approximately $2–3 billion annually.

If you’re feeling good about reducing pressure on government budgets, you’ll feel even better knowing that your pension is actually helping to drive the economic growth needed to help pay for health care and other programs all Canadians rely on. The benefits paid out to defined benefit pension plan members ultimately flow back into the Canadian economy in the form of consumer spending and taxes, generating business growth and employment, and generating revenues for all levels of government.

Most BCNU members, along with many other public sector employees, belong to the

Municipal Pension Plan (MPP).

The union is a member of the plan’s Board of Trustees, and this gives nurses an important voice when it comes to guiding the investment decisions of the plan.

The 2015 report Assessing the Economic Impacts of PensionIncome Spending in BC, prepared

by Vancouver-based research firm Urban Futures, confirms that public sector retirees spend their pension income where they live, which benefits both their community and the BC economy. According to the report, public sector retirees supported $1.66 billion in provincial GDP and 31,000 jobs in 2014 by spending their pensions locally.

“Pension-income spending had as strong an economic impact on provincial GDP as the forestry and logging industry,” says Harold Heyming, chair of the Municipal Pension Board of Trustees.

“We talked to business owners who benefit from BC public sector retirees spending their pensions locally and found good news stories right across the province,” he says.

“Pension-income spending had as strong an economic impact on provincial GDP as the forestry and logging industry.”

HAROLD HEYMING. CHAIR, MUNICIPAL PENSION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

ECONOMIC DRIVER Pension income spending from the BC public sector pension plans had as strong an economic impact on provincial GDP as the forestry and logging industry.

Total government tax revenue also got a $310 million boost from public sector pension payments made the same year, according to the report.

The Urban Futures report also found that BC public sector pension plans paid in excess of $3 billion in payments to plan members and their beneficiaries in 2014, and 97 percent of those were BC residents.

The Municipal Pension Plan serves more than 299,000 members and their employers.

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Members and employers come from a variety of sectors across the province, including health, municipalities, school districts and others. The plan, which holds assets in excess of $40 billion, is the sixth-largest defined benefit pension plan in Canada.

You can find the full Urban Futures report at mpp.straighttalk.pensionsbc.ca. update

PENSIONS MAKE ¢ENTS Retired nurses are a boost to local economies

COMMUNITY RESOURCES Client Rose Bard and massage therapist Lyn Birkett in Radium, where bighorn sheep roam freely.

WHAT IS A “DEFINED BENEFIT” PENSION PLAN?

The Municipal Pension Plan is a “defined benefit” plan that uses a formula (years of service x highest average salary x accrual rate) to calculate an individual’s pension. Based on this formula, the pension plan promises to pay plan members a predetermined pension for life after they retire. This allows participants to plan for retirement because they know well ahead of time the value of an important portion of their retirement income.

In other types of pension plans, such as defined contribution plans, a member’s pension benefit cannot be predicted. This is because the benefit available at retirement is based on how well the member’s individual investments perform over time and how much the member will receive from an annuity or other income-generating vehicle at retirement.

In addition to providing the benefit of predictability for plan members, defined benefit plans offer advantages for employers, as they can be an effective way to recruit and retain a quality workforce.

KOOTENAY RETIREES RELY ON MASSAGE THERAPIST TO KEEP THEM IN GOOD HEALTH

RADIUM HOT SPRINGS – Rose Bard and Lyn Birkett can’t resist making goofy faces at each other when they pose for a photo on the golf course where Birkett’s business, Rising Sun Massage and Spa is located.

Bard, a retired nurse and member of the Municipal Pension Plan, has been a client for eight years. She keeps coming back not only because Birkett is so good at what she does, but because she appreciates that Birkett specializes in seniors and First Nations, and makes her service affordable.

“Approximately 70 percent of clients are retirees, which makes them very important to my business – not to mention how much I enjoy seeing them,” says Birkett.

As an orthopedic massage therapist, Birkett offers a mobile service for those who can’t get to her and treats local golfers, elders at the Akisqnuk and Shuswap First Nations, and

handicapped seniors at Mount Nelson House in Invermere.

She and Bard, who retired from the Interior Health Authority, share a commitment to seniors’ health care.

Bard now volunteers her time

“There are a large number of pensioners who live in the East Kootenays and contribute to the economy of each community.”

RETIRED NURSE ROSE BARD.

helping seniors from Cranbrook to Radium navigate the health care system. She appreciates that she can make an impact on her community in retirement, both by volunteering and by spending her pension in the community.

“I spend my pension income locally. There are a large number

of pensioners who live in the East Kootenays and contribute to the economy of each community,” Bard says.

Retirees like Bard are contributors to the BC economy because, when they spend their pensions in their community, they support local businesses and local jobs. Bard’s pension income also has a positive effect on the province’s gross domestic product (GDP), a measurement of how well the economy’s doing.

In 2014, BC public sector pension plans made in excess of $3 billion in direct payments to beneficiaries, and 97 per cent of those beneficiaries were BC residents.

Together, Lyn and Rose are contributing to the health of their community, one massage at a time.

LOWER MAINLAND CAFÉ A FAVOURITE BREAKFAST SPOT FOR RETIREES

SURREY – Lesley Walker and Judy Sandhu are a perfect match – Lesley hates cooking, and Sandhu loves it. Sandhu also happens to own a café close to Lesley’s home with prices a pensioner can appreciate.

“My favourite is the five-dollar breakfast with toast, sausage, hash browns and eggs,” says Walker, a retired nurse, sitting in one of the spotless red and black booths at Gordy’s Café.

Walker chooses to support local businesses with the Municipal Pension Plan retirement income she saved up for 28 years. “It’s a great little

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

LOCAL CUSTOM Gordy’s Café owner Judy Sandhu and customer Lesley Walker

niche,” she says as three teenage boys wander in for the café’s famous fresh fruit and 100 percent ice cream milkshakes. “It’s part of the community.”

When Walker supports local businesses with her pension income, she has a direct economic impact on her community by supporting local jobs and businesses. Her pension income also has a positive effect on the GDP. In 2014, BC public sector pension plans made

direct payments to beneficiaries, that supported $1.66 billion in provincial GDP and 31,000 jobs in the province.

Sandhu appreciates the support of seniors, who come in groups on Saturday and Sunday mornings and sit at “their” booth. “We know it is really tight for seniors and times are tough, so we try to give a really good deal.” She has owned the café for four years and is helped by her son and husband.

She teaches her young staff, students from a nearby high school, to provide good customer service. “We care about people.”

Whenever she can, Sandhu buys Surrey-grown produce and supports local suppliers, contributing to the success of the province’s agricultural growers. “It’s good and fresh.”

Together, Sandhu and Walker are a dynamic duo, contributing to their local economy one breakfast at a time. update

Q&A

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BY THE NUMBERS

2014

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF BC PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION PLANS

In excess of

$3 billion

BC public sector pension plans made in payments to beneficiaries.

Economic impact of pension income spending from BC public sector pension plans on provincial GDP.

$310 billion

$1.66 billion

Total government tax revenue from BC public sector pension income spending.

BC public sector pension recipients who were residents of BC.

97%

WHEN CAN I RETIRE?

Earliest retirement age for most Municipal employees, including nurses, is 55. Under the Municipal Pension Plan, you may apply for a pension as early as age 55. However, if you retire before age 60 and you do not meet the minimum age plus contributor service requirements, your pension will be reduced.

Pension income spending from the BC public sector pension plans had as strong an economic impact on provincial GDP as the forestry and logging industry.

HOW IS MY PENSION CALCULATED?

Your pension is based on the average of your highest five salary years and increases at a rate of two percent for each year of pensionable service, to a maximum of 35 years.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHAT MY PENSION MIGHT BE WHEN I RETIRE?

You can use the Municipal Pension Plan’s online pension estimator. Visit www.mpp.pensionsbc.ca to estimate what your pension might be, based on your current personal information.

31,000

Number of jobs supported by pension income spending from BC public sector pensions.

All findings from Assessing the Economic Impacts of Pension-Income Spending in British Columbia, prepared

by Urban Futures, July 2015.

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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 contact your steward. REGIONAL REPS If your steward can’t help, or for all regional matters, contact your regional rep. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE For all provincial, national or union policy issues, contact your executive committee.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT Gayle Duteil C 604-908-2268 gayleduteil@bcnu.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR Deb Ducharme C 250-804-9964 dducharme@bcnu.org

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

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR Dan Murphy on leave

TREASURER Mabel Tung C 604-328-9346 mtung@bcnu.org

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

REGIONAL REPS CENTRAL VANCOUVER Judy McGrath Co-chair C 604-970-4339 jmcgrath@bcnu.org

Marlene Goertzen Co-chair C 778-874-9330 marlenegoertzen@bcnu.org

COASTAL MOUNTAIN Kath-Ann Terrett Chair C 604-828-0155 kterrett@bcnu.org

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

EAST KOOTENAY Lori Pearson Chair C 250-919-4890 loripearson@bcnu.org

Cam Ward Acting co-chair C 604-240-1242 camward@bcnu.org

FRASER VALLEY Katherine Hamilton Chair C 604-793-6444 katherinehamilton@bcnu.org NORTH EAST Veronica (Roni) Lokken Chair C 250-960-8621 veronicalokken@bcnu.org NORTH WEST Sharon Sponton Chair C 250-877-2547 sharonsponton@bcnu.org OKANAGAN-SIMILKAMEEN Rhonda Croft Chair C 250-212-0530 rcroft@bcnu.org PACIFIC RIM Rachel Kimler Chair C 250-816-0865 rachelkimler@bcnu.org RIVA Lauren Vandergronden Chair C 604-785-8148 laurenvandergronden@bcnu.org SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS Claudette Jut Chair C 604-786-8422 claudettejut@bcnu.org

SOUTH FRASER VALLEY Jonathan Karmazinuk Co-chair C 604-312-0826 jonathankarmazinuk@bcnu.org Michelle Sordal Co-chair C 604-880-9105 michellesordal@bcnu.org SOUTH ISLANDS Margo Wilton Co-chair C 250-818-4862 mwilton@bcnu.org Lynnda Smith Co-chair C 250-360-7475 lynndasmith@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 Lorne Burkart Chair C 250-354-5311 lorneburkart@bcnu.org

UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

Council Profile

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HERE’S WHO’S WORKING FOR YOU

MULTI-TASKER SOUTH FRASER VALLEY CO-CHAIR MICHELLE SORDAL EMPOWERING MEMBERS

“I love my job and I’m driven to make things better for nurses. It’s frustrating to think police and firefighters seem to be treated better.

That needs to change and I’m working hard to make sure it does,” says South Fraser Valley region cochair Michelle Sordal.

QUICK FACTS NAME Michelle Sordal.

GRADUATED Douglas College (New Westminster) 2003.

UNION POSITION South Fraser Valley co-chair.

WHY I SUPPORT BCNU? “Because BCNU is there to support nurses.”

SINCE BEING ELECTED TO BCNU council in 2013, South Fraser Valley region co-chair Michelle Sordal has been working tirelessly in her role to help get nurses’ voices heard and improve working conditions in her region. And in between committee meetings, council meetings and evening meetings, the former Langley home health case manager has been busy raising four young children.

“People ask me all the time how I do it all,” she laughs.

“First, I have a very helpful husband and teenage son. It’s definitely hard to keep track of my work schedule while managing three different school schedules and a baby at home. But I feel like I need to do a good job in

everything I do. I’m a bit of a perfectionist,” she says.

Sordal has played an important role in various BCNU campaigns, including the ongoing effort to improve conditions for community and home health nurses in her region and across the province. She worked alongside union vice president Christine Sorensen and BCNU labour relations officer Jennifer Mark to determine how the $2-million consent award the union received as part of the most recent staffing settlement would be distributed to health authorities for the purchase of smartphones and other mobile connectivity for community nurses.

And while she’s pleased with the recent progress, she knows

there’s a lot more to be done to alleviate the pressure on community nursing across the province.

“When I started my job as a community nurse, I loved it.

It was very rewarding trying to help people stay at home,” recalls Sordal. “But it has completely changed. A computer decides whether a patient is eligible for treatment. Health authorities want to push people out into the community but I have yet to see any improvements to staffing levels,” she says. “It’s silent, unnoticed work and nurses are being set up to fail.”

In addition to her numerous roles as a regional chair, Sordal serves as chair of the union’s Bylaws committee and sits on the Finance committee.

Recently, Sordal helped bring the BCNU campaign bus to several Dr. Bernstein weight loss clinics in Metro Vancouver to offer support to members bargaining for improved workplace conditions. She says she was greeted by unhappy property managers who told them to leave, but feels confident that the union’s presence at the various worksites helped members rally together.

“Our message to the employer was that if they don’t let us on site to attend meetings, then we can bring the big campaign bus with us every time we need to meet with our members.”

Sordal says she’s excited to continue working on behalf of nurses and admits there’s still a lot of work to be done. update

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UPDATE MAGAZINE March 2016

Off Duty MEMBERS AFTER HOURS

PHOTO: BC BIKE RACE/DAVE SILVER

RACE NURSE JENN THIEL CARES FOR PATIENTS AT ONE OF BC’S BIGGEST CYCLING EVENTS ONE WOULD THINK THAT after working all year round in your job as a nurse, the last thing you would want to do with a precious week’s holiday is spend it nursing at a bike race.

But that’s exactly what Jenn Thiel does. “It is one of the best weeks of my life every year,” says the 34-year-old Lions Gate Hospital ER nurse.

For the past five years, Thiel has worked for the annual BC Bike Race. Named one of the best bike stage races in the world, the seven-day off road mountain bike event hosts 600 racers from 36 countries. Thiel is part of a 15-person travelling medic team. She reports doing more wound care in one week than she does all year working at her regular job, and says there have been some serious head injuries and broken bones referred to the local hospitals.

“Most of my week is spent utilizing fine assessment skills and using a combination of nursing experience and common sense, as resources are limited in such a remote setting.”

Thiel started working with the event when it was in its fifth season, after she completed her nursing degree at Douglas College. Days start at the crack

of dawn when racers line up for daily bandaging needs before getting to the start line. Once they are off, the base camp medic team heads to the finish line at the next community, ready to attend to whatever comes their way.

The grueling 325km race requires four ferry crossings and tours BC’s west coast. It starts in Cumberland on Vancouver Island and then moves on to Powell River, Sechelt, North Vancouver and Squamish before ending in Whistler. It can be an exhausting week for staff, with early starts and late evenings. The medic team packs and unpacks in six communities, and both racers and staff contend with whatever nature throws their way, from cold downpours to extreme heat.

As the week progresses, racers increasingly line up for care, requiring attention for such ailments as saddle sores and gastric intestinal and hydration problems. A full range of health care providers attend to the racers’ first aid needs. The team travels with a medical doctor, chiropractor, naturopathic doctor and nurse practitioner, along with paramedics, wilderness first aid staff and several critical

WOUNDS ON WHEELS Jenn Thiel tends to an injured cyclist during last year’s BC Bike Race.

care nurses. There is also a full team of massage therapists to help soothe racers’ tired muscles.

“Completing each leg of the race is a big motivator for the racers – they all want to cross that finish line in Whistler on day seven and receive their hard-earned medal,” says Thiel.

“We provide the necessary relief they need to get across the finish line every day – for seven days straight!” At week’s end Thiel and her fellow medic team have seen between 300 and 350 racers and used almost 200 onelitre hydration packs.

Last year, Thiel decided to get off the sidelines and join the race. She says the opportunity was equally rewarding. “It’s a lot of hard work to train and ride those long distances every day consecutively.” She says the racing experience was different

from that of nursing. “Working on the medic team, your day is much longer and you are always on,” she explains. “But as a racer I had a nice daily routine of eat, ride, sleep. And I didn’t have to think about much but to enjoy the daily ride.”

Thiel has used her nursing skills at a few other sporting events, but says none compares to this opportunity. “Our medic team is the most fun, friendly, hard-working, group of professionals that absolutely love to be part of this event,” she says.

“I feel so privileged to be part of this energizing atmosphere.”

The 10th annual BC Bike Race takes place July 6–13.

This year the event sold out in less than five days. Thiel will be back with the medic team using her nursing skills to support this year’s group of international racers. update

Facebook and other social media sites help us stay connected, but some things should never be posted online.

Provocative statements about your employer, personal information about patients or discriminatory comments against individuals or groups protected under human rights law are examples of what health professionals shouldn’t post online.

Employers or colleges may try to enforce professional standards if social media postings are inappropriate. And comments on “closed” Facebook groups can be copied and made public.

So stay connected — appropriately

BCNU HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY SEEKING CAUCUSES Promoting equity and recognizing our collective struggle for justice – in BC and around the world Find out more at bcnu.org > About BCNU > Human Rights and Equity

Aboriginal Leadership Circle • Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered • Men in Nursing • Mosaic of Colour • Workers with Disabilities • Young Nurses’ Network

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