BCNU Update Magazine Summer/Fall 2021 by BC Nurses' Union

UPDATE SUMMER/FALL 2021

M A G A Z I N E

YEARS STRONG Proud of our past. Building our future.

NURSES IN THE LEGISLATURE MEET TWO OF BC’s NEWEST MLAs | RESILIENT TOGETHER REPORT FROM CONVENTION 2021 | SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT NURSES RAISE THEIR VOICE | TAKE OUR READERS’ SURVEY

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CONTENTS

VOL 40 NO2

• SUMMER/FALL 2021 24

DEPARTMENTS

VITAL SIGNS

GUIDING LIGHTS

WHO CAN HELP?

OFF DUTY

UPFRONT

5 CHECK IN The latest news from around the province.

12 EMBODYING YOUR PRACTICE New education initiative supports members’ psychological health.

MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY RESULTS p. 17

FEATURE

15 TAKING THE PULSE

26 BORN TO SOAR

NBA bargaining survey kicks off member consultation process.

20 RESILIENT TOGETHER

Jennie Arceno’s journey has taken her to BC’s interior and beyond.

30 NURSES IN THE LEGISLATURE

Members gather to speak up and speak out at BCNU’s first virtual convention.

Two of BC’s newest MLAs are proud BCNU members.

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES OF ADVOCACY BCNU marks its 40th year with a retrospective account of nurses’ fight for safe patient care and fair working conditions.

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

YEARS

UPDATE M A G A Z I N E

MISSION STATEMENT The British Columbia Nurses’ Union protects and advances the health, safety, social and economic well-being of our members, our profession and our communities. BCNU UPDATE MAGAZINE is published by the BC Nurses’ Union, an independent Canadian union governed by a council elected by our 48,000 members. Signed articles do not necessarily represent official BCNU policies. EDITOR Lew MacDonald CONTRIBUTORS Juliet Chang, Tina Cheung, Laura Comuzzi, Sharon Costello, Cody Hedman, Lexi Huffman, Kent Hurl, Hanif Karim, Caroline Flink, Shawn Leclair, Courtney McGillion, Melissa Minter, Christopher Rickinson,

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

WELCOME CODY! Experienced labour lawyer and union leader steps into chief executive officer role

FTER AN extensive nation-wide search, BCNU welcomed Cody Hedman as its new chief executive officer in May. A seasoned negotiator, Hedman has successfully championed for the rights of unionized employees in both the public and private sectors and has earned a reputation as a trusted strategic advisor and union leader. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Hedman obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from Vancouver Island University before pursuing his Juris Doctor (law degree) from the University of British Columbia. After graduating from law school, Hedman articled at the United Steelworkers’ national office in Toronto before serving as counsel to the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA). During his tenure with ONA, Hedman successfully brought a grievance against a small Northern

Ontario hospital forward to arbitration, resulting in a significant precedent-setting decision regarding shift changes and wage rate premiums that positively impacted more than 50,000 hospital sector nurses in Ontario. Hedman has also held several senior leadership positions with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). This includes serving as executive director and chief spokesperson of a Toronto-based CUPE local, where he coordinated the

strategic negotiation of 41 different collective agreements and provided mentoring and contract interpretation support. “BCNU is very pleased to welcome Cody to the organization. He’s a well-respected, collaborative and engaged leader who’ll be instrumental as we prepare for Nurses’ Bargaining Association negotiations,” says BCNU President Christine Sorensen. “We look forward to his leadership as we continue to build on the union’s successes and advance the health, safety, social and economic well-being of our members and our profession.” “I’m excited to take on the role of BCNU CEO,” says Hedman. “Over the last few months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet the elected leaders, stewards and hard-working staff of the union. I also look forward to meeting our members and I’m eager to put my skills and experience to work for all of them.” •

MAKING NEWS BCNU in the headlines NURSING SHORTAGE ON THE ISLAND When part of the ER at Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital was shut down temporarily due to a nursing staff shortage, BCNU vice president Aman Grewal spoke to CBC Radio’s David Lennam on July 28 about the staffing crisis and its effect on BCNU members. “This is something our government really needs to put its head to and address,” she said. “How are they going to attract nurses to stay here?” Grewal also spoke to the increasingly stressful working conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace violence, this summer’s heatwave and other factors – all of which drive nurses to leave the profession. “Our nurses are not feeling appreciated right now,” said Grewal. “We need to develop a recruitment and retention plan.”

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

CHECK IN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

MEMBERS SUPPORTING MEMBERS Wildfire threat calls for measures to keep health workers safe

YTTON IS A QUIET Interior village of about 250 residents that sits where the Fraser and Thompson rivers meet. On June 30 the town made national headlines when it set a Canadian all-time-high temperature record of 49.6 °C. The next day it burned to the ground. A wildfire swept through the community, destroying most structures. Two people died in the inferno.

St. Bartholomew Health Centre was a casualty of the blaze. Five BCNU members worked at the facility, which provided a range of services to the residents of Lytton. Angela Achoba-Omajali is the BCNU Thompson North Okanagan region steward at large. She lives in Kamloops, but spent the day of the fire making sure the members who worked at St. Bartholomew were safely evacuated from Lytton and accounted for.

FORCE OF NATURE Lytton’s St. Bartholomew Health Centre was a casualty of the Canada Day blaze that destroyed most of the town.

SUMMER/FALL 2021 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

“At around 7:00 in the morning I heard that the fire had reached the town and I contacted the BCNU OHS department and my regional chair Scott Duvall to let them know,” she reports. Throughout the day Achoba-Omajali provided BCNU with updates and information she received from members on the ground. “Everything was happening so fast – my initial goal was to make sure I heard from each and every member to confirm they were safe,” she says. “The manager of the site was great. She worked with me closely to let us know where members were. By 9:00 pm, after several phone calls and meetings with Interior Health, I was able to confirm that all members were safely evacuated.” Achoba-Omajali reports that one member lost their home to the fire. She says that she and the union were working to make sure affected members at the site did not lose pay and could access Interior Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program and psychological health and safety supports through their extended health benefits. “We also ensured that members who needed time off as a result of the trauma were connected with our Enhanced Disability Management Program reps,” she adds.

“The day was crazy, but I got a lot of help from the union’s OHS department and senior leadership who were all checking in on me,” says Achoba-Omajali. “I felt supported throughout the whole process.” Unfortunately, the western heat wave that led to the Lytton fire will likely not be the last, and a worsening climate crisis means health employers across the province must prepare additional measures to ensure workers and patients are safe.

“The day was crazy, but I got a lot of help.” Angela Achoba-Omajali

BCNU CEO Cody Hedman says the union is taking all the concerns it has received regarding heat extremely seriously and has brought members’ concerns forward at the highest levels of individual health authorities and the health system as a whole. “We expect safe workplaces for nurses, their fellow health-care workers and their patients, and we will continue to apply pressure to employers until those are provided,” he says. Members can find information on the right to refuse unsafe work on the BCNU website. •

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UPDAT E E T A UPD OCTOBE R

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E A Z I N M A G

M A G A Z I N E

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LISTENI NG TO YOU COMMU MEMBER NICATIO SURVEY HIGHLIG NS HTS INSIDE

CONTRAC are nee T IMPL APPR TION ded. ECIATING EMEN TATION BCNU POSI THE IMPO T ON PROV RTAN STATEMEN ION CE OFICE-WIDE MEE res INCLUSIV VACCINAT TING rch explo E SENI S KEEP ORS’ CAR MEMBERS ice’ resea e of the E | EXPL ENGAGED ‘Photovo experienc ORING -19 | COM PENSION ING OUT RT COVID Y nurses’ lived pandemic GOVERNA GENC TO CAR ERS SUPPO D MEMB HEALTH EMER NCE OPTIE COVID-19 ROLL RETIRE PUBLIC TO ONS FUEL TO | READY NAL PLAN Y CONTINUES A NATIO TOXIC SUPPL PUSH FOR NURSEST | OPIOID CRISIS PHARMACARE N EFFOR VACCINATIO

Take the survey before Nov. 30 to be included in a draw for an Apple iPad. We look forward to hearing from you!

WORKPLACE CONDITIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19 A University of BC survey of BC nurses conducted in June and July of 2020 revealed adverse mental health outcomes associated with poor workplace relations, a lack of organizational support and preparedness, inadequate workplace safety, and restricted access to supplies and resources. MENTAL HEALTH SELF-REPORTS

47% post-traumatic stress disorder

WARNING : DON’T USE EMPLOYER’S EMAIL Please do not use your work email address to send or receive information relating to union business. Communication through your employer’s email is not confidential. You may not be able to access your work email when you need to, for example during job action, and employees are sometimes disciplined for their use of employer email. Make sure your personal email address is on file by sending a note to BCNU at membership@bcnu.org.

NUMBERS THAT MATTER

COMPWORKERS’ ENSAT SYSTEM ION PUTS REVIEW PEOPLE FIRST

G HAUL ’s THE LON COVID-19 ANGING LIFE-CHCan adaCES UEN ’s CONSEQlong-ter aging populat PULL-OUT

VITAL SIGNS

CORRECTION

41%

38% anxiety

60%

NO PRESSURE Terry Webber, who was interviewed in our previous issue, would like readers to know that she did not “put pressure” on Dr. Bonnie Henry, but rather cooperated with the PHO and health authorities to help ensure she and other retired members were part of the province’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

depression

high emotional exhaustion

These concerning findings mean better workplace policies and practices are urgently required to prevent and mitigate nurses’ suboptimal work conditions. Source: Havaei, F.; Ma, A.; Staempfli, S.; MacPhee, M. Nurses’ Workplace Conditions Impacting Their Mental Health during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study. Healthcare 2021, 9, 84. https://doi. org/10.3390/healthcare9010084

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

CHECK IN NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

CELEBRATING NATIONAL NURSING WEEK VIRTUALLY

ATIONAL Nursing Week is an opportunity for nurses to be recognized for the invaluable contributions they make to their communities and the collective well-being of all Canadians. However, the public health orders in place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that BCNU had to get creative when celebrating members during this year’s annual event. This National Nursing Week the union organized

virtual events from May 10-16 that focused on the well-being of our membership and to recognize the crucial role that nurses play every single day across BC. In place of the usual worksite visits and activities, BCNU arranged interactive fitness classes and several virtual presentations focusing on resilience and self-care. Nursing Week kicked-off with a presentation from Canadian author, mental health advocate, and comedian Jessica Holmes and concluded with an afternoon

SELF-CARE SERIES Clockwise: Canadian author, mental health advocate, and comedian Jessica Holmes, Bhangra dancer Gurdeep Pandher, CMHA BC Division CEO Jonathan Morris and Master Li Rong.

Bhangra dance lesson with Yukon’s Gurdeep Pandher, who shared his positive outlook and enthusiasm. Visit the BCNU Member Portal to read some of the speakers’ support materials.

EVENTS AROUND BC

Many BCNU regional executives found creative ways to acknowledge nurses in their regions by holding online gift draws and providing coffee and muffin coupons for members to redeem at their facilities.

STUDENT NURSES: FUTURE MEMBERS PROGRAM MAKES ONLINE DEBUT BCNU HOSTED AN INAUGURAL VIRTUAL SESSION OF STUDENT NURSES: FUTURE Members on May 10, just in time for National Nursing Week. More than 50 students and educators from around the province joined in to learn about BCNU and how the union can support them. The presentation, led by North West region council member and student member Council liaison Teri Forster, focused on the benefits and opportunities for student nurses to become involved with BCNU by applying for a free student membership. Congrats to Jade Gudmundson of Terrace, a second-year BSN student from Coast Mountain College, for picking up an iPad just for attending. All participants of the session were entered into the random draw to win. Watch for another session this fall – and check for other events that BCNU student members can attend – on BCNU’s event calendar.

SUMMER/FALL 2021 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

South Islands region council members Leanne Robertson-Weeds and Lynnda Smith appreciate the trying conditions members have been working under, especially considering nurses were already stretched before the pandemic. “We really miss in-person opportunities to connect to members,” says Robertson-Weeds. “Our South Islands executive team secured dozens of lovely gifts from our local community as one way to show our appreciation to our region’s nurses.” “Every single member was entered into a random draw for prizes,” Smith reports. “One winner from Saanich Health Unit said she was delighted to win her prize and grateful to be recognized and valued as a nurse,” she adds, noting that winners picked up gifts with social distancing guidelines in place.

MEMBERS SPONSORED TO ATTEND VIRTUAL ICN CONGRESS 2021

During this year’s National Nursing Week, BCNU invited members to submit an expression of interest appli-

PHOTO: CHRISTIAN KUNTZ

BCNU DAY 2021

cation to attend the virtual International Council of Nurses Congress 2021, titled “Nursing Around the World” and being held November 2-4. This year, 40 members were selected in honour of BCNU’s 40th anniversary. Several student and Indigenous members were also sponsored to attend.

could see the immense global influence of nurses. If my small unit of nurses could be so impactful, think of how powerful an international congregation of nurses could be. Attending this Congress, I hope to be re-inspired as to why I chose nursing in the first place. Jonas Kwok Vancouver Metro region

Congratulations to the following members who were selected to attend: Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali, Adriana Barrett, Alison Stockbrocks, Anita Dickson, Bridget Marcellus (student) Thank you so much for Caitlin Campbell, Catherine the great news! It is such Chan, Christie Bert, Christina an honour to be selected. I (Chris) Chernick, Christy was inspired to apply for the Leung, Cynthia Milner, ICN 2021 because I believe Darlene Paisley, Doris Bohl, that nurses have the greatDresya Davis (student), est opportunity to improve Eugenia Diogo, Gina health both in our individual Neumann, Gurvir Sekhon, health authorities and across Hannah Sutherland (student), the world. I look forward to Iana Korina, Jeanette Ryujin, broadening my public and Jenna Ballantine, Jennifer global health knowledge Griffiths, Jennifer Samonte, during this Congress and to Jonas Kwok, Kay McPhee connecting with the trust(student), Kelley Charters, worthy experts that make up Kiranjit Sandhu, Lily Osekre, the profession of nurses to Maria Agpaoa (student), improve health outcomes and Megan Branch (student), resilience. Melody Pan, Michelle Danda, Mitchelle Iarah Torres, Nicole Nikita Paddock Ong, Nikita Paddock, Noey Pacific Rim region Mkwananzi, Noreen Lerch, Oh Baek, Olympia Dela Rosa, I was drawn to apply for the Rachael Kampen, Raina Sidhu, 2021 ICN Congress because Sandra Dessau, Shawnda throughout my nursing Martin, Sherry Roberge, career, and especially working Stephanie Spinney, Su Kang, through the pandemic, I and Sukhi Jagpal. •

Members celebrate 40 years EVERY YEAR ON JUNE 11 nurses across BC celebrate BCNU Day. The event marks the union’s founding in 1981, when a group of some 200 nurses gathered at the Empress Hotel in Victoria for BCNU’s first annual convention. During this 40th anniversary year, the union marked the occasion by acknowledging the achievements of BC nurses while reminding members of our proud history. For 40 years, our organization has been committed to advancing and protecting the health, safety, social and economic well-being of our members, our communities, and our profession. From June 1-11, members were invited to participate in the BCNU Day quiz. For the anniversary year, quiz questions celebrated decades of union advocacy and history and the work of stewards and union activists. The BCNU Day quiz prize offering was expanded to allow for one prize to be awarded in each region. And to help members prioritize their own health and wellness, the prize was an Apple Watch, which features the ability to measure blood oxygen, heart rhythm and track daily activity, including sleep patterns. In honouring this significant 40-year milestone,

BCNU reminds members of the BC Nurses’ Union Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation. Established in 2020 during the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, the fund supports learning opportunities for student nurses, professional development for members, and the work of BC organizations addressing social inequity in our communities. • The 16 lucky winners are: Central Vancouver: Sheila Wong Coastal Mountain: Jamie Schumacher East Kootenay: Lynden Lehman Fraser Valley: Mark Schroeder North East: Sarah Gill North West: Patricia Seinen-ellis Okanagan Similkameen: Phyllis Klassen Pacific Rim: Paul Manhas Richmond Vancouver: Jennifer Nelson Shaughnessy Heights: Gail Beach Simon Fraser: Cynthia Krahn South Fraser Valley: Ellen Galang South Islands: Linus Scott Thompson North Okanagan: Jennifer Turner Vancouver Metro: Kathryn Chisholm West Kootenay: Alexis Ingham Please consider helping mark BCNU’s 40th year with a donation to the fund. To learn more, visit the BCNU page on the Vancouver Foundation website at: vancouverfoundation. ca/bcnursesunion

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

CHECK IN NEWS FROM AROUND THE PROVINCE

COLLEGE FEES

REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS STREAMLINED

OR A SECOND consecutive year, BCNU members covered by the 2019-2022 Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial collective agreement did not have to bear the full cost of their college registration fees. The union successfully negotiated a partial reimbursement

during the last round of bargaining. The reimbursement is solely funded by health employers while the union administers payment to members. “This contract improvement was especially important this year given the strain of the pandemic on families and rising registration and insurance fees,” says BCNU Treasurer Sharon Sponton. Between March 1 and June 30 eligible members were able to apply for a $215 reimbursement of their 2021/2022 college registration fees. The union received over 37,900 applications and processed more than $8 million in funds for members. BCNU began its efforts to improve processes and efficiencies for 2021 during QUICK AND EASY Over 6,000 members the first year of took advantage of BCNU’s new college fee reimbursements reimbursement process within 24 hours of its opening. in 2020 when

SUMMER/FALL 2021 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

the union reached out to the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) to secure an information sharing agreement which would streamline the application process for members who applied in the first year. This agreement gave members the option to provide consent for BCCNM to share their licence renewal confirmation with BCNU. Members who consented and applied in the first year had their 2021 application form streamlined and were not required to submit a copy of their renewal receipt when they applied. “Our goal was to make it as easy and quick as possible for members to apply for reimbursement,” explains Sponton. Some 6,580 forms were submitted within the first 24 hours of opening – triple the number of submissions in 2020. Over three-quarters of members who applied for reimbursement were able to speed up their application process using the streamlined form. The streamlined process also meant staff could process reimbursement payouts more efficiently, which resulted in members receiving their reimbursement funds sooner. This year BCNU was able to reimburse over $3.66 million to more than 17,000 members in the first 10 business days – six times the amount distrib-

uted last year over the same period. Members that were required to submit renewal receipts with their application also saw a reduction in processing times.

“Our goal was to make it as easy and quick as possible for members to apply for reimbursement.” BCNU treasurer Sharon Sponton

The success of the streamlined process was made possible by the cooperation of thousands of members who consented to sharing their college renewal information with BCNU, as well as the leveraging of new webform technologies and using direct deposit as the only method of reimbursement. The improved application process also decreased the risk of financial fraud. Sponton says BCNU recognizes the significant impact that rising college fees and related insurance costs are having on members. “We’ll continue to oppose unnecessary fee increases and explore longer-term solutions to reduce fees and insurance costs for nurses.” •

MEMBER EDUCATION

BEST PRACTICES COVID-19 pandemic restrictions speed BCNU’s transition to blended learning

N JANUARY OF 2020, the media began reporting about people falling seriously ill in Wuhan, China in a spate of pneumonia-like cases. Less than two months later, the world was engulfed in a health-care crisis with daily COVID-19 case counts and deaths rising at an alarming rate. Change occurred rapidly: restaurants, salons and gyms closed, children were pulled from schools and non-essential workers, including BCNU’s almost 200 staff members, began working from home. Mandated social distancing restrictions also meant the business of learning began to change. BCNU’s transition to blended learning was already underway before the pandemic, so the public-health crisis served to hasten the switch. Blended learning is an approach to education that combines online materials (“asynchronous” or independent and self-paced), with more traditional place-based live (“synchronous” or instructor-led) classroom procedures. In-person classroom exercises are often combined with computer-based activities for improved content and delivery. Self-paced resources are used for conveying informa-

WINDOW TO KNOWLEDGE BCNU’s approach to education promotes learning in a variety of ways.

tion, while live sessions are even from remote and rural blended learning modules used for practice, role play, locations, and at times that to over 250 attendees with discussion and questions. best suit their schedules. more to come throughout the BCNU’s main asynchroBCNU North West region year. nous resource – the Steward council member Teri Forster As public-health restricResource Toolkit, (SRT) – says “I appreciate how tions in BC continue to ease, was launched in early 2020. the BCNU’s movement to BCNU is now exploring The SRT is a mix of PDF blended learning opportuni- learning options that work documents and asynchroties utilizes best practices for best for various types of nous online modules (AOMs) adult learners.” post-pandemic education that are accessible on-de“This helps promote learn- and will select a learning mand to all BCNU members. ing in a variety of ways to management system (LMS) AOMs are stand-alone, web- allow the best experience for to streamline and improve based modules that learners each person. It also means access to online learning. can engage with at their we can offer high quality BCNU educators will track own pace and on their own education to more members.” learner progress after the schedule. BCNU’s synchronous new LMS is in place to “The SRT is one of many training mainly takes place see where more attention essential resources for learn- through live course sessions is needed. This will allow ers to advance their knowlheld online, and in ongoing educators to best meet the edge,” says BCNU president skills labs for stewards. To training needs of all BCNU Christine Sorensen. “I’m date, the union has delivered members. • proud of the work we’ve done to build educational THE BENEFITS OF BLENDED LEARNING capacity for our stew• Learners have increased control over pace and scheduling, which increases ards and their efficiency and decreases frustration. non-steward • Learners can retain what they have learned with repeated exposure to information members over time as opposed to receiving all the information in one day. alike.” • Online resources are available to all members at all times, with more Feedback opportunity for in-the-moment and remote learning. on the • Centralized, web-based resources help keep materials current and up to date. current • Live participation can focus on deeper learning. education • Travel costs are reduced costs with fewer in-person education events. offerings has • Online materials improve accessibility with use of captioning and visual aids. been positive, • Members become part of a community that supports technology-assisted with learners training, and this community builds steward engagement and retention. commenting on the ability Visit BCNU’s online event calendar at www.bcnu.org to find the most up-toto access date educational offerings. materials

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

KEEPING THE SPOTLIGHT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

call, she is proud to report that BCNU is enhancing its member personal resilience and mental wellness supports. “This year, the union partnered with renowned somatic educators Anita Chari and Angelica Singh to create new personal resiliency resources for BCNU members New resiliency webinars and online course and staff titled Embodying Your Practice,” help members manage the stress and she says. trauma in today’s health-care workplace Embodying Your Practice is designed to bring relief from the overwhelm by giving HE NURSING PROFESSION “The truth is, nurses are human beings program participants effective tools and is a demanding one, with like anyone else and in these past 19 protocols to settle their nervous systems. no shortage of physical months we’ve all heard their cries for These tools can immediately be incorpoand psychological hazards. help!” she says. “Our nurses are exhausted, rated into nurses’ daily lives, whether on BCNU members are exposed and when working conditions don’t allow their way to work, at home, while orgato trauma, violence and patient sufferthem to provide safe patient care and nizing charts on a shift, or getting ready to ing on a daily basis. Today’s health-care meet their professional standards, they leave work at the end of the day. workplace is especially challenging experience moral distress and trauma The program was launched in June with given the demands that come from that’s affecting their physical and mental a series of webinars that saw members providing care during an opioid crisis, a wellbeing.” examine principles of nervous system global pandemic, in extreme heat, amid Herrera says nurses are tired of not regulation, trauma-informed practice, and wildfires, and in crowded facilities with being recognized in a meaningful way – equity and inclusion work to help them challenging staffing levels. and this has to change. cultivate personal resilience (see sidebar). These factors and others can impact “Many nurses have stated they are Embodying Your Practice continues employee psychological health and seeking safe work environments that meet in August and through August 2022 safety at work and result in psychologtheir physical and psychological needs,” with an on-demand personal resiliency ical injury. And yet nurses and other she reports. “They want real solutions to course, Introduction to Embodying Your health-care workers generously dedthe staffing crisis, such as safe nurse staff- Practice, that refines the skills taught in icate their time to providing care and ing levels, more and easy access to mental the webinars. Open to all BCNU members, giving their emotional energy to others, health supports, and better and simplified the on-demand course helps participants sometimes at the expense of their own reporting systems that don’t add on to settle their nervous systems by recognizphysical and mental wellbeing. their psychological injury and trauma.” ing and navigating feelings of overwhelm, Meanwhile, the stressors on the Herrera says the members she’s spoken to trauma, and burnout. It also assists the health-care system continue to grow. are feeling a need to replenish their personal practice of nervous system regulation by BCNU’s executive councillor for emotional energy and a need for improved helping to build and sustain feelings of health and safety Aida Herrera knows work-life balance. And in response to this calm, even in the midst of the challenges that nurses need more support. nurses are facing today. “We’ve seen the public marvel at the This fall, BCNU member leaders (such strength, perseverance and dedication as regional occupational health and safety of BCNU members, and that gives us representatives, mental health represenstrength,” she says. “Even though we tatives, enhanced disability employee appreciate the praise and kind gestures representatives, full-time stewards, and from the public and the government, stewards-at-large) will be encouraged to and the banging of pots and pans, we participate in Foundations of Embodying need to recognize that nurses are not Your Practice, a blended learning curricusuperheroes, and they’re not made of lum that strengthens personal resiliency BCNU executive councillor Aida Herrera steel,” she stresses. practices and explores co-regulation and

“Members are feeling a need to replenish their personal emotional energy.”

SUMMER/FALL 2021 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

Resiliency Education for Members MEMBER RESOURCE PERSONAL RESILIENCE WEBINARS

PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY BCNU’s new personal resiliency education program is designed to provide participants with effective tools and protocols to settle their nervous systems.

nervous system practices in community. Additionally, participants will deepen their awareness of BCNU’s personal resiliency resources and build skills to help members navigate the resources and supports available to them.

A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Supporting personal resilience and mental wellness are critical for preventing the overwhelm and burnout that comes from exposure to stress and trauma. But systemic factors in the workplace that impact psychological safety and mental wellbeing also require continual improvement and attention. BCNU remains committed to building a systems approach to psychological health and safety in the workplace. That means ensuring health employers implement the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace that was negotiated into the Nurses’ Bargaining Association collective agreement, and which outlines 13 foundational elements to building a psychologically safe environment. Systemic change takes time, however, and progress has been slow on the provincial committee that was formed in 2017 to understand the state of psychological health and safety (PHS) in BC health care. Part of this work involves the promotion and use of Guarding Minds at Work, a comprehensive assessment tool to understand the current state of PHS in the workplace. “Employers must promote staff partic-

ipation in the Guarding Minds at Work survey, communicate how the analyzed data will be reported back to employees and outline the steps the organization will take in the implementation process,” explains Herrera, adding that survey results are to be shared and action planning should occur at the provincial and local levels to strengthen workplace PHS. Herrera stresses that local initiatives should be consultative and invite worker participation as the workplace organization strives to continuously improve PHS through the prevention of psychological harm, the promotion of workplace wellness, and resolving hazards that have the potential to impact employees’ psychological safety. She notes that the continuous improvement cycles of “Plan – Do – Check – Act” are at their best when they include representatives from all areas in the workplace and reports that BCNU is offering education on the National Standard on PHS to prepare members for employer engagement activities and consultations. “We recognize systemic change is slow and that incidents impacting member physical and psychological safety still occur regularly,” says Herrera. “But BCNU is committed to responding to member queries and will continue to work with regional mental health representatives to build psychological health and safety awareness and supports.” Watch for more information on psychological safety and mental wellness in BCNU’s twice-weekly eNews and ahead of World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2021. •

BCNU LAUNCHED ITS NEW personal resiliency education program in June with a series of webinars that saw members examine principles of nervous system regulation, traumainformed practice, and equity and inclusion work to help them cultivate personal resilience. View webinar recordings on the BCNU Member Portal. Nurturing Ourselves is the Foundation of Resiliency Learn foundation of selfnourishment for improving your life at a holistic, embodied level, Nervous system practices and to build resiliency both personally and professionally. Skills of Resiliency for Keeping a Daily Calm Learn practical skills for settling your nervous system at a deep level and keeping calm in the midst of daily stresses, at home and in the workplace. How Intergenerational and Racialized Trauma Impact Your Nervous System Learn about how historical, intergenerational and racialized trauma are held in the body, and how to work with these forms of trauma personally as well as when they arise in the workplace. Skills of Support for Nervous System Regulation and Destressing Learn practical tools for navigating daily transitions to orient you throughout the day.

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

COVID-19

A DISASTER IN THE MAKING A public health crisis, heatwaves, wildfires and a staffing shortage push BC’s nurses to the breaking point

HE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has been the largest public health event since the 1918 influenza pandemic, with an estimated 200 million infections and four million deaths to date – and BC’s nurses have all stepped forward to respond to this crisis. Individually and collectively, they have prioritized their patients’ care, worked without full staffing complements and sacrificed time with their families and loved ones. Scholars define a disaster as an event or series of events that has a significant negative impact on a population. There is no question that, for the past 18 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a disaster. Even with the selfless

response of nurses and other health-care workers, the public health crisis has pushed our health system to its capacity and beyond. Health employers have delayed procedures, reassessed care priorities and taken dramatic steps to control levels of disease spread throughout the province. All of this has caused significant and negative system impacts. Unfortunately, this summer has introduced further negative impacts that also meet the measure of disasters. COVID-19 continues to spread with the emergence of highly virulent variants. At the same time, BC has been hit with severe heat waves and devastating wildfire activity. These events have directly impacted health-care services and the nurses that provide them. Fortunately, for British Columbians, nurses have responded to these events with the same dedication they’ve shown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During the June heatwave, nurses in acute care sites across the province cared for many patients suffering from heat-related conditions while they themselves endured extreme temperatures in the workplace. As wildfire smoke filled the skies, community nurses continued to provide home care despite exposing themselves

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to extremely poor air quality. And when wildfires encroached on BC communities, nurses working in longterm care were among the first to act by providing residents with emergency evacuation assistance. “Nurses have been – and continue to be – both care providers and emergency response professionals, but they are growing fatigued,” warns BCNU vice president Aman Grewal. “The exhaustion brought on by the constant demand to respond while dealing with a lack of systematic supports is forcing too many nurses to make hard choices about remaining in a profession they love.” Grewal says staffing levels are in crisis and the health-care system cannot afford to lose one more nurse. “Urgent change and support is desperately needed, and the provincial government and health system leaders must address staffing with the same dedication, urgency, creativity and compassion shown by nurses as they face disaster after disaster,” she states. Aida Herrera is BCNU executive councillor for health and safety. She says it’s essential that everything be done to ensure safe staffing levels in all facilities. And while she acknowledges there is no easy or simple fix for this issue, she encourages all members to help in identifying the problems nurses currently face. “Report unsafe staffing levels every time you believe they are present, and if you work for a health authority, fill out the Patient Care Assessment Process tool if you feel that you’re working short,” she says. “If you feel your patient care is suffering, file a Patient Safety Learning System report. And if you’re injured, whether physically or psychologically, call the Workplace Health Call Centre,” she adds, noting

NURSES’ BARGAINING ASSOCIATION

“Too many nurses are forced to make hard choices about remaining in a profession they love.” BCNU vice president Aman Grewal

that members who don’t work for a health authority or who aren’t sure what to do can speak directly to their BCNU steward for advice on next steps. Nurses telling their stories, formally and in writing, matters. When they do, it makes what we all know undeniable: nurses are working short and this compromises the provision of patient care. “We understand the reporting and documentation process can be challenging,” says Herrera, “and BCNU is committed to supporting members with reporting and will continue to advocate to improve the reporting processes.” Grewal believes there is no shortage of creative solutions to attract, educate and retain nurses. But reversing the staffing crisis also requires health employers that are willing to listen and work in genuine partnership with nurse leaders and patient care advocates. “BCNU is calling on the government to address staffing levels as the emergency it is, and work with us to take bold actions to stop it from getting worse,” she says. “If they don’t, the government will face a healthcare disaster of its own making.” •

ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES Bargaining consultation process kicks off with membership-wide bargaining survey

HE CURRENT NURSES’ Bargaining Association (NBA) collective agreement expires March 31, 2022 and the opportunity for members to have their voices heard is now. This June BCNU partnered with Mustel Group, a BC-based market research company to conduct a membership-wide survey to solicit nurses’ input on a number of key issues, including health and safety, wages and staffing constraints. NBA members provided their input over a six-week period, and more that 14,000 responses were submitted. The survey is an important preliminary step in the provincial bargaining process and allows nurses to shape the direction and priorities that will help determine the outcome of negotiations between the union and health employers. In addition to the member survey, regional bargaining strategy conferences will get underway this fall. These meetings allow members to come together and further discuss opportunities for contract language improvements that best reflect what nurses need now. Meanwhile, BCNU will continue to turn up the heat on government by calling on the public to support nurses and email their local MLAs to demand that the government make the nursing shortage a priority. Public polling conducted this June shows that more than 85 percent of British Columbians recognize the nursing shortage is a problem that government needs to address. The final results of the provincial bargaining survey will be presented in full at the union’s provincial bargaining strategy conference planned for early

2022. Conference attendees will also elect BCNU’s provincial bargaining committee and job action committee. Led by BCNU CEO and lead negotiator, Cody Hedman, the bargaining committee is made up of member-representatives from all health-care sectors (large and small-sized worksites) including long-term care, acute care and community/public health care. Members wishing to represent their region at the provincial bargaining strategy conference are encouraged to first attend their region’s bargaining strategy conference. •

FALL REGIONAL BARGAINING STRATEGY CONFERENCES Get involved! Input will be gathered at regional meetings across the province. East Kootenay 21 Sept West Kootenay 23 Sept North West 6 Oct Vancouver Metro 12 Oct Coastal Mountain 13 Oct North East 20 Oct Okanagan Similkameen 2 Nov Thompson North Okanagan 4 Nov Simon Fraser 9 Nov Shaughnessy Heights 10 Nov Pacific Rim 16 Nov South Islands 18 Nov Central Vancouver 23 Nov South Fraser Valley 25 Nov Richmond Vancouver 26 Nov Fraser Valley 30 Nov Visit the BCNU events calendar for more details on the time and location of the meeting in your region.

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

GUIDING LIGHTS BCNU ACTIVIST PROFILE

UBEN DE OCAMPO describes himself as wearing many hats in his day-to-day life. The LPN works full-time in the medicine unit at Langley Memorial Hospital. He’s also a union steward, the BCNU South Fraser Valley region mental health representative and a joint occupational health and safety (JOHS) committee representative at the worksite. This summer De Ocampo was also covering the BCNU full-time steward position at the hospital. “I’m reading the collective agreement more because of the questions that come in,” he says. “It helps you understand yourself as well.”

De Ocampo became involved with the union when questions arose after an incident at work. He approached the BCNU South Fraser Valley region council member who told him to drop into a regional meeting. At the meeting De Ocampo learned that Langley needed more stewards. As a steward, De Ocampo has become familiar with many issues, such as working short, the challenges of rotation changes, and the community side of nursing, which he says is different from the hospital where he works. De Ocampo took over as his region’s mental health representative when a member went on maternity leave. “You do learn more about what other regions are doing,” he says of the position, adding

that with COVID, it’s important to be able to share what resources are available. In his role, De Ocampo works closely with BCNU’s Occupational Health and Safety department. That experience has also helped him in his JOHS committee role. He joined the committee after the existing representative went on sick leave. While he has gained knowledge about advocacy for nurses in various roles, De Ocampo says it’s important for all members to know their collective agreement. “It’s not my book, it’s our book,” he said. • You can connect with Ruben De Ocampo at rubendeocampo@bcnu.org

10 QUESTIONS WITH RUBEN DE OCAMPO What is one word you would use to describe yourself? Positive. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? Probably nothing. This is my path. I’ve got to follow it as it was given to me. What is one thing about you that people would be surprised to learn? I wasn’t always a nurse. I was in engineering before. Where did you go on your last vacation? Pre-COVID, it was a European tour. London to Milan, Venice, Frankfurt, then back home. With COVID, after the province opened up a bit last year, we went to Osoyoos, Kelowna, and Revelstoke. Name one place in the world you’d most like to visit. Portugal or Spain. What was the last good thing you read? The BC Nurses’ Union collective agreement.

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What was the best piece of career advice you’ve received? When the dot-com tech sector crashed in 2001, I was told to go into nursing. What do you like most about being a nurse? I’m an extrovert so I work well with people. I seem to connect well with my colleagues and have good interactions with patients. What do you like least about being a nurse? When it gets “down and dirty.” And when you’re working short, the feeling of being overworked and underpaid. Name one change you would like to make to the health system. Fix the overwork and underpaid feeling. When you’re satisfied, then you can retain more nurses.

2019 MEMBER COMMUNICATION SURVEY WE’VE BEEN LISTENING TO YOU

HETHER IT’S eNews, the website, Update Magazine or social media channels, BCNU does its best to keep members informed and engaged. The union’s communications efforts are designed to provide members with the information they need to feel engaged and empowered. We use a variety of communication channels to help keep members up to date on the work BCNU is doing on behalf of all nurses, and of the resources and

METHODOLOGY The survey was conducted online and responses were gathered from more than 2,000 BCNU members. • Eligible respondents: RN, RPN and LPN members of BCNU, currently working and on-leave • Field dates: Jan. 28 – Feb. 21, 2021 • Proportionate sampling across BCNU regions and data weighted to match BCNU regions • Margin of sampling error at a 95% level of confidence (or 19 times out of 20) • Total n=2,207+/-2.1%

opportunities their union provides. Earlier this year, we commissioned the Mustel Group – a BC-based independent professional market and opinion research firm – to survey a cross-section of BCNU members to find out more about their communications needs. We want to know which sources of information are important to you and what kinds of technology you use to access it. Our goal is to make sure that BCNU communications are focused, relevant, and reflect the needs and interests of our members. We asked

members questions about which BCNU information channels they use, how often they access them and what they like or dislike about them. The results of this survey were compared against the results of previous communications surveys conducted in 2013, 15, 18 and 19. Consistent polling reflects our desire to always do better, build trust, and demonstrate to all members that they are being listened to and represented.

INFORMATION CHANNELS Overall, members’ increased use of digital communications as their main source of information about BCNU activities has continued since we began polling in 2011. Most members continue to say that emailed bulletins (eNews) are their main source of information about BCNU activities, followed by the BCNU website, Update Magazine, BCNU stewards, co-workers, BCNU bulletin boards and social media. What is your main source of information about the activities that BCNU is involved in on your behalf ?

64%

eNews/Bulletins BCNU website Update Magazine BCNU stewards Co-workers Workplace bulletin boards Social media

4% 4% 2% 3% <1% 2%

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MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY

WEBSITE ACCESS Most members continue to rely on the BCNU website for information, with most visiting the site every few months. Satisfaction with the website has regained strength following a significant drop in 2019, when members reported difficulty finding what they were looking for or accessing the website with a mobile device. The large majority of website visitors are now registered to access the BCNU member portal – up significantly from previous years. Have you ever visited the BCNU website?

How often do you visit the BCNU website?

Weekly or more

95%

14%

At least once a month

Yes

5% 37% 39%

Every few months

(3–11 times/year)

1–2 times/year Only during bargaining Overall, how would you rate your experience with the BCNU website?

Very satisfied

18%

Not very satisfied Not at all satisfied

Are you registered to access the member portal?

Satisfied

88%

70%

Yes

12% No

ELECTRONIC MAIL The number of members saying they currently receive BCNU eNews has increased significantly since 2013. This channel is now the most important way members received information. Members who receive eNews also report reading them more frequently, and the majority of those feel that fewer than five emails per month is reasonable. Do you currently receive BCNU electronic news/bulletins by email?

What is a reasonable number of union news emails to receive in a month?

76%

93% Yes

21%

5–9

7% No

>10

How frequently do you read them?

51%

Almost every time

34%

Almost half the time

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13%

Less than half the time

Never

UPDATE MAGAZINE More than eight-in-ten members currently report read Update Magazine. Most preferring to read it in print and are happy with its current size and frequency. How do you prefer to read Update Magazine?

Update Magazine contains news stories and feature articles on priority issues facing members. Would you prefer:

38%

In print

A longer magazine

28%

Online

A shorter magazine

19% 15%

Both in print/online Neither

Update Magazine is published four times per year. How would you prefer to receive it?

5% 15% 80%

The current size is fine

Receive it more frequently

29%

Receive fewer issues

62%

Keep receiving 4 issues a year

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

SOCIAL MEDIA USE

A growing number of members say they would sign up to receiving text messages from BCNU and some two-thirds saying they would be interested in downloading a BCNU mobile app if it were developed.

The popularity of social media sites among BCNU members remains largely unchanged since 2019. Facebook is slightly less popular than it was in the past, but the use of several other platforms, such as Instagram, has increased. Most survey respondents describe themselves as moderate social media users.

If BCNU developed text messaging as a communication method, would you sign up for it?

Which, if any, social networking sites do you currently use?

58% Yes

42% No

If BCNU developed a mobile app as a communication method, would you download it?

67% Yes

33% No

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

76%

51%

44%

None

Twitter

Other

11%

13%

12%

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

VIRTUAL PLATFORM Over 400 convention delegates came together this summer via their home computers to conduct the business of the union and hear from elected leaders. The new technology presented challenges for many and is not a replacement for in-person meetings.

CONVENTION 2021

COMING TOGETHER IN TRYING TIMES Members gather for BCNU’s first online virtual convention

UNDREDS OF NURSE activists from around the province came together this June for BCNU’s 39th annual convention. For the first time, the event took place online. Instead of the usual in-person podium address, opening day saw BCNU president Christine Sorensen welcome delegates from her home office in Kamloops, where she acknowledged the unceded land of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation from where she was calling. Sorensen remarked on the devastating discovery of a mass burial site

of children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. “As a Métis woman of Cree and European ancestry from the Red River Valley, I’m acutely aware of the legacy of the residential school that stands in the middle of my city,” she said. “The tragic news of the remains of 215 children discovered on these grounds, reminds us all of the painful legacy of Canada’s residential schools and of the large number of Indigenous children lost forever to their families as a result.”

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Sorensen called the meeting officially to order after delegates held a moment of silence to reflect upon the lives and deaths of the children. Last year’s convention was cancelled due to COVID-19. Sorensen remarked that no one could have foreseen just how deeply the pandemic would affect members’ personal and professional lives and expressed gratitude to be able to convene again – albeit in a virtual online format. She noted the World Health Organization’s declaration of 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife and said the irony of that declaration, and the premonition of the critical role that nurses would play in caring for the victims of COVID, would not be lost in history. Sorensen also reminded attendees of that other historic public health emergency – the opioid crisis – that has still not received the attention it deserves while COVID remains at the

forefront of the news media, and she acknowledged the health-care workers who have continued to struggle with the impact of a crisis that has gone on for over five years. Sorensen acknowledged the December 2020 report from Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, which shone a light on anti-Indigenous racism in BC’s health-care system and underscored the desperate need for radical change. “The effects of two public health emergencies along with growing incidents of racism have taken an immense toll on so many of us,” Sorensen acknowledged. She thanked nurses for their unwavering courage and resiliency in troubled times, for showing up for their patients, no matter how sick, and for reassuring those sad and alone. “Each life that you preserve is an irreplaceable treasure,” she stated. She also explained how this year’s convention theme, “Resilient Together,” is significant for her. “Nurses working under extreme pressure have strategized on how to deliver health care to vulnerable populations and advocate for health system reform,” she said. “We have adapted our learning and

We have adapted our learning and support systems to meet our needs and those of our patients.” BCNU President Christine Sorensen

support systems to meet our needs and those of our patients. For me, the nurse simply is resilient.” Sorensen addressed the impact of the pandemic on nurses’ mental health and announced that BCNU is launching a number of mental health initiatives for members this year. “BCNU wants members to know they are cared for and will be supported by their union through new resiliency education options that are trauma informed and mindful of our diverse histories. This is BCNU taking action for our members,” she said. Sorensen concluded her remarks by acknowledging that, despite the hopelessness the pandemic has brought, it’s imperative that health-care professionals bear witness to the impact that both public health crises have had on nurses and patients, and to recognize the harmful effects of systemic racism.

CEO WELCOMED OPENING DAY BCNU President Christine Sorensen welcomes delegates to the union’s 39th annual convention, the first ever in an entirely virtual format.

negotiating hundreds of collective agreements in both the public and private sectors. He told delegates that he knew from a young age that he wanted to be a leader by making life better for others. He credits his parents with instilling in him the importance of education, a strong work ethic and respect.

Day one of convention also saw the introduction of BCNU’s new chief executive officer Cody Hedman. A seasoned negotiator, Hedman comes to the BCNU with years of experience

CEO WELCOMED Newly hired CEO Cody Hedman provides delegates with a bit of personal background, his history of union negotiations and his hopes for the future of BCNU.

Hedman grew up on rural Vancouver Island. After graduating from law school, he articled with the United Steelworkers’ Canadian National office in Toronto and has served as council for the Ontario Nurses’ Association and CUPE. “I have been provided with a new and rewarding opportunity to put my legal and financial acumen to work for our province’s front-line nurses,” he told the assembly. Hedman shared his intention to work with members and staff to build a sustainable public health-care system that works for nurses and patients alike. “We will get there together through the negotiation and consistent enforcement of strong collective agreement

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language driven by shared values and tangible results,” he said. Hedman asked delegates to consider how their union can better serve them in the months and years ahead. “As I continue to transition into this exciting new role, I want to hear from you – what has worked well in the past and what you believe could be improved upon for the future.”

VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Delegates also welcomed BCNU Vice President and provincial lobby coordinator Aman Grewal on opening day. Grewal reported that when BCNU’s regional lobby coordinators were prohibited from visiting worksites in person, they quickly began holding drop-in Zoom sessions where members could ask questions or share worksite concerns. They took members’ concerns to elected officials at all levels of government and advocated for major policy changes, including the promotion of universal national pharmacare and putting pressure on the federal and provincial governments to establish national standards for long-term care. “Our members caring for seniors deserve to have better working conditions and safe staffing levels so they can provide the standard of care deserved by our seniors,” Grewal commented. “Levels of care for our seniors have been unacceptable. We need to have RNs in all long-term care facilities working 24-7 alongside our LPNs.” Grewal thanked members for their continued activism and encouraged them to get acquainted with their regional lobby coordinators. “BCNU lobby coordinators are ready for action!” she remarked. She reminded delegates of BCNU’s human rights and equity caucuses, and the importance of safe and welcoming spaces for members to discuss

I want to hear from you – what has worked well in the past and what you believe could be improved upon for the future.”

LOBBY REPORT Vice President Aman Grewal reports on the important work of BCNU’s activists during a global pandemic.

BCNU CEO Cody Hedman

issues and challenges they face both in the union and the workplace. “Looking back, we can say, with some measure of certainty, that BCNU’s human rights and equity initiatives have transformed this union and helped shape the types of conversations that we, as an organization, are able to have.” Grewal said, “There is much that remains to be done. And none of what remains to be done can be done without all of us working together as heartfelt allies, to make our union and our workplaces more just and equitable.”

RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE

Day two of convention closed with a recognition of the two recipients of the 2021 BCNU Leadership Awards. On May 21, the union awarded North East region’s Danika Serafin and Simon Fraser region’s Maria Huertas for their outstanding activism and advocacy work. The NU Leader Award went to Serafin and Huertas was honoured with the Excellence in Leadership & Advocacy Award. The NU Leader Award honours a student member or nurse with less then five years of nursing experience

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for demonstrating outstanding achievements in BCNU-focused advocacy and activism and who embodies union values. Serafin was nominated during her fourth year of nursing school at University Hospital of Northern BC. She currently works in long-term care and aspires to become an intensive care nurse. While attending school in Prince George, Serafin co-founded an outreach program known as Spare a Pair, whose purpose is to support marginalized community members. She and a fellow nursing student started the program after they came upon community members outside, barefoot, in -10°C weather. Spare a Pair is 100 percent volunteer run and donation based. The program continues to grow and is focused on the concept of people helping people. The Excellence in Leadership & Advocacy Award honours a BCNU member for outstanding contribution to the health and well-being of their community and profession through leadership, activism or social justice efforts. Huertas works in the neurological unit at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, where she was nom-

inated by her colleagues. Huertas began her BCNU activism as a steward in 2008. She has also served as Simon Fraser region’s communications secretary and is currently the region’s lobby coordinator. Outside of her advocacy work on behalf of her fellow nurses, Huertas also demonstrates BCNU values through outreach to homeless people, and recently coordinated the collection and delivery of clothing and meals to underprivileged communities in her region.

None of what remains to be done can be done without all of us working together as heartfelt allies.” BCNU Vice President Aman Grewal

Nominees are nominated by fellow BCNU members and recipients selected by the BCNU Leadership Award selection committee. “Congratulations to Danika and Maria!” said Sorensen. “Thank you to this year’s recipients and to all nominees and nominators who participated in this exciting and rewarding venture to recognize our fellow nurses who stand out.” BCNU Leadership Awards will return next year with another call for nominations of outstanding members.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Keynote speaker Meg Soper took to the virtual stage on the last day of convention and spoke to delegates about the importance of thriving in times of change. Soper combined her experience as an RN with comedic skills and a vivacious personality, offering a unique blend of humour and inspirational stories to help members meet the challenge of nursing during a pandemic. Her presentation, entitled The Secret Sauce…Thriving in Times of Change, shared a much-needed lift – and more than a few laughs – using humour and resilience to shift perspectives and help nurses adapt in times of change. Soper has come up with what she calls her “HPR sauce”: humour, passion and resilience, and firmly believes a sense of humour helps us shift our perspectives. “If you can’t laugh, you might snap in half!” she joked. Speaking to the second ingredient of the HPR sauce – passion – Soper said this is the “why” behind what we do. Passion is what drives us, it’s the thing that keeps us going when we would otherwise slow or stop in our tracks. She asked delegates to share what it is in their careers and personal lives that gets them to kick the bedsheets off every day. Members responded enthusiastically with a variety of passions and Soper rattled them off as fast as she could read them. The third component of Soper’s HPR sauce is resilience. She said building resiliency and maintaining a positive mindset helps us bounce back from stress that is a normal part of our lives. “Many of us have faced more adversity, more heartache and more stress in the past year than most of us

BCNU HOST REGION SUPPORTS LOCAL CHARITY WORK THROUGH FUNDRAISING EFFORTS BCNU’s THOMPSON NORTH OKANAGAN region selected BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH) as the charity of choice for this year’s convention. The union kicked off the fundraising efforts with a $5,000 donation. Convention attendees were invited to contribute online through the BC Nurses’ Union Fund held at Vancouver Foundation, with all funds going directly to the BCSTH. Post-convention, it was reported that over $12,000 was raised for the society. BCSTH Manager of Membership Services Hannah Lee says she was blown away by the generosity of BCNU member delegates and shared her gratitude with Thompson North Okanagan Regional Council Member Scott Duvall. “Sincere thanks to you, your team and your members for this generous contribution, making a difference in the lives of the women and children we serve.” The BCSTH is a member-based, provincial umbrella organization that enhances the continuum of services and strategies to prevent and end violence against women, children and youth. The organization supports Transition, Second and Third Stage Houses, Safe Homes, PEACE (formerly Children Who Witness Abuse) and Violence is Preventable programs through training, advocacy, research and resources throughout the province.

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SPEAKING UP AND SPEAKING OUT Members raise their voice for change THE RALLIES THAT ARE HELD DURING BCNU’s conventions are always a major highlight of the annual event. This year, delegates participated in a different kind of group action, by kicking off the union’s Speak Up and Speak Out campaign and sending personalized messages to the provincial government. Delegates used the BCNU website to email their MLAs and outline how the state of health care is impacting nurses and the patients they care for. Together, they helped amplify the work of BCNU’s regional lobby coordinators that’s already underway to demand change from the government when it comes to the quality, safe patient care all British Columbians deserve. Delegates also created their own posters and shared them on social media

during Convention week, tagging or mentioning key members of government including Premier John Horgan, Health Minister Adrian Dix, Opposition Leader Shirley Bond and Health Critic Renee Merrifield. From the staggering nursing shortage felt in every corner of the province, to the looming and ongoing violence in health care, convention delegates led the charge initiating a campaign to motivate all members to use their voice to speak up and speak out. New grads shared experiences of being inundated with tasks and overwhelmed by workload while seasoned nurses relayed the impact of the staffing shortage, from moral distress and burnout to retiring from nursing altogether. Together, they said, “we are drowning with no end in sight!” •

RESPECT OUR VOICE! Convention delegates used social media to make nurses’ voices heard and helped kick off the union’s Speak Up and Speak Out campaign.

TAKE ACTION USE YOUR MOBILE DEVICE AND JOIN THE THOUSANDS of nurses who are calling on MLAs across BC to stand up for their constituents and make health care a priority. Share your personal experience working in the current health-care system with your local MLA. A copy will be sent to the premier, health minister, leader of the official opposition, and the opposition health critic. When united around a cause, nurses are an effective voice for real change and a better public health-care system for all!

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Now, it’s your turn!

We are all in the same storm, but not in the same boat.” Meg Soper

have in our lifetime – we are all in the same storm, but not in the same boat,” Soper emphasized, “We’ve got our gloves, gowns, masks and shields to protect us on the outside,” she continued, “but I believe we are more vulnerable than ever on the inside.” When it comes to dealing with change and disruption, Soper believes the most valuable tool we have is our brain or “the CEO of our life” as she calls it, and how we manage our mental energy is a key tool in building resilience. Soper told members that humans have up to 50,000 thoughts a day. Some positive, countless negative and many repeating over and over. “Thoughts are not facts,” she stressed. “We have a choice about which ones we pay attention to.” Soper explained that our brain’s two hemispheres each have a separate set of complementary coping functions. She challenged members to find their own “hemispheric home” by striking a healthy balance of the left-brain analytical (and oftentimes self-judgmental) thinking with the right brain’s empathy and compassion. “We get stuck doing it the same way,” Soper explained. “Our relationships, our conversations, our way of driving the same route home, we just get stuck.” So how do we get unstuck, emerge from the pandemic and achieve post-traumatic growth or “#PTG” as

Soper calls it? By leaning into ourselves and leaning into each other. Bringing awareness to our emotional state helps us become more adaptable to challenging people and situations, she explained. Learning mindfulness techniques gives our brains a boost and helps us stay present in interactions. Soper challenged nurses to think about one thing that lifts them up every day and to lengthen that positive experience because, as she says, “the more we lengthen that positive experience, the longer the positive neurons are firing and when they are firing, they are re-wiring.” It is through this practice, she said, that we are training our brains to be more positive. Thanking nurses for the difference they make every day, Soper ended her lively presentation with a quote inspired by famous motivation speaker Zig Ziglar: “We need a physical check up every year, but we need to check from the neck up every day!”

BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS

Convention delegates voted on six proposed amendments as part of day two and three of convention business. Members in attendance defeated a proposed amendment to constitution Article 2 (Objectives) that would have changed Article 2.05 from “build relationships with government, employers and interested parties” to “excel regarding compensation matters and working conditions for members.” A proposal to amend wording in constitution Article 2.12 from “to advance the professional profile of nursing” to “proactively promote professional standards and to assist members in meeting their professional standards” was also defeated. Delegates also rejected a proposal to change the objective in constitution Article 2.11 from “encourage unity

LOOKING FORWARD

THE SECRET SAUCE Motivational speaker Meg Soper gave delegates much-appreciated inspirational humour, combining her background as an RN with comedic skills to share ways in which to shift perspectives.

within the nursing profession and other allied fields through communication and cooperation” to “unite all BCNU members in a democratic organization that acts on their behalf.” Proposed amendments to bylaw Article 4 (BCNU Regions) and 5 (Elections) related to candidate eligibility requirements for provincial and regional elections, and the introduction of term limits, were defeated. A proposed amendment to bylaw Article 4.03 (Eligibility) requiring steward experience to run for regional executive committee positions was defeated, as was a proposed amendment to bylaw Article 12.07 (Discipline) pertaining to the powers of the Hearing Board. Remaining proposed amendments that were not debated may be resubmitted ahead of future conventions. Resolutions that were not debated will proceed to Council for disposition. Significant technical challenges and malfunctions of the virtual convention platform were a primary reason for the delay and eventual tabling of proposed amendments and resolutions.

Sorensen closed convention on day three by calling on members to see opportunity in the adversity that’s been brought by COVID-19. “Nothing should go back to normal,” she said. “Normal wasn’t working. If we go back to the way things were, we will have lost the lesson. “But I am definitely looking forward to the day when we can all meet face to face again in units, worksites and BCNU offices,” she laughed. She thanked nurses for participating in the virtual rally activity and writing letters to their MLAs (see sidebar on page 24) calling on government to provide the resources and attention the province’s nursing shortage requires.

Together, let’s be bold. Let’s be courageous.” BCNU President Christine Sorensen

Sorensen also reminded delegates of the 40 years of union solidarity, and the activism of previous members that has brought them where they are today. “Together, let’s be bold. Let’s be courageous,” she said. “The time has come for us to leverage the lessons learned – and those that have been forced upon us during the past years – to drive positive, lasting change,” she remarked. “Let’s all learn from these experiences. We are resilient. We are together. We are the BC Nurses’ Union.” •

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HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY

INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSES

MY JOURNEY

BORN TO SOAR Jennie Arceno’s path to nursing has taken her to BC’s Interior and beyond

F YOU TRY TO VISUALIZE the arc of the journey between Jennie Arceno’s birthplace and the location of her first nursing job in Canada using a well-known map app you’ll see the following: Sorry, we could not calculate directions from “Palompon, Leyte, Philippines” to “100 Mile House, British Columbia.”

WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE Jennie Arceno is one of the many Filipino nurses who have made BC their home.

The apologetic nature of the response tells you something about the impossibility of the journey. And, indeed, it might have seemed that way to a four-months pregnant Arceno when she boarded a plane for Canada’s West Coast in 2016. “As it turned out, my student visa was approved on the day I found out I was pregnant,” Arceno notes wryly. “I spent the weeks before I left reassuring my parents that I would be okay and researching how to give birth in Canada.” So close to fulfilling her dream, postponing the voyage was never even a consideration, she says. But nursing was not a dream she had imagined pursuing when Arceno was a child. “I wanted to be a teacher because my mom was a teacher, and, anyway, I was so scared of blood,” she explains. But when her friends decided to travel to Cebu City (the first capital city of the Philippines) to take the nursing entrance exam, she decided to do the same. “There was no nurse in the family – I would be the first.” Arceno graduated as a registered nurse in 2009, first returning home to volunteer at the local hospital before returning to Cebu City. It was there, at the university hospital, that she began to hone her craft working in med./ surg., obstetrics, labour and delivery, and dialysis. As her career flourished, Arceno began to critically reflect on the

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working conditions of nurses in the Philippines. “The staffing ratios weren’t good, the wages were low, and I was frustrated with the way the hospital administrators viewed us as professionals,” she notes. Arceno began to think about leaving. “I had heard stories about Filipino nurses in Canada and how they were paid and the idea of going there began to crystallize.” Arceno arrived in Vancouver on a student visa. She then submitted an application with the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) while enrolling in an LPN review program for internationally educated nurses (IENs) at a private college. She received her advisory report from NNAS in November of 2016. Her baby was one month old. Following the report, Arceno was required to take a lab skills workshop and courses in critical thinking, leadership and jurisprudence. The next few months were a blur. “I wouldn’t have been able to manage without the support of colleagues and friends while I cared for my child, studied and completed practice hours and adjusted to life in Canada.” In February 2017 Arceno briefly returned to the Philippines with her four-month-old. It was a bittersweet journey: the sweetness of seeing her family and partner and the bitterness of leaving her baby behind. “My heart was broken,” Arceno recalls, “but I had to do this for my family.” She returned to Canada alone. There was work to be done. Arceno obtained her LPN licence in the fall of 2017. Now she needed to find a job. She remembers thinking that in order to be successful she would have to go to every health authority and apply to every small town hospital she could think of. She later received a

“My heart was broken. But I had to do this for my family.” Jennie Arceno

call from a manager at 100 Mile House District Hospital. “They said, ‘do you know where we are?’ and I had to admit that I had no idea.” Arceno travelled by Greyhound, finding an apartment across the street from the hospital. Her first day on the job was also her child’s first birthday. “I drowned myself in work,” she recalls. But Arceno grew to love the place. “It’s a small community and I was probably the only Filipino there at the beginning. You know everyone, and everyone knew my story.” Arceno’s story is one shaped by an inner strength and a clarity of vision – of a life and what it can become if you are willing to take that first step – no matter how long or impossible the journey might seem. Today, Arceno is a full-time registered nurse in Campbell River, where she lives with her partner and two children. Looking back to the day when she first departed Palompon for the west coast of Canada she can scarcely believe how far she has come. “It took more than three years, a bruised and broken heart, and over $30,000 to get my RN licence, but we are born to soar, and we have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom and resilience,” she says. “IENs are very resourceful but we need the right mentors, the right support, and a chance to prove ourselves.” •

THE COLONIAL ROOTS OF MIGRATION INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED FILIPINO NURSES ARE THE LARGEST grouping of immigrant nurses in Canada and the US, comprising a substantial part of the nursing workforce. The historical forces behind this immigration are rooted in political, financial, and cultural factors still present to this day. • In 1898, shortly after the Philippines became a US colony, the US set up nursing schools in the Philippines that taught an American curriculum in an effort to “civilize” the country. Graduates were required to demonstrate fluency in English to obtain a Philippine nursing licence. This educational system prepared Filipino nurses to work overseas. • In 1948, two years following Philippine independence, the US created the Exchange Visitor Program granting foreign professionals permission to visit the US for two years to help spread American democracy across the world and fight Soviet propaganda. Many Filipino nurses, already trained in American-style nursing, came to the US. Some who completed the exchange program would migrate to Canada instead of returning to Asia. • The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act increased the number of foreign-born nurses, including those from the Philippines, immigrating to the US to join the nursing workforce. • Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP), introduced in 1992, was created to bring internationally educated workers

to Canada to provide childcare, cleaning and home support for wealthy families. Under the guise of helping people from lowincome countries gain citizenship, it creates a pool of highly skilled, yet low-wage workers to provide well-off families with their own private nurses and home support workers. The LCP allows temporary foreign workers to apply for permanent residency in Canada after completing a 24-month live-in requirement. Approximately 90 percent of LCP caregivers are women from the Philippines and the majority of these are college-educated in nursing. • The low pay and poor working conditions experienced by nurses in countries like the Philippines has led to their migration to wealthier nations for financial stability, better working conditions, an improved standard of living, opportunities for career advancement and the ability to support family in the Philippines through remittances. The recruitment of internationally educated nurses in Canada and the US is still prevalent today. It is critical to understand their personal experiences and the overarching systemic effects of migration.

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FROM NURSING LEADERS TO ROOKIE MLAs Meet Harwinder Sandhu and Susie Chant, two BCNU members elected to the legislature in last fall’s provincial election

CNU members Harwinder Sandhu and Susie Chant made union history last October when they were elected to the BC legislature. Both are now members of the BC NDP caucus. Sandhu represents the riding of Vernon-Monashee and Chant the riding of North Vancouver-Seymour. 28

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NURSES IN THE HOUSE BCNU members and first-time MLAs Susie Chant and Harwinder Sandhu are the only nurses in BC’s 87-person provincial legislature. Both bring a much-needed and valuable nursing perspective to their work as members of the governing BC NDP caucus.

PHOTO: JOHN YANYSHYN

Before her election win, Sandhu worked at Vernon Jubilee Hospital as a patient care coordinator. An active union member, she also served as chair of the Mosaic of Colour caucus and as the BCNU Thompson-North Okanagan region lobby coordinator. Prior to the election, Chant worked as

a team leader in community care with Vancouver Coastal Health. She was also a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserves for over 40 years. Update Magazine sat down with Sandhu and Chant to find out what it is like to be a first-time MLA and how both are bringing nursing and union experiences to their new roles. UPDATE Why did you decide to run in the provincial election? CHANT I looked around and realized there were not that many women in the legislature. There needed to be a few other folks at the table. That’s how I decided to start, and the rest progressed from there. SANDHU I always felt like there was a little leader hidden in me and I would advocate for my community, or for patients and nurses. I’ve also experienced personal hardship. My first husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer when we were living in Northern Health, and the lack of resources, such as not being near a cancer centre, not having access to childcare, and other issues inspired my interest in government policies. Like a lot of nurses, I realized that even if didn’t want to take an interest in politics the decisions that are made by government bodies directly impact our lives. Then I started researching more about party policies and the direct impact they have. UPDATE How has your life changed since the election? CHANT I went from a position where I was a team leader with a large program that provided health-care services to the community where I was looked at as a subject matter expert. Then I went into something where I was learning from the ground up. I will say that between the experience and skill sets that I bring from nursing, the military and from running a Brownie meeting, all those things have proved to be very useful. However, the body of knowledge that I’ve had to

learn since then to make sure I’m working well within the team and working well for my constituents has been huge. SANDHU It has been quite the shift. I did some homework on what’s expected when running for office. I’m always very calm and collected so people around me don’t panic, for example in my leadership role at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. That leadership quality has helped me. I was still working even during the campaign and after getting elected, so that has helped me shape decisions when I bring my voice to the caucus. UPDATE What issues are you hoping to work on in the next year at the provincial level? CHANT First off is COVID management and getting everybody vaccinated. I maintain casual status with Vancouver Coastal Health, and I’ve been doing vaccinations. We’ve got to look at the people that we’re calling COVID long-haulers – that’s a whole new group of people in our client base, particularly within the community. Also, I’m looking at seniors’ care because we’ve got an aging population. We have to recognize that and look at the best way to maintain significant quality of life as people age, ideally in-place if we can support that in a variety of ways. We also need to be aware that we’ve got an awful lot of nurses that are not young, and we could be looking at some serious gaps as they retire. SANDHU If I were to pick the top three issues, there’s housing, mental health and the opioid crisis. I know that in my riding, we have made many strides when it comes to housing. The opioid crisis is the second health emergency that the province and our health-care workers, including nurses, are facing. Childcare is another important issue as well, which we’re focusing on. UPDATE What’s it been like to be a new MLA? CHANT It’s so much fun. We are learning all the time and it’s interesting

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because the legislature is a piece of the job and being an MLA in your constituency is another piece. I always thought I was well connected with my community, and I am. However, I’m finding there are so many more people out there that I don’t know, haven’t met and want to meet. SANDHU It’s been exciting. I realized shortly after the election that we created history with my being elected as the first woman of color in the Okanagan region. It was a proud moment for me when I realized that people have accepted me as a woman of colour and that I could shatter the glass ceiling. I faced a lot of racism during the campaign. For example, my sign was defaced with a swastika and a misogynist word. But I’ve always believed there is more good than bad. And so far as an MLA, I’ve had a very positive response. UPDATE What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned since travelling to Victoria? CHANT We still live in our home constituencies and then we go to Victoria. We’ve been on a hybrid model. I’ve only been there a total of four, maybe five weeks in chunks. For me, the most surprising thing was the miniature Speaker’s lawn chair sculpture outside of the Speaker’s office. It has a little table beside it and it’s got the Speaker’s tricorn hat. I found it as I was walking around on the outside of the parliament building. I spent a long time learning the inside because it’s an old building and it’s got all sorts of nooks and crannies. I like to know my environment, so I’ve been all over that building. SANDHU We’ve been using a virtual hybrid model since the first legislative session after the election. In March, after the spring session started, it was my turn to go there for a week. I made a statement on International Women’s Day, and I was the very first speaker in the session. I was so amazed that I was not nervous at all. I felt passionate about what I was going to talk about.

As nurses we’re constantly making sure our voices are being heard.” Harwinder Sandhu

Another amazing thing is the staff from the legislature, including the constituency office staff. UPDATE What’s it been like running an office in your communities? CHANT I took over an office that was already established. It was my predecessor’s office, so I knew I had a workspace. It took us six months to physically get into the office so we could refresh it and refurbish it. I’ve had a team with me since December. I’ve had two constituency assistants and then we hired a third one in this last month. I’ve been a team leader for a long time, so I’m used to being in a position where I have a supervisory role. But it’s also a supportive role. We have to work as a team because when I’m not there, they are my voice. They are speaking to constituents, but they are speaking on my behalf. SANDHU I had to start from scratch. When I was looking for an office, it needed to have free parking for accessibility and because I didn’t want constituents to worry about plugging coins into the meter before it ran out. It took me two or three months to find the office, then my next search was to find office staff. Until mid-December, I was working by myself. I’m glad there’s staff now. We’re a great team, and the staff are also well-versed in the community. With COVID, there are frustrated people and there was a point where my staff did receive some verbal abuse. I was proud to stand up to that because

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nobody has a right to be disrespectful to someone who’s trying to do their job. UPDATE What have you heard from your constituents about issues that are important in the community? CHANT My constituents run the whole gamut. As an example, on the environmental side, I’ve got some very strong advocates for banning rodenticide. The use of rodenticides has already been banned in our community however it’s not banned at a provincial level for agricultural or forestry use, so we’re looking at that. My constituency has a large seniors’ population. A gentleman I met said, ‘you know we voted for you because we need somebody [in Victoria] that knows about seniors wanting to stay home as they age.’ He then said, ‘I’m rethinking the thought of going to any kind of long-term care facility ever because of what happened through COVID.’ That gave my brain a shake, because if a large group of people don’t want to go to long-term care that’s going to be a real challenge for community nursing and nursing in general. SANDHU With the BC NDP, we’ve made great progress on protecting old growth forests. But in my riding, there will be people who are concerned about that issue as they want more opportunities and jobs. You have to find the balance and make sure that you are a bridge between both sides. Sometimes you can’t find solutions for every problem but when you make a sincere effort, it goes a long way. There’s also a large senior population in my riding, so there are a wide variety of issues that we face. UPDATE Are there any MLAs who have been mentors to you during the election and afterwards? CHANT Everybody has been extremely supportive. We’ve been getting amazing support from people who were incumbent MLAs prior to the election and from each other as new MLAs. There’s been some stuff where, if I’ve got a

question, chances are, so does everybody else. I don’t think I can single out in individual person. Everybody has brought so much to the table in terms of skill sets, presentation, how they do business, their view on things, and of how they include people in discussions etc. It truly is teamwork because we are working together to move the government and the province forward and promote opportunity for everybody who lives here. SANDHU Initially, we were each assigned one veteran MLA because there are so many new MLAs. Mine was Minister Selena Robinson, the finance minister. Everybody’s been an amazing mentor. This caucus is very approachable. The veteran MLAs and ministers, including the premier, make you feel you’re part of the family. UPDATE Are there any other nurses at the legislature and how has your experience as nurses contributed to your new roles? CHANT At the moment, Harwinder and I are the only nurses in the legislature, and it’s pretty rare. I will say that Harwinder and I bonded almost instantly. I think it’s very nice for us to have another nurse in the place. Nursing has been very useful regarding the new legislation being brought in around disability and barriers to accessibility. Nursing, I believe firmly, has broadened the discussions at the legislative tables and informed some of the decisions that have been made. SANDHU When I heard another nurse was running, I felt an instant connection. Susie and I started having long conversations over the phone before we met each other. When it was our turn to go to the legislature each week of each month, we would go for walks and strolls and have conversations about how we can help shape policies. I’m still advocating for people, but I

There are so many more people out there that I don’t know, haven’t met and want to meet.” Susie Chant

feel grateful that I have a bigger voice now than when I was a nurse. I would like to see more nurses become MLAs. UPDATE It has been a challenging time with COVID. How has the pandemic affected your work life? CHANT As an MLA, it has been an artificial environment right from the word go. When I was campaigning, normally you go out and you knock on doors, and you say hi to people. You hold events where you can mingle, speak to people and go to things that are happening. We’ve had none of that. We’ve not yet managed to meet a good chunk of our colleagues in person in the legislature. And since I’ve been elected, my capacity to meet people is still severely limited. By now I would have been at many events if COVID had not been in place and got my name out there because I want people to know I’m here to represent everybody. SANDHU The virtual world has its pros and cons. We haven’t met more than half of our colleagues yet. But we’ve been able to do more with Zoom, such as holding more meetings. Zoom technology was not new to me – we were using it a lot at BCNU. My previous work with the union gave me a good understanding of how Zoom and technology work. And I can’t imagine us going through COVID without hav-

ing the ability to connect virtually. I still deeply miss the personal connection, meeting constituents. You build stronger relationships and people feel more comfortable. We are optimistic we will be attending the fall sessions in person. UPDATE As nurses, what do you think the provincial government should be prioritizing next? CHANT When I look at all of the communities throughout British Columbia, every place has needs. We recognize those needs and work toward meeting them in a variety of ways. There is a very robust program of support for mental health. We’re looking at new treatment beds and different staffing models to try and meet a variety of needs. I’ve heard this all through my nursing career and it worries me that I’m saying it now, but we want to hear what will make things better and how we can make it work. We really are working with people. And the other thing that we have to make very clear is that everything we do has an Indigenous lens to it, and certainly within the nursing realm that is critical in terms of the work that nurses do and the kind of support that nurses get. SANDHU For nursing, the focus must be on nurses’ and health-care workers’ health given what we’ve gone through during COVID public health emergency and fighting the opioid crisis and the ongoing work we are doing. Violence in health care is an issue as well. We’re nurses on leave. And as nurses we’re constantly making sure our voices are being heard. There’s been great progress. What’s been reassuring is being on the progressive side of the government. That’s why I chose where I’m standing today. When I looked at government policies, I needed to make sure that I’m with the party that supports well-funded public health care. •

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YEARS STRONG

Proud of our past. Building our future.

HIS YEAR HAS BEEN A NOTABLE ONE FOR OUR UNION. Not just because of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid crisis or the heatwaves that have gripped the province – although the leadership that nurses have shown in the face of these crises has been remarkable – it’s because 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of BCNU’s inception, when a group of nurses gathered in the ballroom of the Empress Hotel in Victoria, and took the final steps to becoming an independent union, separate from our professional association.

There is a famous proverb that aptly describes BCNU’s journey to date: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. As BCNU celebrates its 40th year, and as we look back over the past four decades, there is no question that BCNU members have come far, and it’s because we’ve travelled together. We’ve helped ourselves by helping each other. This is the essence of solidarity and collective bargaining. We are stronger together. We can also be proud of the difference we have made in the lives of our patients, and of the advocacy work that our union has done on behalf of our communities. We are a powerful force for good. Uniting BC’s nurses in service of this mission is what BCNU’s story is all about. Across professional designations and across sectors, nurses in BC are united today in a way they

have never been before. BCNU has changed significantly since that historic first convention. We’ve grown in size from 16,000 to more than 48,000 members. We’ve evolved from a relatively conservative organization that emerged from the Registered Nurses’ Association of BC to become a member-driven union. For example, BCNU’s elected president didn’t become a full-time paid officer until the late 1980s. Until then, most public outreach, including lobbying the government and speaking to the media, was done by paid staff members. Today, we’re also a more democratic and open union, with our president and executive committee members elected by all 48,000 members instead of by several hundred convention delegates. In the past 40 years we’ve transformed ourselves from an organization focused mainly on negotiating contracts, handling grievances and

other labour relations issues into one that champions a wide variety of social justice issues, becoming one of our country’s most respected and outspoken defenders of public health care. Nurses have seen considerable improvements in wages, benefits and working conditions. And we’ve now brought nearly all publicly employed nurses under one provincial collective agreement, which has allowed us to level wages and benefits between sectors considerably, with long-term care nurses earning the same as their acute care counterparts. BCNU has also become a member-centric union that’s empowering nurses to enforce their contract and stand up for rights in their workplace. We’ve made great strides promoting human rights and social justice, and are becoming an inclusive and culturally safe organization that embraces and promotes diversity and equity.

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BCNU organizes campaigns to bring long term care nurses into the union with improved wages and conditions BCNU is born at founding convention after vote to leave the labour relations division of the Registered Nurses Association of BC

BCNU supports Operation Solidarity

Delegate book, wage and policy conference, 1981 1981 Original BCNU logo

BEFORE BCNU

Improving the lives of working nurses began long before BCNU’s first historic convention. But without a union advocating on nurses’ behalf, progress was slow. The Registered Nurses’ Association of BC (RNABC) resisted calls from members to begin collective bargaining for nurses around the province until 1946, when Vancouver General Hospital nurses voted to join the Hospital Employees Federal Union (now HEU). After RNABC reversed its decision, St. Paul’s Hospital became its first certification, followed by several other Lower Mainland facilities. BCNU’s founding was hastened by a landmark 1973 Supreme Court of Canada decision. The court ruled that the board of the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association could be unduly dominated and influenced by management nurses and therefore shouldn’t also be the nurses’ bargaining agent. That judgment soon led to the formation of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses and other Canadian nursing unions. In 1976, the RNABC Labour Relations Division (LRD) was formally established to bargain for nurses. The LRD had its own elected governing body, separate staff and funding. The RNABC and its LRD formed a joint committee

1980s

to study the issue of separation in 1980. It unanimously recommended the two bodies separate completely. In February 1981, the division held a special founding convention. The vote to become BCNU was a foregone conclusion, and it passed unanimously. In 1983, BCNU negotiated its first Master Collective Agreement. It provided marked improvements in rights and benefits, mostly covering nurses working in acute care facilities. Throughout the 1980s, the number of members and facilities covered by the agreement continued to increase. Also in 1983, BCNU participated in a province-wide firestorm of protests against Premier Bill Bennett’s draconian “restraint” program. A coalition of unions, including BCNU, and community groups launched Operation Solidarity to fight the legislation, which included: elimination of human rights protections and the drastic curtailing of public sector collective bargaining rights. BCNU president Wilma Buckley was a keynote speaker when nurses joined 20,000 other protestors on the lawn of the legislature. “The provincial government has launched an attack on citizens – subverting rights, destroying vital services, putting British Columbians second to an anti-social philosophy,” she told the crowd. “That

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1983

is intolerable. Nurses are for putting an end to it. This is why we are here today, to fight for people.”

ORGANIZING IN LONG-TERM CARE

In the early 1980s, BCNU launched a campaign to organize nurses working at non-union long-term care facilities. That long campaign was the first step in a process that put BCNU on the map as a union at the forefront of the struggle for social justice for all. BCNU’s goal was to bring the wages, benefits and working conditions of underpaid and unorganized nurses up to the same standards as their hospital colleagues. Debra McPherson is BCNU’s longest-serving president. She first served from 1990 to 1994 and again from 2001 to 2014. Prior to leading the union, McPherson was active on her Vancouver regional executive and attended the union’s inaugural 1981 convention. She clearly recalls the conditions in the long-term care sector in those days. “There was a huge disparity of wages and working conditions between community, acute care and long-term care. They were vastly different and generally long-term care and community nurses were underpaid and undervalued. But for all nurses at that time the wages were not good; they were low,” she says. “BCNU was pretty much legislated

BCNU protests Bill Vander Zalm’s Bill 19 and 20 The Licensing, Education, Advocacy, and Practice (LEAP) plan is established to assist members charged in relation to a job-related professional act

First province-wide hospital strike results in 26% wage increase in over two years

Early campaign button 1987

to be the rep for acute care nurses but not for those in long-term care,” she explains. “So we were busy organizing in the 80s under the guidance of Ray Haynes, who was a labour relations officer at the time.” McPherson says organizing the worksites was difficult, and those nurses who adopted the union and signed cards were very courageous and did so at great personal risk. Many employers used intimidation tactics and, occasionally, tried to fire the nurses. Organizers worked very clandestinely, meeting in people’s homes until they knew a positive vote had been cinched. “We had to organize those worksites one at a time from the ground up – and that was hard,” McPherson recalls. “Because there were and continue to be ghettoes of racialized nurses subject to low pay, poor working conditions and serious employer harassment and intimidation. “But by organizing them, we were able to make a huge difference in their standard of living and working conditions.” One of the first victories came in 1982, when a strike at Carlton Private Hospital resulted in nurses receiving wage parity with hospital nurses. As news of their successes spread, nonunion long-term care nurses around the

1988

1989

province began contacting BCNU, and the union eventually organized 1,000 nurses in over 100 facilities. In 1985, nurses launched job action at 12 private long-term care facilities and stayed off the job for up to 20 days. In 1987, nurses at 16 private facilities, took job action, lasting up to 41 days. Salmon Arm’s Deb Ducharme is no stranger to organizing. She served as BCNU’s executive councillor for pensions from 2010 until her retirement in 2017. Prior to this she served members in a variety of union positions, including regional treasurer and Thompson North Okanagan region council member. Ducharme has been a life-long union activist. “I was raised in a union household,” she explains. “My dad was extremely active in the United Transportation Union [which represents rail workers] and served as a president throughout my teens. I grew up discussing union issues with my parents.” Ducharme put that knowledge about unions to good use early in her nursing career. After graduating as an LPN at 19, she landed her first job at 100 Mile House Hospital, which at the time was a non-union facility. But it wasn’t long before the teenager helped her co-workers launch an organizing drive that ended with a first union contract. Several years later, shortly after

becoming an RN, Ducharme moved to Salmon Arm and began working at Bastion Place. “It was a new, non-union facility,” she recalls. “I felt very uncomfortable because I saw other staff being treated unfairly. That really bothered me, because one of my basic beliefs is that everyone should be treated fairly and equally. So I began working with two other nurses to organize the facility.” Full victory for most long-term care nurses was finally attained in 1991, when an arbitrated settlement resulted in wage parity, plus health and welfare benefits equal to those of hospital nurses.

THE STRIKE OF 1989

The tumultuous 1989 strike played a defining role in the future development of our union. Negotiations for a new contract opened in February, with nurses demanding a 33 percent wage increase and other contract improvements, to help resolve workplace practice and safety issues. Employers responded by submitting a long list of concessions, including reductions in sick leave and other benefits. BCNU launched a series of TV ads aimed at raising public awareness about the growing nursing shortage and the threat it posed to patients. “BC nurses have been undervalued for years,” BCNU president Pat Savage told the

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1. Nurse Janice Swanson supporting locked out Vancouver theatre employees, 1984. 2. Nurses participate in one-day BC general strike on June 1, 1987 in response to Bills 19 and 20 – the anti-union legislation of Premier Bill Vander Zalm and his Social Credit Party. 3. Community nurses rally outside Richmond Inn for better mileage allowance during Bargaining 2001. 4. Andy Wiebe, executive councillor, Bargaining 2001. 5. BCNU members participated with a broad-based coalition in 1983’s massive Operation Solidarity campaign. It was launched to oppose Premier Bill Bennett’s Social Credit government’s draconian “restraint” program. 6. South Fraser Valley nurses rally at Peace Arch border crossing to highlight problem of nurses leaving for the US, Bargaining 2001. 7. BCNU vice president Beth Ann Derksen holds banner at rally to protest Mulroney government policies, 1985. 8. Cast of Hurl, Hemorrhage, Heal, the BCNU theatre production, 2000. 9. Debra McPherson speaking at mic at Convention 1985. 10. BCNU executive councillor Deb Filleul on the picket line, Bargaining 2000. 11. First wage and policy conference, 1981. 12. From left: past president Wilma Buckley, Sheila Blaikie, past president Colleen Bonner and Carole Wiggins. 13. Former North East chair Birthe Cisecki and BCNU president Ivory Warner visiting members in Tatla Lake, 2000. 14. Former vice president Patt Shuttleworth with US seniors protesting high drug prices. 15. BCNU’s first anti-violence campaign, launched in 1992, included this poster, a series of member educationals, a

video and a media blitz that helped raise awareness of the violence nurses face in our workplaces. 16. Okanagan-Similkameen nurses rally for more RNs during Bargaining 1998. 17. Members from across BC participated in a massive rally in 2002 in Victoria. The protests were called after Premier Campbell’s Liberal government imposed Bill 29 and other anti-labour legislation. Bill 29 eliminated job security, weakened bumping rights and opened the door to the privatization of health care services. 18. Bernadette Stringer and “BC needs more nurses” campaign outside VGH. 19. BCNU members at Operation Solidarity rally, 1983. 20. RN Nancy Dobie. 21. Carole Needham, treasurer; Colleen Bonner, president; Bernadette Stringer, vice president, 1985.

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Employment Security Agreement reached with provincial government

BCNU launches its first antiviolence campaign

BCNU joins the National Federation of Nurses Unions (now CFNU).

1992

media, “and we believe our time has come.” In May, nurses voted 94 percent in favour of job action, which began with a ban on non-nursing duties. That tactic quickly led to the appointment of a mediator. Over the next several weeks, numerous issues were resolved, including 30 weeks’ maternity leave, provisions affecting portability and improved casual language. The following month, employers finally submitted a three-year wage package with increases of 5.5, 6 and 6.5 per cent. BCNU’s counter-offer was refused and the employer declared further discussions pointless. Within days, BCNU members launched a province-wide overtime ban and withdrew all but essential nursing services from 12 hospitals. Days later, 69 facilities were behind picket lines. After a week of intensive mediation, a tentative settlement was reached and recommended by both the employer and BCNU’s bargaining team. The three-year package called for pay raises of 29.5 percent. But a large and vocal group of nurses were extremely unhappy with the deal and the lack of bargaining information coming from the union office. Soon, more than 700 angry nurses packed into Vancouver’s Plaza 500 Hotel to demand answers about the contract from BCNU’s staff and elected officials. “Our president, Pat Savage, came by herself,” recalls McPherson, who was a

1993

BCNU council member at the time. “No one from the bargaining team or senior staff accompanied her. It took courage for her to stand up to the members and answer all their questions. “One lesson we learned in 1989 is recognizing the fact that that during job action it’s the members who drive the engine, and the leaders have to stay in touch with them and keep them informed.” Some 150 irate nurses held a rally outside BCNU’s office. Some of them occupied the building and held a news conference, demanding negotiations for a better contract resume immediately. In the following days, many Vancouverarea nurses donated money for a “Vote No” campaign, which was led by McPherson and fellow council member Bernadette Stringer. The pair traveled the province by car, meeting with nurses, listening to their concerns and urging them to reject the proposed package. On July 12, 65 percent of nurses voted against ratification, with members in eight of BCNU’s nine regions voting to reject the deal. Mediator Vince Ready soon entered the fray and, on August 18, announced a series of binding recommendations. The new contract was for two years instead of three and raised wages by 20.9 percent; from $17.43 per hour to $21.08, the highest in Canada. “We accept the report under duress,” BCNU President Pat Savage declared at a news conference at the end of the bitter

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six-month struggle. “We will begin now to prepare for the next round of negotiations – and to develop mechanisms to make sure the public understands the patient care problems that are sure to result from this shortsighted settlement.”

We were able to make a huge difference in their standard of living and working conditions.” Debra McPherson

McPherson says the 1989 dispute revealed a fundamental division in our union. One that was between those who wanted to lead from the top and those who wanted to lead from the bottom. “When we came out of that strike our little rump caucus decided that we really wanted to make change and to run to be the leadership of the union,” she says. “I won the coin toss on that one, and so I got put forward as a candidate to be president. I ran and won.”

Lower mainland community nurses fight and win long strike for wage parity

Union achieves one provincial contract for all health sector nurses

1994

McPherson served two two-year terms between 1990 and 1994 – when there were term limits – and remembers that effecting change was not easy. “There was huge resistance. The staff were used to being in charge and telling people what to do,” she says. “They didn’t want to be involved in the democratization of our union. So there was huge staff turnover during those four years and certainly building trust was hard. “And we had resistance from the more conservative elements of the membership, particularly past leadership – just turning the boat a little bit was really difficult at that time.”

UNITING COMMUNITY NURSES

BCNU’s first decade of bargaining for hospital nurses set the stage for expanded organizing in the 1990s. In 1990 public service nurses directly employed by the provincial government launched a strike to achieve parity with hospital RNs. They walked picket lines, handed out leaflets and met with their MLAs and the media. After five weeks of job action, they won a 22 percent wage increase, bringing them nearly in line with hospital nurses. McPherson says it was a time that was full of possibilities. “There was the provincial public service agreement and then each municipality in the lower mainland had its own community agreement,” she explains.

1996

“We Can’t Stop Caring” campaign promotes the value of nurses

1997

“So first we had to bunch all those up and then we had to bring together the public service and the rest of the communities into one contract. “It was a really exciting trying to achieve contract parity and our push toward one master agreement meant we were uniting a lot of RN groups along the way,” she says. Linda Pipe knows a thing or two about uniting nurses. One of BCNU’s longest serving leaders, she was the union’s Fraser Valley region council member from 2003 to 2014. Prior to this, she served members as her region’s OHS rep in addition to her steward duties. Pipe began her 40-year nursing career at Mission Memorial Hospital in 1980 and worked in a variety of areas during 30-plus years on the job, from the ICU and ER to med-surg and extended care. Like many other BCNU activists, Pipe became a steward during the tumultuous days of the strike of 1989. “It was a real watershed moment in BCNU history,” she says. “Until then, I don’t think nurses were taken seriously by politicians and employers. But by speaking out and taking a stand we really showed the strength that nurses have when we are united.” She says that building relationships with community nurses was a challenge in the 1990s because many didn’t trust that the union would listen to their concerns, versus those of acute care nurses, who were in the majority. “Some community nurses had a

feeling that they were not heard by BCNU and so one of my goals was to make them feel that they were a valued member of the team.” Pipe says the fact that the Fraser Valley Region had the largest number of community nurses in the province meant bringing them into the fold as active BCNU members was especially important. “Their membership was very positive for this region and brought a whole different perspective to our regional meetings,” she recalls. But there were bumps along the way. “Nursing was starting to specialize more, and to be a community nurses you had to have your degree. So there was a little bit of condescension about the fact that they had a degree and that most acute care nurses had our diploma,” she reports “When I was regional chair I tried to get people to see that, yes, some of us had more learning but others should be just as valued for what they bring to the nursing team,” she says. “And it was the same with [organizing] LPNs. They have their values as well. But nobody is better than the other, we just have different scopes of practice.”

TACKLING WORKLOAD AND STAFFING

The changes to health-care management and delivery in the 1990s saw the union make staffing and workload one of the top items on the bargaining agenda.

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1. BCNU unveils the new campaign bus at St. Paul’s Hospital, 2008. 2. BCNU president Debra McPherson with nurses at Campaign BC protest at BC Legislature, 2002. 3. BCNU member and Victoria Health Unit resident participate in union photo shoot, 2008. 4. Young nurse delegates and student nurse observers at Provincial Bargaining Strategy Conference, 2004. 5. Harm reduction advocate and Insite nurse Paul Bangah, 2007. 6. Delegates rally at Convention 2008. 7. BCNU President Debra McPherson joins Simon Fraser region council members Liz Ilczaszyn (left) and Deb Picco (right) to call out Fraser Health budget cuts at a 2009 news conference. 8. “Trayless in Nanaimo” campaign: NRGH members protest non-nursing duties during Bargaining 1998. 9. Former West Kootenay chair Gerri Reinhard with thenpremier Glen Clark during Bargaining ‘96. 10. Multicultural Group, 2007. Back row, from left, Sheelagh Davis (staff), Eleen Leung, Cheng Seow and Yvonne Gan. Middle row, from left, Felicia Wong, Delia Bacani, Antonio Ortiz and Sara Johl. Front row, from left, Bal Badial, Mabel Tung, Virginia Chiu, Ann Chin and Rosa Shieh. 11. BCNU Vancouver Metro council member Colette Wickstrom marches with Amanda Jones at Vancoiuver Pride, 2010. 12. BCNU lobbyist Judy Tyrell with unidentified nurse asking Opposition Leader Gordon Campbell to sign BCNU’s nursing care pledge, Bargaining 2001.

13. BCNU members marching through the streets of Vancouver in 1997, to publicize our “We Can’t Stop Caring” campaign. Its aim was to promote the role of RNs and RPNs in the public health care system. 14. The BC Centre for Disease Control outreach/street nurse program members. Top row from left, Derek Kline, Caroline Brunt, Paul Harris. Middle row: Wil Stewart, Glenn Doupe, Elaine Jones, James Tigchelaar. Bottom row: Tuan Luu, Liz James, Christena MacMillan, Sue Wood, Fiona Gold, Sarah Levine, Yasmin Winsor, Juanita Maginley, 2010. 15. BCNU members march in Seattle at World Trade Organization summit, 1999. 16. BCNU President Debra McPherson joins University Hospital of Northern BC RNs, from left, Susan St. John, Jen Watney, Victoria MacDonald, BCNU steward and RN Judi Dindayal and RN Mary Kay Barrette. 17. BCNU Coastal Mountain region council member Kath-Ann Terrett joins Victoria RNs Claire Schwartz and Cynthia Reid at Victoria Pride Parade, 2008. 18. Former BCNU vice president Anne Shannon (right) with Cowichan Lodge’s Audrey Lyon, 2008. 19. BCNU North East region chair Jackie Nault talks to the media, 2010. 20. Retired activists Peggy Eburne and Andy Wiebe are recognized at Convention 2008. 21. Simon Fraser region nurses’ rally, Bargaining 2001. 22. Royal Columbian Hospital nurses Parveen Sharma, Sarbjit Jassal and Angie Stoochnoff at Convention 2008. 23. BCNU Aboriginal Leadership Circle, 2007. From left, June Shackley, Patrick Thomas, Tania Dick, Lily Ned, Lucy Barney, Elva Starr, Wanda Main and Beth Scow.

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BCNU mounts nurse-led “Hurl, Hemorrage and Heal” theatre project BCNU builds and moves into 4060 Regent Street, Burnaby

1998

Ask any nurse who has been working for more than 30 years and they’ll tell you about a time when they exercised greater professional autonomy and control over their practice. And they’ll likely recall a time when they experienced greater job satisfaction and positive patient outcomes, despite the inferior wages and benefits they once received. Clinical nurse autonomy and control over nursing practice is part and parcel of the responsibility nurses have to act according to their own judgment and provide nursing care within their full scope of practice. But changes in health-care delivery over the last three decades have eroded nursing autonomy while dramatically increasing nurses’ workloads. Since the 1990s, nurses have been dealing with a health-care restructuring model based on such concepts as “lean” production and “total quality management,” with nursing work perpetually measured by managers and becoming increasingly fragmented. Nursing leadership has also been attacked over this time, as program managers with large spans of control and little knowledge of nursing practice now exercise greater control and decision-making ability. Combined with budget cuts and the imperative to do “more with less,” this restructuring has resulted in heavier nurse workloads and loss of job satisfaction.

Long job action results in 25% wage increase over 3 years

2000

Workload is now an abiding concern for the union, and BCNU has had significant success in addressing the issue at the bargaining table. But all too often, the mechanisms negotiated to deal with workload have often been difficult and time consuming to implement. Health employers in BC have been resistant to share decision-making power and involve nurses when making decisions about resource allocation and staffing, even though it affects their ability to deliver safe, effective quality care. Through the 1990s and into the 2000s it became increasingly clear that the erosion of nurses’ professional autonomy and control of practice made it ever more difficult to address workload issues. But the staffing and workload language in the Nurses’ Bargaining Association collective agreement today is the result of years of intense and relentless efforts by BCNU members and elected leaders to address the problem in a meaningful way. The province-wide hospital nurses’ strike of 1989 was a major milestone in the BCNU’s mission to address workload. Nurses emerged from that round of bargaining with the Professional Responsibility clause as a way to document and seek redress for situations threatening patient safety and undermining nurses’ ability to meet their professional standards. Professional responsibility forms (PRFs) became a key tool to highlight workload problems and occasionally

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secure solutions. But the process had always been challenged by the fact it is not enforceable. All too often, employers cite budget issues as the reason they can’t improve staffing or maintain negotiated improvements for more than one or two budget cycles. In the mid-1990s BCNU’s education department helped organize a series of grassroots workload campaigns. Members in designated worksites developed new techniques for documenting excessive work demands, appealed for more staffing and learned effective forms of advocacy. The campaigns achieved some success, convincing management to adjust staffing here and there, and helped train up new teams of activists on the issue. During that period the union became increasingly influenced and inspired by the perspective and tactics of the California Nurses’ Association which had begun its long political campaign for nurse-patient ratios. Workload was the major issue during the 1998 round of provincial bargaining and the BCNU bargaining committee’s top priority was mandatory ratios of registered nurses to residents in long-term care. The employers were adamantly opposed, and the NDP government of the time responded by proposing a $60-million fund to create about 1,000 new nursing positions around the province. Unfortunately, the health employers’ association insisted the new positions be

BCNU supports street nurses and harm reduction, culminating in Supreme Court victory for Insite

Union campaigns against BC Liberal government cuts

2002–2003

allocated throughout the system, rather than targeting them in high priority areas. Many BCNU members reported they hardly noticed a difference. BC’s nurse staffing challenges were also compounded by the fact that other provinces and jurisdictions were wooing BC nurses with better wages and benefits. In 2001 nurses publicized their demands for a big wage increase by holding rallies, lobbying politicians, speaking out on radio talk shows, writing letters to editors, leafleting and running a successful, award-winning TV ad with the punch line “Sir, why don’t we just pay them what they’re worth?” Members collected over 85,000 signatures on petitions that called for “dignity, respect and fair pay for BC’s nurses.” The petitions were delivered to NDP Premier Ujjal Dosanjh. Employers opened negotiations with 37 concession demands and no monetary offer. Nurses held a massive rally on the lawn of the legislature in Victoria. With a provincial election looming, Premier Dosanjh and Opposition Leader Gordon Campbell both spoke at the event. Two days later, over 18,000 nurses voted 95 percent in favour of taking job action, which included an overtime ban. The ban’s success forced employers to table their first monetary offer, which nurses rejected. The government then appointed Vince Ready as Industrial Inquiry Commissioner.

2002–2011

Human Rights and Diversity Committee established

2005

Cranbrook’s Patt Shuttleworth served as BCNU’s vice president between 2000 and 2004. She began her career as a BCNU activist in 1989, when she became a workplace steward. Shuttleworth also served members as an executive councillor, provincial lobby coordinator, member of BCNU’s Provincial Job Action Committee and as an officer of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. She served as East Kootenay region council member from 2008 until her retirement in 2014.

I saw other staff being treated unfairly. That really bothered me.” Deb Ducharme

“The ‘just pay them what they’re worth’ campaign was a real eye-opening time for me,” Shuttleworth recalls. “It was the way that Debra approached bargaining, because we asked for an outrageous amount of money and some of us were kind of horrified at the thought of doing that,” she admits. “But you learn

a lot about the process as it goes on, and how you got what you needed.” “Wages are a proxy for status,” states McPherson. “Nurses always say at every new round of contract negotiations, ‘I would forgo the wage increase it you can guarantee safe staffing and working conditions. But if you can’t do that then just give me the money.’ It’s been the same with every contract. If you can’t fix this working situation then at least give me some money.” “We were dug into that job action,” says Shuttleworth. “I remember our overtime ban. The executive worked out of a war room in shifts. Managers would have to call in, and we would say whether or not we would approve overtime. You know, what’s surprising to me that we’ve ended up where we are in nursing, given how much overtime was worked, even though we had to approve it.” During the provincial election that year, nurses turned up the heat on politicians. Just days before the vote, Premier Dosanjh instructed a reluctant health employers’ association to offer a wage and benefit package similar to the Alberta nurses’ contract. Shortly after the BC Liberals swept into power, 20,500 members voted on the offer; 96 percent voted to reject the deal. The Liberals moved quickly to impose a “cooling off period,” forcing BCNU to abandon our overtime ban. Nurses continued to pressure the new government to improve its offer,

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1. Insite RN Tim Gauthier, BCNU lawyer Marjorie Brown and BCNU Thompson North Okanagan council member Christine Sorensen celebrate harm reduction win at the Supreme Court of Canada, 2011. 2. Victoria General Hospital nurse Nancy Simpson joins Victoria teacher Jenn Treble on the picket line, 2015. 3. Simon Fraser region’s Sherry Ridsdale and South Islands region’s Louise Laroche at the Aboriginal Leadership Circle booth during Convention 2015. 4. BCNU education centre under construction, 2014. From left: Construction Maintenance and Allied Workers President Jan Noster, BCNU Executive Councillor Deb Ducharme, BCNU treasurer Mabel Tung, CMAW Local 1995 Vice President Chris Wasilenchuk and BCNU vice president Christine Sorensen. 5. BCNU Council welcomes LPNs, 2001. Back row from left: President Debra McPherson, Sharon Sponton, Cheryl Appleton, Deb Ducharme, Liz Ilczaszyn, Vice President Janice Buchanan and Christine Sorensen. Middle row from left: Diane LaBarre, Jo Taylor, Gwen Nowe, Debbie Picco, Adriane Gear, Lisa Walker, Marg Dhillon, Claudette Jut, Mabel Tung, Patt Shuttleworth and Kath Ann Terrett. Front row from left: Margo Wilton, Jackie Nault, Linda Pipe, Colette Wickstrom, Laurie Munday, Marnie Hewlett and Judy McGrath.

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6. Vancouver nurses (from left) Annette Floyd, Hadassah Moes and Sonja Rietkerk show their support for refugee health care at a 2015 rally. 7. Nurses rally outside Nanaimo Regional General Hospital to protest Island Health’s scheme to cut costs by taking nurses away from patients and replacing them with care aides. 8. BCNU Richmond-Vancouver region’s Devinder Bassi and Vancouver Metro region’s Ivy Velasco at 2013 rally in front of Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital. 9. North West region members at Terrace Riverboat Days, 2011. 10. BCNU Young Nurses’ Network provincial chair Catherine Clutchey (right) and Central Vancouver region’s Isabelle Bertrand chat at Convention 2015. 11. Coastal Mountian region members Amy Orodio, Daisy Arcilla and Jill Diano at Convention 2014. 12. Thompson North Okanangan lobby coordinator Kathy Moore, Men In Nursing caucus rep Gabriel Zamorano, TNO LGBT caucus rep Kirsten McLaughlin, BCNU vice president Christine Sorensen, TNO council member Tracy Quewezance, and Coastal Mountain council member Kath-Ann Terrett at Kamloops Pride, 2013. 13. Convention 2012 delegates deliver BCNU’s Safe Care Now message at a Vancouver flash mob. 14. North West region council member Sharon Sponton and South

Islands region council member Adriane Gear get their message out at Convention 2012. 15. The leadership of Union of Psychiatric Nurses and BCNU apply to the BC Labour Relations Board in 2104 for approval of the merger of both unions. From left: BCNU vice president Christine Sorensen, BCNU President Gayle Duteil, UPN President Dan Murphy and UPN vice president Grahame Hopkins. 16. BCNU vice president Christine Sorensen, President Debra McPherson and treasurer Mabel Tung break ground on the new BCNU Member Education Centre, 2013. 17. Members of BCNU’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus, 2010. From left: Jennifer Coutts, Emon Aldridge, Anna Fritch, Tony Edgecombe, Kath-Ann Terrett, Harold McCarthy, committee chair Cynthia Reid, Ron Poland, Marianne Pitt, Marcia Sanford, Patrick Shaw, Crystal Sanders and Keith Gingerich. 18. Ontario Nurses’ Association President Linda Haslam-Stroud, Canadian Federation of Nurses Union President Linda Silas and BCNU President Debra McPherson lead Convetion 2014 rally in downtown Vancouver. 19. BCNU vice president Janice Buchanan addresses 2011 rally Royal Columbian Hospital to demand an end to hallway nursing after staff were forced to treat patients at the facility’s Tim Hortons restaurant.

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Union campaigns to protect and improve medicare

2006

but in August the Campbell Liberals imposed it by legislation. The contract did, however, deliver wage increases of 25 percent over three years, bringing the top wage for point-of-care nurses from just under $50,000 annually to $62,000 per year. In 2006 workload and patient safety were again at the top of the bargaining agenda. Polling showed members’ top priorities were both a wage increase and measures to address workload and improve practice conditions. But when they were asked to choose between the two – they overwhelmingly chose workload and practice solutions over wages. The 2006–10 contract did provide a significant wage increase; it also included an elaborate series of processes to address workload and practice conditions. Joint union-management workload committees would meet regularly at the regional and provincial level to examine problems and propose solutions, while strategic workload assessment teams (SWATs) would investigate the most immediate crises. A series of workload demonstration projects piloted a variety of solutions, with the nurse-driven Synergy Model for a workload and acuity measurement tool emerging as the union’s preferred option. The 2009 bargaining sessions that extended the contract another two years to 2012 added the Joint Quality

Supreme Court victory strikes down Bill 29, provincial legislation that saw government tear up signed contracts

2007

Worklife Committee as a top-level structure where the union would collaborate with senior health authority and government officials on solutions. Again, budget issues intervened to undermine progress, particularly after the 2008 global financial crisis. Employers preferred “lean” cost-cutting schemes or workplace restructuring packaged up with names like “Care Delivery Model Redesign” where regulated nurses were replaced by unlicensed workers.

Bringing those community nurses into our union was important.” Linda Pipe

The independent assessment committees that were added to the PRF process in the 2006 contract produced some helpful recommendations. But in many cases budget concerns made long-term implementation problematic. BCNU responded by putting safe patient care through safe staffing at

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BCNU negotiates funding for inaugural three-year nursing co-op program at BCIT

2008

the top of the NBA bargaining agenda for 2012. Member surveys showed the highest level of discontent about workload ever recorded. And the worst problems were noted in hospital med.surg. and emergency wards, in longterm care and among long-term care case managers in the community. The surveys also revealed that a serious contributing factor to the workload problem was employers who refused to replace nurses who were off from scheduled shifts. Often the reason was budgetary, with employers coming up with various policies against back-fill such as “never replace the first sick call.” The union’s bargaining strategy involved achieving many of the benefits of nurse-patient ratios by negotiating mandatory workload language that required employers to respect and recognize the professional judgment of nurses to know what’s best for patients. Nurses moved closer to that goal with the breakthrough staffing and workload language in the 2012–2014 NBA collective agreement. The contract had clear, enforceable language to reduce workload and improve patient care with provisions that recognized and respected the clinical judgment of nurses. And for the first time ever, the contract required acute and long-term care employers to replace nurses off on leave from a scheduled shift, unless there were clear extenuating circumstances determined jointly by the nurse

BC Supreme Court victory overturns sections of Bill 42, a government gag law that sought to prevent advertising prior to provincial elections

BILL 42

2009

in charge and the manager. In the community employers were required to backfill at least the first two weeks of nurses’ vacations. Unfortunately, many health administrators in system were unwilling to adhere to the terms of the contract and, despite many nurses’ best efforts, continued their refusal to replace nurses when required. Members responded by filing thousands of grievances, which ultimately led to a historic provincial staffing grievance settlement reached in 2015 and an arbitrated 2016 staffing settlement that compelled employers to follow through on their staffing commitments. The 2014–19 NBA collective agreement that was ratified in 2016 built on the historic workload and staffing language contained in the previous contract and addressed the “compliance gap” with new joint processes to sort out just how many nurses remained to be hired to meet the previous contract’s commitment to increase RN/RPN hours by 2,125 full-time equivalent positions over the next four years. Employers also acknowledged nurses’ call for a comprehensive health human resource management framework, while the health ministry committed to better achieve critical health service delivery objectives that included hiring more nurses. The 2014–19 contract also saw each health authority establish a Nurse Relations Committee composed

After a long campaign, more than 7,000 LPNs vote to join BCNU, bringing membership to more than 40,000

2009–2012

BCNU removes itself from CFNU but maintains a friendly relationship with other nursing unions and CFNU

2011

of union representatives and local employers who would meet bi-weekly and work collaboratively to address nurse staffing and general labour relations issues. At the provincial level a new Nurse Staffing Secretariat Steering Committee and Staffing Oversight and Arbitration panel were created to work with health employers and set annual targets for compliance with negotiated workload and staffing language, and ensure they had “time specific strategies and budgets in place to meet compliance targets.” The current 2019–22 NBA provincial collective agreement has taken BCNU’s push for safe staffing a step further. We learned from previous negotiations that, despite our best efforts to relieve staffing and workload pressure, the contract language lacked specific consequences for managers who fail to replace nurses when short-staffed, nor did it compensate those nurses left bearing the cost of additional workload. Now, a nurse-driven staffing and workload assessment process has been negotiated that’s designed to better ensure short-term staffing needs are met. The recently developed patent care assessment process (PCAP) allows point-of-care nurses to identify when additional nursing staff is needed, such as when units are below baseline or have identified workload. And if point-of-care nurses don’t agree with managers’ staffing decisions, they can

grieve and may be eligible for a working short premium. The working short premium is an important tool that changes the nurse-management relationship and allows nurses and managers to work together to address a common challenge. The goal is to align nurses’ and managers’ interests – nurses want enough staff to meet patient care needs and managers want to avoid paying an expensive premium. McPherson is quick to stress the importance of the 2012–14 contract language and its refinement during subsequent rounds of bargaining. “We accomplished something unprecedented. Today, nurses have the tools to truly make a difference, to improve workloads and provide quality care,” she says. And today, as then, it’s up to BCNU members with the support of the stewards, leadership and staff to make sure the language is used to make a difference for nurses and their patients.

A DECADE OF TURMOIL

The 2000s was a difficult decade for health-care workers and all working families after the election of the BC Liberals in 2001. That year ushered in 16 years of attacks on unions and a privatization agenda that’s had devasting impacts on the public services unionized workers provide and the people who rely on them.

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1. BCNU Human Rights and Equity Committee chair Mabel Tung at the committee’s 10th anniversary, 2015. 2. Insite nurses Micah Cohen and Shevon Singh, 2017. 3. BCNU South Island region Surrey Memorial Hospital members, 2017. Clockwise from left: Kesiena Akpofure, Kelly Miljanic, Cheryl Manzano, Eunisse Uy and Linh Nguyen. 4. BCNU South Fraser Valley region member Armi Kugler snaps a photo with co-workers during 2017 regional meeting. 5. BCNU volunteers at the 2017 Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver. Back row (l-r): Lolita Haiduk, Cayla Sallstrom, Eliza Lorenzo, Jessica Hartle, Vancouver Metro region lobby coordinator Brooke Raphael and Janice Stevens. Sitting: Shelley Knowles and Heather Mildvan. 6. Over 500 BCNU members fill Vancouver streets during Convention 2016. 7. South Fraser Valley region members Ruben De Ocampo, Jeff Punzalan and Engelbert Soliva strike a pose at Convention 2018. 8. BCNU Acting President Christine Sorensen presents a cheque for $10,000 to United Way Thompson Nicola Cariboo executive director Danalee Baker, 2017. 9. BCNU Men in Nursing Network members gather at Convention 2017. 10. BCNU Shaughnessy Heights region members in the PICU at BC Children’s Hospital, 2017. From left: Carrie Crane, Natalie Sham and Jaime Williams. 11. BCNU team at 2017’s CIBC Run for the Cure. 12. Vancouver’s Crosstown Clinic nurses David Eisner and Victoria Howson,

2017. 13. BCNU executive councillor Adriane Gear (left) and BCNU President Christine Sorensen (right) present provincial health minister Adrian Dix with 25,000 signed postcards in 2019 calling on the government to make specific commitments for improved safety in the health-care workplace. 14. BC Children’s Hospital operating room nurses Nartila Romansini, Tina McVeigh, Madeline Ramos and Hannah Egan, 2017. 15. BCNU’s 2017 annual report. 16. North West region’s Morgan Pellow leads a spirited group of BCNU members through Smithers, 2017. 17. Vancouver Community College grads Anita Azad, Alisa Nand and Viktorija Glambinskaite, 2017. 18. BCNU President Christine Sorensen speaks to the media outside the BC Supreme Court in 2018 about Cambie Surgery Corp’s legal threat to public health care laws. 19. BCNU North West region members Lindsay Page and Samantha Martin draw attention to the need for investments in rural and remote health care, 2017. 20. Members at Convention 2016 photo shoot. 21. Five former BCNU presidents attend the 2015 opening of BCNU’s education centre. From left: Cathy Ferguson, Debra McPherson, Colleen Bonner, Ivory Warner, Gayle Duteil and Wilma Buckley. 22. BCNU Young Nurses’ Network chair Sarra Smeaton snaps a group photo of some of the 16 BCNUsponsored students at the 2017 Canadian Nursing Students’ Association national conference. 23. BCNU LGBTQ caucus chair Hanna Embree (left) and community members at Prince George’s 2017 Pride parade.

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Nurses’ Bargaining Association negotiates a landmark collective agreement that gives nurses the tools to reduce heavy workload, improve patient care and adds more RN/RPN positions

2012

But the turmoil of the decade also resulted in the eventual unification of almost all nurses into one union: BCNU. Despite Liberal leader Gordon Campbell’s campaign trail assurances that his government would cooperate with unions and honour negotiated contracts, the new premier performed a craven about-face once elected and rammed Bill 29 through the Legislature at the beginning of 2002. The law gave the BC Liberals sweeping powers to rip up signed collective agreements, fire 10,000 workers – mostly women – without cause, and cut wages for thousands of other caregivers. It also stripped care aides and non-clinical health-care employees of protections and rights available to other workers under the BC Labour Code. The new legislation served as the blueprint for the wholesale privatization of important health-care services while the Liberals held power in the province. It also opened the door for private health-care facilities to contract out services and eliminate union succession rights, which required healthcare facilities to honour the former collective agreement negotiated with the previous contractor. In response to the attack, BCNU and other public-sector unions launched a lawsuit claiming that Bill 29 violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms with respect to freedom of expression, freedom of association and

BCNU breaks ground on new expansion of provincial offices

2013

Rebranded BCNU logo

equality rights for women. The Supreme Court of Canada agreed, and in a legal rebuke of the BC Liberal government it ruled in 2007 that provisions in Bill 29 interfered with the right to bargain collectively and had indeed violated the Charter. But the damage was done. The government had already used the unconstitutional provisions to contract out nursing jobs, particularly in long-term care where BCNU members lost their wage rates, contract rights and pensions. Especially hard hit were health-care support workers. HEU and other members of the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) lost up to 10,000 jobs through contracting out to low-wage employers. The legacy of Bill 29 remains, as large parts of the long-term care sector and acute care support services – such as cleaning, food and laundry – remain privatized and owned by large foreign multinational corporations. The legislation was only repealed by John Horgan’s BC NDP government in 2018. While the move does not end privatization, it is a positive step that will end rampant contract-flipping in health care, and make for more stable care – especially for seniors. If Bill 29 was a hard hit for workers in the FBA, conditions were made even worse with the Campbell Liberal’s demand that unions in the association accept a 15 percent wage cut in 2004. The dispute had pushed the province to

SUMMER/FALL 2021 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

Union of Psychiatric Nurses members vote to merge with BCNU

2014

the brink of a general strike. BCNU and most other unions were poised to throw up picket lines across the province before an 11th-hour deal was reached. It included the 15 percent rollback, which hit LPNs especially hard. “Many LPNs in HEU felt that their concerns were not being addressed either at conventions or the leadership table,” says McPherson. “And that had been brewing for some time, because I would get letters and phone calls quite regularly from HEU LPN members saying, ‘come and get us please, we want out.’ And BCNU had been resisting and resisting.” At the same time, some health employers were taking advantage of the fact that nurses were in separate unions to play them against each other. “In the 2000s the employer started to tinker with what our work was, and started saying, ‘okay, this work that is being done by RNs could be done by LPNs, and this work that’s being done by LPNs could be done by care aides,’” explains McPherson. “It occurred to me that we had so much in common,” she says. “And then finally it came to a point where it felt like it was in BCNU’s interest and interest of all nurses – both LPNs and RNs – for us to be in one union fighting together for nursing.” In May 2009, BCNU launched an associate membership program to build relationships with all BC health-care employees and give LPNs the opportu-

BCNU’s Education Centre opens

2015

nity to see if BCNU was the right union for them on a permanent basis. By September of that year, thousands of health-care employees had enrolled as BCNU associates and more than 2,000 were LPNs represented by other unions. The largest single group was LPNs represented by HEU. Response from this group was so strong that BCNU welcomed LPNs to full membership.

Today, nurses have the tools to truly make a difference.” Debra McPherson

A two-year LPN-driven “Nurse + Nurse” organizing drive then ensued. It was resisted by the FBA unions that represented LPNs. In 2012, after determining that a majority of BC’s LPNs had signed BCNU representation cards, the BC Labour Relations Board ordered union representation votes for approximately 7,200 LPNs directly employed by five health authorities and Providence

Two-year campaign reverses Island Health’s Care Delivery Model Redesign scheme and restored 48,000 nursing hours in Nanaimo

2015

Members vote 85% in favour of the terms of the 2014-2019 NBA provincial contract that for the first time unites LPNs, RNs and RPNs across all sectors

2016

Health Care, and mailed ballots to eligible LPNs More than 5,000 LPNs, about 70 percent of eligible voters, cast ballots to decide their future union representation, and on October 11, 2012, the Labour Relations Board certified BCNU as LPNs’ new union. But legislative amendments were also required to finalize the merger. A determined nurses’ campaign followed, which involved petitions, postcards, emails and phone calls from many members – including RNs and RPNs as well as LPNs – to convince the provincial government to pass Bill 18. The law, which was passed in April 2013, covered the 7,200 LPNs who voted decisively to join BCNU the previous year. Bill 18 expanded the definition of nurse to include LPNs. It enabled LPNs to negotiate alongside other professional nurses in the NBA and be part of the provincial nurses’ contract. “This final step in the merger process was designed to make things smooth, seamless and efficient in discussions with health employers,” says McPherson. “It put all nurses under the same umbrella to enable us all – licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses – to collaborate on ways to provide quality patient care.” More nursing history was made the following year when a majority of members in the Union of Psychiatric

Nurses – a long-time NBA-affiliate of BCNU – voted to merge with our union in October 2014. The UPN members’ decision brought 1,100 RPNs into BCNU. Under the merger agreement, 16 mental health positions were created on BCNU regional executive committees. The 2000s also saw greater recognition of the role of students, our retirees and members on long-term disability. About 150 young nurses and students attended BCNU’s first Young Nurses Conference in 2003. Participants learned about BCNU, talked about their experiences and discussed their concerns about the future of nursing. Our union deepened its connection with student nurses and future members when in 2009 it created the BCNU Student Liaison program, which supports student activists in their role as a communication link between the students in class and BCNU. In 2011 BCNU was instrumental in developing the Employed Student Nurse program in collaboration with the regulatory college. The successful initiative has created working opportunities for students in the health authorities and supports nursing graduates to become job-ready. The NBA-health employer negotiation of the 2006-2010 provincial collective agreement saw the establishment of the Retiree Benefit Fund (RBF) that’s designed to allow for the improve-

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1. BCNU council at Convention 2019. 2. BCNU Pacific Rim region lobby coordinator Lee Frederick rides his unicorn at Nanaimo’s 2019 Pride Festival. 3. BCNU executive councillor Adriane Gear, President Christine Sorensen, vice president Aman Grewal and treasurer Sharon Sponton. don orange shirts on Sept. 30, 2019 to acknowledge the legacy of residential schools. 4. BCNU President Christine Sorensen speaks with media at Convention 2019. 5. BCNU members attend 2019 Women’s Memorial March in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. From left: BCNU Indigenous Leadership Circle (ILC) chair Diane Lingren, ILC member Alison Stockbrocks and BCNU Coastal Mountain region council member Kath-Ann Terrett. 6. BCNU Thompson North Okanagan regional council member Scott Duvall presents Kamloops Food Bank director of resource development Corra Gassner with a cheque for $5,500 in October 2019. 7. BCNU members celebrate 2019 regulatory changes allowing nurses access to services and compensation for mental injuries sustained on the job. From left: Simon Fraser region’s Bonnie Christie, BCNU executive councillor Adriane Gear, BCNU President Christine Sorensen and provincial labour minister Harry Bains. 8. New Westminster MLA and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Judy Darcy (middle) talks with BCNU Shaughnessy Heights council member Claudette Jut

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(left) and Metro Vancouver region council member Meghan Friesen (right) in Victoria, 2019. 9. BCNU 2018 – 2019 Annual Report. 10. Lions Gate Hospital’s Jonas Kwok and colleagues celebrate 2020 – The Year of the Nurse and Midwife. 11. BCNU Shaughnessy Heights region member Linda Yang at the 2019 BCNU Human Rights and Equity conference. 12. BCNU members take their violence-prevention to Vancouver’s Jack Poole Plaza during Convention 2019. 13. BCNU Thompson North Okanagan region members Leah Takats and Sheryl Walters at 100 Mile House’s Fischer Place long-term care facility, 2019. 14. Street nurse Caroline Brunt, BCNU director of professional practice and advocacy Heather Straight and nurse Kinnon Ross at Convention 2019. 15. Shaughnessy Heights region’s Ugochi Ibediro connects with Richmond-Vancouver region’s Ashana Ramsay at Convention 2019. 16. BCNU Convention 2019 delegate. 17. BCNU North East region members show their solidarity with striking University of Northern British Columbia Faculty Association members at the university’s Prince George campus in November 2019. From left: Niamh Walsh, Natalie Livingstone, Tracey Jonker, Victoria Macdonald and Janet Sparks. 18. BCNU vice president Aman Grewal addresses delegates at Convention 2019. 19. BCNU members Lorraine Lajeunesse, Kerry Chalmers, Shayna Taggart, Joel Williamson, Jennelle MacDougall and Karen Rossen take to the streets of Victoria in July 2019 to show their BCNU Pride.

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

BCNU launches major violenceprevention campaign calling for trained worksite safety officers

2017

ment of the inflation protection of nurses’ pensions and enhanced retiree benefits. Funded with nurses’ 2008 one percent market wage adjustment, the fund is able to provide inflation protection and benefits for retirees who are NBA members. From 2009 to 2018, the Retiree Benefit Program used some of the money employers contribute to the RBF to reimburse a portion of the MSP premiums retired nurses had to pay. “BCNU is the work of several generations of nurses, and the continued strength of BCNU depends on the important role they all play,” says McPherson. “We owe it to all those activists, and to ourselves, to keep the vision vital and moving forward. Future generations depend on it.”

DEFENDING MEDICARE

Since its inception, BCNU has been an ardent promoter of publicly funded universal health care. Nurses know firsthand that private care is bad for patients and health-care workers. So, when private, for-profit medical and surgical clinics began setting up shop in BC in the early 2000s, our union called for enforcement of public health-care laws that are in place to protect patients from being charged unlawful fees when accessing necessary health care, and to prevent forprofit clinics from flouting the law. It was during this period that BCNU began ringing alarm bells about clinics’

Nurses celebrate mental health injury legislation that makes it easier to access workers’ compensation

2019

increasing violations of the Canada Health Act. The union began holding Premier Gordon Campbell’s BC Liberal government of to account for its unwillingness to enforce laws designed to ensure that care is provided on the basis of need and not simply the ability to pay. BCNU also advocated for individual patients who were forced to pay outof-pocket for medically necessary care, and we did battle in the arena of public opinion against for-profit health-care promoter Dr. Brian Day, the owner of Vancouvers Cambie Surgery Centre and largest private hospital in the country. The union supported these patients as trial intervenors when Cambie launched a Charter challenge in 2009. Day and others were seeking have medicare, BC’s public health laws, struck down as unconstitutional. Our union stuck by the patients in the years that followed, and we celebrated with them in victory after the BC Supreme Court issued a 2020 decision upholding important public health-care laws that protect patients from paying out-of-pocket for medically necessary health care. The decision marked the close of a five-year long trial slowed by years of delays. But it meant that for-profit health care promoters ultimately failed to provide the evidence they needed to show how the expanded presence of private medical clinics would improve the health of Canadians.

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Nurses celebrate BC Supreme Court decision upholding important public health-care laws that protects patients from out-of-pocket for medical expenses

2020

A LEADER IN HARM REDUCTION PROMOTION

Nurses know harm reduction is a legitimate primary health care service that saves lives. And for the past 20 years BCNU has defended and promoted access to it. The union provided financial support to help with the production of the 2002 documentary Fix: The Story of an Addicted City, which followed people who use drugs in the Downtown Eastside in their fight to open North America’s first safe injection site. The film helped to raise awareness about the effectiveness of harm reduction, which led to the opening of Insite on East Hastings Street a year later. After the federal Conservatives were elected in 2006, BCNU took on a high-profile role in the courts in order to protect Insite from the government’s efforts to shut it down. The union argued that Ottawa’s position violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by seeking to stop nurses from performing lawful work in a provincially sanctioned health-care facility and ensuring its clients stay safe and don’t fall victim to injection drug poisoning that can be fatal. BCNU’s legal support helped ensure the 2011 landmark Supreme Court decision upholding Insite’s right to continue operating. The justices’ 9-0 decision ordered the federal government to abandon its attempts to close the facility.

Today, BCNU represents more than 48,000 members, most of whom are covered by a single provincial contract.

2021

Later, in 2015, BCNU spoke out against the federal government’s attempt to stymie harm reduction with the passing of Bill C-2, the Respect for Communities Act that made all but impossible for new supervised consumption sites to open in Canada. Bill C-2 subsequently was repealed by the Trudeau Liberals – a move the union applauded.

BCNU is the work of several generations of nurses.” Debra McPherson

BCNU continues to support harm reduction strategies as an effective nursing practice that saves lives. Today, the union has joined with advocates in calling for increased investments in harm reduction services like safe consumption sites, better access to safe supply such as prescribed pharmaceutical alternatives, province-wide investments in mental health, treatment and recovery services, and ending

the criminalization of people who use drugs. Our union continues to call on Ottawa to declare the current opioid and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act. This action would unlock federal funding for evidence-based treatment programs such as the innovative program at Vancouver’s Crosstown clinic that provides access to safe opioids like prescription heroin for those most at risk for overdose and poisoning In the meantime, BCNU will continue the fight to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths and support the thousands of individuals and families who have been touched by the opioid crisis.

STANDING UP FOR SENIORS

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the shambolic state of seniors’ care in BC, nurses working in home health care, assisted living and longterm care have been calling for solutions to address the crisis. The sector is a critical part of BC’s public health-care system. Yet seniors today have less access to these services than they did in 2001. For the past 20 years, underfunding, privatization and fragmentation of the system have left many seniors, their families and communities patching together care – or even going without. During this time BCNU has been

advocating for solutions to improve seniors’ care in the province. In 2008, Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Lodge became a flashpoint when Island Health (IH) shocked residents by announcing – without warning or consultation – the closure of 350 publicly funded and operated long-term care beds at the lodge and six other facilities. IH wanted to force the vulnerable seniors occupying those beds to transfer into care homes operated by private, profit-driven companies that had secured big contracts with the health authority. “The closures have nothing to do with improving care,” said McPherson, who was BCNU president at the time, “and everything to do with delivering financial commitments and vast amounts of scarce public health dollars to the operators of these new facilities who have lucrative contracts with IH.” There is no question that more investments in publicly funded seniors’ care is needed just on account of an aging population and increasing life expectancy. However, between 2001 and 2016, access to long-term care and assisted living spaces actually declined by 20 percent. And BC’s seniors today have less access to publicly funded home support today than they did in 2001. Strengthening the system of home and community care in BC will

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require stopping the privatization of the home and community care system, improving access to publicly funded home and community care service provided by health authorities and non-profit organizations and developing a specific framework and action plan to improve access and service integration. Today, our union’s senior’s strategy working group consults with members who work in the sector and helps lobby governments for desperately needed action and investment.

KEEPING MEMBERS SAFE

Members’ occupational health and safety has been an area of growing scope and importance since our union’s founding 40 years ago. Today, BCNU’s OHS department supports members with a range of services, from health and safety education and training, to WorkSafeBC advocacy, disability management, and long-term disability support. Members today are also aware of their OHS rights, and understand that dangers, such as violence, in the workplace, are not part of the job. It wasn’t always this way. “I can remember being hit and spit at and all that sort of stuff,” says Pipe of her early years on the job. “When I first started violence was the silent plague of nursing. Now it’s open and being discussed and we’re building on that.” “When I was on council, we encouraged staff and stewards to make workplace violence a top priority – and especially make sure the public was more aware of it,” she says. In 1992 BCNU launched a highly successful anti-violence campaign, with a video, literature and media blitz. “We engaged the public and our employers

in a dialogue about the issue,” recalls McPherson. “Much progress has been made over the past 30 years, but employers have not taken seriously enough the real dangerous situations that nurses often work in – and that’s why it’s still a problem for nurses today.” Since that first provincial campaign, the union has run several public awareness initiatives. Our most recent violence-prevention campaign was launched in 2017 to sound the alarm about the fact that the number of violent incidents in BC had climbed significantly over the previous decade despite nurses’ calls for employer action. Award-winning TV-ads drove the message home and the union set up a 24-7 violence support hotline with access to trained trauma counsellors and support for nurses who had been assaulted while delivering care. The union gathered commitments from politicians and candidates during the 2017 provincial election and in 2018 BCNU leaders delivered 25,000 signed post-cards to the provincial legislature to show strong public support for violence prevention measures in health care. These included better training for security personnel, the building of a provincial system to track violent patients, tougher sentences for those who criminally assault nurses and better WorkSafeBC support for nurses impacted by violence or other workplace traumas. Today, occupational health and safety leaders are also focused on developing the kinds of standards for psychological health that are already in place for the protection of physical health. A major milestone in this area was reached in 2016 when BCNU successfully negotiated the Canadian National

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Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace into the NBA provincial contract. The Standard is the first of its kind in the world. Developed by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group), it is a voluntary set of guidelines focused on the development of a system of positive factors that support psychologically healthy and safe workplaces.

We wanted to project BCNU as a union that really cares about people and human rights.” Mabel Tung

The push to develop the Standard came from the growing recognition that mental health problems and illnesses are the leading cause of short- and long-term disability in Canada. The toll on Canadian workers and workplaces is substantial, and nurses and healthcare workplaces top the list in numbers of claims. However, there had been no comprehensive national standard to help guide organizations that wanted to take action. BCNU is the first union in Canada to have successfully negotiated the Standard into a collective agreement. As NBA contract language, it is intended to supplement the other tools that nurses have to address their work-

BCNU PRESIDENTS ing conditions, such as grievance filing and using the professional responsibility process. But what makes the Standard unique is its focus on workplace culture and the behavioral factors at play that also have a significant effect on nurses’ working conditions. When nurses do suffer mental injury, they too often endure further trauma through the WorkSafeBC reporting process. In 2016, BCNU began our campaign for mental injury presumption status for nurses. After rallying and lobbying for over a year, BCNU activists and leaders convinced the provincial government to add nursing to the list of occupations that now have easier access to workers’ compensation for mental-health disorders that come from work-related trauma. The win means members who have been living with mental injuries including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of workplace trauma, will now have access to services and compensation. Today, BCNU has made mental health supports for members one of its highest priorities. Dedicated mental health advocates now sit at BCNU regional executive tables. The Enhanced Disability Management Program first negotiated with employers in 2010 continues to support members suffering from an occupational or non-occupational illness or injury. The union’s Licensing, Education, Advocacy and Practice program is also an invaluable service for those needing assistance with practice, mental health, addiction and other issues. And for the past five years, BCNU has been offering personal resilience education designed to help nurses identify things like compassion fatigue and

signs of post-traumatic stress disorder in themselves and their colleagues.

ACHIEVING INCLUSIVITY: THE CHALLENGE WE FACE TODAY

BCNU’s history has been a story of bringing all members together to face our shared challenges and achieve the fairness and respect we would not be able to attain individually. But our work is far from over. Despite the progress that’s been made, our organization is in many ways a reflection of the society of which it is a part. That means we need to be aware of the ways that racism and discrimination are present in our union and work to make space for marginalized members. Knowing our past gives us an understanding how far we still have to go. “In the 80s it was really slow,” says McPherson. “Our little group of about nine people brought numerous resolutions to convention about pay equity or reproductive rights and we would just get booed off the floor. Sometimes it was awful what we endured at some of those meetings. And we lost people. I remember we brought a resolution to convention about recognizing gay rights and they refused to debate it. That year we lost two stewards because they said, “We’re not wanted here so we’re leaving,” she recounts. “Trying to build awareness of social justice issues was really hard fought and it didn’t come easy. It involved bringing resolutions again and again and again or else risk losing people who felt they didn’t have a place in the union because they couldn’t get their voice heard.” Stories like McPherson’s can help us appreciate why BCNU’s human rights and equity initiatives over the past

WILMA BUCKLEY 1980 – 1984

COLLEEN BONNER 1984 – 1988

PAT SAVAGE 1988 – 1990

IVORY WARNER 1994 – 1998

CATHY FERGUSON 1998 – 2000

DEBRA MCPHERSON 1990 – 1994, 2001 –2014

GAYLE DUTEIL 2014 – 2017

CHRISTINE SORENSEN 2018 – present

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15 years have been so important for achieving the true unity we desire. The essence of human rights and equity work is inclusivity. It’s about broadening our frames of reference and considering how we look at issues in our workplaces and communities, and in our union, and asking ourselves, “who is included and how?” So much of this work can be credited to Mabel Tung. Tung served as BCNU Central Vancouver region treasurer from 1998–2003, and was the union’s provincial treasurer from 2003 until her retirement in 2016. She immigrated to Canada after graduating from nursing school in Hong Kong in 1979 and began caring for patients on a Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) medical unit in 1981. Tung says she was unaware of the union, and not interested in activism at the beginning of her career. That changed with the events in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. She remembers crying while watching television news coverage of soldiers killing students and other democracy advocates. Until then she had never considered herself to be a particularly political person. But the innocent blood that was spilled changed the way she viewed the world. “Tiananmen Square really woke me up,” recalls Tung, who joined hundreds of other protestors outside Vancouver’s Chinese consulate as word of the massacre spread around the globe. After that deadly day, the soft-spoken RN transformed herself into an outspoken community advocate and union activist. Tung first got involved with BCNU during the strike of 1989 and became Central Vancouver’s regional treasurer before her election to the union’s Provincial Executive Committee.

She played a leading role in the establishment of BCNU’s Multicultural Group and Indigenous Leadership Circle in 2005, and the Human Rights and Diversity Committee in 2007. Tung was also one of the key architects of BCNU’s human rights and equity caucuses. Today, the caucuses work to enhance the voice and place of members who have experienced historic and systemic discrimination and marginalization. They were established according to the principles of the BC Human Rights Code and recognize the need to support members who may feel less welcome and find participation more difficult by giving them a space to speak freely about issues that matter to them. Tung says it was McPherson who inspired her to embark on her leadership path. “Debra taught me about union principles, human rights and equity issues, justice among people and how to treat everybody fairly and equally,” she recalls. “She and others on the Central Vancouver region executive encouraged me to run for provincial treasurer, otherwise I would have never put my name up there,” Tung says. “I saw that the provincial executive had no one like me, and thought, as a Chinese person from a visible minority, I probably shouldn’t be there and that I may not be good enough. So, the experience really changed my life.” Tung recalls a moment of insight while attending BCNU convention in 1998. “I was amazed to see so many brave people on the convention floor speaking at the mic and voicing their concerns about nurses’ issues. But one thing that really struck me was the fact that the room was so white, because I knew a lot of nurses at VGH were Filipino or members of other visible minorities,” she says. “And at each region’s table there

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were only one or two people of colour as delegates. So, I kind of questioned that and saw that it was not really representative of the union’s membership.” It took Tung another seven years to translate her experience and concerns into a viable plan of action. “It’s important to know that I didn’t want to rock the boat at that time because I understood that a lot of people didn’t think that it was necessary to start something so particular. They said, ‘I don’t see any colour.’

When I first started violence was the silent plague of nursing.” Linda Pipe

“And I still remember that. They didn’t think a multicultural group was necessary because they said, ‘everybody’s equal.’ So that’s why I first started a group that could bring everybody in who felt they were different or ‘the other.’” The Multicultural Group was shortlived, however. “After a while, we found that if we were to do it right, we would need to create a number of caucuses to address the specific needs of members and founded on their identity and lived experience,” Tung explains. Her vision of how the union might better represent the diversity of our membership was founded on the premise that not only is it possible to be “unified with-

out uniformity” but that equity-seeking groups within unions actually energize the labour movement by bringing more people into its activist cadre. Today four equity-seeking groups (Indigenous Leadership Circle, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer Caucus, Mosaic of Colour, Workers with Disabilities Caucus) and two non-equity seeking groups (Men in Nursing, Young Nurses Network) function under the auspices of the BCNU’s Human Rights and Equity Committee. Caucus members often identify with more than one caucus, and they frequently seek opportunities to productively engage with each other out of a profound and sympathetic commitment to justice and equity. When the Workers with Disabilities caucus initiated its campaign to ensure that BCNU spaces and events were scent and fragrance-free (because the presence of these smells was a barrier to participation for many members) the work was supported by all of the caucuses. There was an implicit recognition that the debilitating effects of exposure to a fragrance could affect anyone – and not only someone who explicitly identifies with this caucus. The cross-caucus discussions that take place when a problem like this is brought forward offers members an opportunity to reflect on the intersectional dimensions of this experience for those whose identity may be informed by issues of gender and race/racialization in addition to their disability. For Tung, this ongoing project of thinking with and about the complex challenges of discrimination and how best to address them animated her initial vision of human rights and equity. “We wanted to project BCNU not just as any union, but as one of the unions that really cares about people and

human rights, and that discrimination is one of those things our union should pay attention to,” she explains. Since the establishment of the Multicultural Group in 2005, BCNU has continued to listen to the experiences of discrimination members have faced. Much has been achieved, but more remains to be done. Nurses and health-care workers who might identify as bisexual/lesbian/ gay, or who are non-binary, and nurses and health-care workers who are trans, continue to experience appalling levels of discrimination and violence. Nurses of colour and Black nurses, in particular, continue to be subjected to multiple forms of racialization and racial violence. Disabled workers continue to face systemic ableism in their workplace and their communities while also having to contend with the causal cruelty of their colleagues. And Indigenous nurses and healthcare workers continue to face multiple forms of discrimination founded on an ongoing process of colonization – as the 2020 report In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care made abundantly clear. It was a devastating indictment of our health-care system. But for the members of BCNU’s Indigenous Leadership Circle, the report merely confirmed their everyday experiences. Indeed, they have been speaking up about these issues since 2005, when the circle was first established. The In Plain Sight report advances a set of recommendations for addressing anti-Indigenous racism founded on the principles of decolonization, anti-racism and cultural safety: a blueprint for a more just and equitable health-care system.

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WHO CAN HELP? BCNU IS HERE TO SERVE MEMBERS

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

Stewards for all workplace concerns. Regional Council Members if your steward can’t help, or for all regional matters. Provincial Executive Committee for all provincial, national or union policy issues.

PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS CENTRAL VANCOUVER Marlene Goertzen C 778-874-9330 marlenegoertzen@bcnu.org Judy McGrath C 604-970-4339 jmcgrath@bcnu.org COASTAL MOUNTAIN Kath-Ann Terrett C 604-828-0155 kterrett@bcnu.org EAST KOOTENAY Denise Waurynchuk C 250-919-2178 denisewaurynchuk@bcnu.org

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

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

VICE PRESIDENT Aman Grewal C 604-813-7208 amangrewal@bcnu.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR Michelle Sordal C 604-445-2003 michellesordal@bcnu.org

FRASER VALLEY Parveen Gill C 604-615-6815 parveengill@bcnu.org

RICHMOND VANCOUVER Sara Mattu C 778-989-8231 saramattu@bcnu.org

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

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

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

Leanne Robertson-Weeds C 778-222-7997 leannerobertsonweeds@bcnu.org

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

SIMON FRASER Tristan Newby C 604-313-1308 tristannewby@bcnu.org

OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN Candice DeSousa C 250-488-9232 candidesousa@bcnu.org

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

PACIFIC RIM Rachel Kimler C 250-816-0865 rachelkimler@bcnu.org

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

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EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR Aida Herrera C 604-612-8871 aidaherrera@bcnu.org

THOMPSON NORTH OKANAGAN Scott Duvall C 250-241-5952 scottduvall@bcnu.org VANCOUVER METRO Meghan Friesen C 604-250-0751 meghanfriesen@bcnu.org WEST KOOTENAY Shalane Wesnoski C 250-231-8468 shalanewesnoski@bcnu.org

These principles offer us a road map for the next 40 years of union activism as we strive to create a decolonized, anti-racist and culturally safe organization that’s alive to the nuances of our identities and our lived experiences, and of how power operates through our organization, our workplaces and communities, and what new forms of imagination are required for us to conceptualize a place and spaces where we all feel we belong.

I’d like to see more young nurses make BCNU an important piece of their lives.” Patt Shuttleworth

The project of reimagining BCNU’s future has already begun through our annual human rights and equity conference. The event brings together a diverse and inclusive cross-section of our membership – including many young and new nurses – and offers us time and space to critically reflect on what is needed to be done to remake our union, our communities, and our world. “The conference started off as a way to celebrate Human Rights Day on December 10 and take the opportunity to educate members about human rights and the diversity of the membership,” Tung explains. But over the years she says it has also become a place for members to gather and dialogue with

each other about who we are and who and what we would like to become. Since 2008, the event has facilitated in-depth conversations on a range of issues, from the climate crisis, what a post-pandemic world might look like, the many meanings of home in the midst of the continued dispossession of Indigenous peoples, how to be an ally to each other in our collective struggle for justice and equity, to articulating a vision for a genuine and just process of truth and reconciliation. BCNU’s human rights and equity initiative can be understood as a necessary corrective to a history of unionism that, while achieving gains for some, also systematically excluded others. Our province has come a long way since the Asiatic Exclusion League led a white supremacist mob through the streets of Vancouver in 1907, but the spectres of those sentiments continue to haunt our current moment – as the upsurge in anti-Asian racism and violence in the past months have sadly reminded us. This is our work. This what needs to be done. And this is what BCNU is committed to as we look to the future.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE

How can we build and strengthen our collective effort and make sure BCNU will be here in another 40 years? Pipe says working nurses today should never forget that knowledge is power. “Know your contract, and if you have questions, know who to contact to get that information and fight for your rights,” she advises. “Don’t acquiesce to what a manager says you can or cannot do. Question it.” Perspective is important too, she says. “Even if we don’t get everything we aim for today, it’s important to build on small successes – and don’t just think

of yourself; think of what you can do to make things better for that future nurse.” And the rewards are many. “I really enjoyed my time with the union,” says Shuttleworth. “It taught me so much that I would never have learned if I had just continued working and didn’t get involved. That was a really important piece of my life and I’d like to see more young nurses make it an important piece of their lives.” Ducharme agrees. “I wanted to be a nurse since I was three years old sitting under the Christmas tree in my nurse’s cap and apron that my mom made me,” she says. “It was a life career, and I would still strongly recommend it.” But she stresses that her professional life would have been much different without a union. “I was working seven days in a row when I started,” Ducharme reports. “It’s important for members to know that the employer never voluntarily gave us a dental plan or extended health benefits or vacation and sick time. Every one of those things were negotiated and fought for by the union to support our members. I can’t image our working environment if the union hadn’t negotiated those and other things.” McPherson says it’s about ensuring there is a place for each and every member in our union. “I go back to my lesson that I learned in 1981. The union is a place for you to find your voice and to stand up for your rights,” she states. “And it’s my hope that BCNU will continue to successfully provide that support – today and in another 40 years from now.” If the proverb holds true, BCNU will indeed be here as an organization of members supporting members on an often slow but unwavering journey together toward justice. •

UPDATE MAGAZINE • SUMMER/FALL 2021

OFF DUTY MEMBERS AFTER HOURS

WITH SO MANY FRIENDS and family telling Michelle Brezden she should compete, last year the Campbell River nurse entered the 2020 Inked magazine cover girl tattoo contest. “I think when there’s a tattoo competition going on, people who know me just think about me!” she states. “It’s hard not to when my body is covered with beautiful art.” The annual competition winner receives $25,000 and a feature on the cover of the magazine. The public cast votes through Facebook and can purchase additional votes in support of a charity. Partial proceeds earned from purchased votes went to the MusiCares Foundation, which provides critical health and welfare services to the music community. Brezden ultimately came in an impressive second out of 36,000 other competitors. She says she’s always loved the look of tattoos, but never thought she would eventually be covered in them. She got her first tattoo when she was twenty-one. “It was a Japanese sign on my back that signified heaven and earth, and now 85 percent of my body is covered,” she says. Brezden, who is in her late thirties, began her nursing career in long-term care

three years ago. But she didn’t stay in the sector for long. “I realized I wanted more acuity, so I switched to the surgical unit at Campbell River General Hospital,” she reports. “I love everything about nursing. From the beginning to the end, connecting with families and patients and caring for them.” Brezden also likes being able to help comfort patients through their pain. “Having experienced pain with my

SUMMER/FALL 2021 • UPDATE MAGAZINE

fibromyalgia, I recognize that ‘everyone’s pain is what they say it is’ not what you think it is,” she asserts. Diagnosed at age 25, she has found that getting tattoos helps deal with the pain of the disorder. “It is very euphoric for me, and I noticed that it actually takes away from the internal pain I feel daily.” Patients have had mixed reactions to her tattoos she reports. “When I first started getting inked and was nursing it was definitely a problem for some. I would encounter lots of comments of how gross it was.” She also initially covered up for interviews. “I think that if I did not, then I probably wouldn’t have gotten my jobs,” she discloses.

THERAPEUTIC INK Michelle Brezden’s tattoos help manage the pain of fibromyalgia.

“But now it seems as most everyone has at least one tattoo,” says Brezden. “Everyone wants to have a look at my art, and they compliment me all the time.” She hopes people see past her tattoos, “It’s just skin and I like to decorate mine with art.”

“It’s just skin and I like to decorate mine with art.” Michelle Brezden

“I imagine people get tattoos for a lot of different reasons”, she says. “I think some people do it for the art, some do it for therapy, and others for memories.” Brezden says her father, who passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2003, was very special to her. “I have a tattoo of my father’s birth and death on the right side of my rib cage, and above, it reads The Dance. He used to sing that to me all the time.” Going forward, Brezden says the Inked competition was fun, but she doesn’t plan to do it again. “It did however make my social media grow like crazy,” she laughs. Most of her art was created in collaboration with artist Ryan Tree at Golden Anchor Tattoos in Willow Point. Will she get more tattoos? “Yes, for sure, but I’m never sure what we will come up with,” she exclaims. •

PHOTO: STAN NOVOTNY

BODY CANVAS MICHELLE BREZDEN’S BODY ART HELPS MANAGE HER CHRONIC PAIN

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE MAY/JUNE 2017

JULY/AUGUST 2018

DECEMBER 2017

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M A G A Z I N E

STAFFING THE OR NEW PERIOPERATIVE EDUCATION MODEL HELPS ADDRESS BC’s NURSING SHORTAGE

BRIGHT

FUTURES BCNU is committed to helping students succeed

NORTHERN LIGHTS MEMBERS IN THE NORTH RALLY FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO CARE

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YOUR CHOICE YOUR VOICE BCNU ELECTIONS 2017 CANDIDATE PROFILE PULL-OUT

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SECURING A VIOLENCE-FREE WORKPLACE NEW EMERGENCY ROOM SAFER FOR STAFF AND PATIENTS

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PULL-OUT BCNU POSITION STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE IN THE HEALTH-CARE WORKPLACE

RISE UP! DISTRESS CALL SENIORS’ CARE

Nurses rally for safe communities and safe workplaces

SAFETY ADVOCATES BCNU South Islands region OH&S rep Patricia Crown and ER nurses Nicole West and Rick Howard

A NEW CHAPTER VCC grads Anita Azad, Alisa Nand and Viktorija Glambinskaite

KEEPING NURSES SAFE VIOLENCE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN TARGETS POLICY MAKERS | WAGE GAP PUBLIC SERVICE STRIKE VOTE CALLS FOR IMPROVED CARE FOR AT-RISK YOUTH

BC’s nurses come together for safe workplaces and safe patient care

BCNU Convention 2017

PULL-OUT BCNU POSITION STATEMENT ON PALLIATIVE CARE

CONVENTION 2018

STANDING STRONG

OPIOID CRISIS DEMANDS MORE TREATMENT OPTIONS | YOUR PENSION Q&A | DECOLONIZING THE HEALTH-CARE WORKPLACE | VIRTUAL RALLY TARGETS VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

New reports underscore the challenges of caring for BC’s seniors TAKING THE PULSE AT REGIONAL BARGAINING CONFERENCES | PLEDGE FOR SAFE CARE BCNU TAKES VIOLENCE-PREVENTION MESSAGE TO VICTORIA | OPIOID CRISIS HITS KELOWNA HOSPITAL

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UPDATE ARE WE MARCH/APRIL 2018

New contract language and workshops give nurses the tools to secure psychologically healthy workplaces

PROVINCIAL BARGAINING STRATEGY CONFERENCE REPORT

M A G A Z I N E

MEETING YOUR NEEDS?

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PULL-OUT BCNU CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

SURREY MENTAL HEALTH NURSES SECURE BETTER TECHNOLOGY | STUDENT NURSES GATHER IN NANAIMO | HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY CONFERENCE ENGAGES ALLIES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE

UPDATE DECEMBER 2018

M A G A Z I N E

ON JANUARY 21

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patient care

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROPOSED PROVINCIAL COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT INSIDE

UPDATE OCTOBER 2018

M A G A Z I N E

TARGETING THE TOXIC WORKPLACE

PTSD PRESUMPTION A PRIORITY FOR NURSES | IT’S #THATBAD CAMPAIGN CONNECTS WITH PUBLIC | NORTHERN NURSE STAFFING CRISIS HIGHLIGHTED IN AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT

1/26/2018 1:26:18 PM

ON A MISSION MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORL D

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THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LEGAL ATTACK ON MEDICARE

CHANGE MAKER Christine Sorensen on activism, advocacy and leading the province’s largest health-sector union into the future

OPIOID CRISIS HAS NURSES CALLING FOR ACCESS TO SAFE DRUGS | IT’S TIME FOR A NATIONAL PHARMACARE PLAN | ENHANCED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM HELPS RESTART CAREERS

UPDATE JULY/AUGUST 2019

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CONVENTION 2019 MEMBERS ACROSS THE PROVINCE CELEBRATE SUCCESS

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COLLABORATION IS KEY TO NBA CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION

THESE EYES HAVE SEEN SO MUCH SUFFERING

s u r ve y nowNOW THEY fo r a c h SEE HOPE a n ce to win an Apple i Pa d

special

Nurses celebrate mental injury legislation win

issue

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

ADVANCING THE PROFESSION OF NURSING | TARGETING WORKLOAD AND STAFFING | OUR PENSION OUR FUTURE | RESPECTING OUR PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY | KEEPING NURSES SAFE

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DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

WINTER 2020

SPRING 2021

M A G A Z I N E

HEAR OUR VOICE

NURSES TAKE THEIR MESSAGE TO VICTORIA

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SYSTEM REVIEW PUTS PEOPLE FIRST

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CALLING FOR A

SENIORS STRATEGY

LISTENING TO YOU MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS INSIDE

Canada’s aging population means more investments in long-term care and other seniors’ services are needed. CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION PROVICE-WIDE MEETINGS KEEP MEMBERS ENGAGED | COMING OUT TO CARE APPRECIATING THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVE SENIORS’ CARE | EXPLORING PENSION GOVERNANCE OPTIONS

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STAFFING CRISIS BY THE NUMBERS

WORTH A

THOUSAND WORDS ‘Photovoice’ research explores nurses’ lived experience of the COVID-19 pandemic

THE LONG HAUL COVID-19’s LIFE-CHANGING CONSEQUENCES

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PULL-OUT BCNU POSITION STATEMENT ON VACCINATION

PHARMACARE NURSES PUSH FOR A NATIONAL PLAN | READY TO ROLL RETIRED MEMBERS SUPPORT COVID-19 VACCINATION EFFORT | OPIOID CRISIS TOXIC SUPPLY CONTINUES TO FUEL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

LEAP

CELEBRATING

OUR PROFESSION CELEBRATING

EACH OTHER

Year of the Nurse sees BCNU members rise to the challenge of COVID-19

SAFETY FIRST PRIORITIZING NURSES’ PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH | PROUD HEALTH PROMOTERS NORTHERN NURSES PROVIDE CRITICAL PREVENTIVE CARE TO RURAL AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES | BCNU POSITION STATEMENT ON PPE

HONOUR IN RECOVERY Vancouver’s Kinnon Ross feels confident about what she has to offer as a nurse thanks to the support she’s received from her union

OF FAITH Innovative program supports members on their path to recovery and career success

DEFENDING MEDICARE IN BC SUPREME COURT | NANAIMO NURSES SECURE IMPROVEMENTS TO ADOLESCENT PSYCH UNIT | EXPLORING EXTENDED HEALTH COVERAGE OPTIONS | CONNECTING WITH MEMBERS AROUND BC

BCNU LEADERSHIP AWARDS Congratulations to 2021 winners Maria Huertas and Danika Serafin EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY AWARD Awarded to a member making a difference to the health and well-being of their community and their profession through leadership, activism or social justice efforts.

MARIA HUERTAS – Simon Fraser region

Maria works at Royal Columbian Hospital. She is a BCNU lobby coordinator and performs outreach to people experiencing homelessness.

NU LEADER AWARD Awarded to a student member, or member with under five years nursing experience with outstanding achievement in BCNU-focused advocacy and who embodies union values.

DANIKA SERAFIN – Fourth year nursing, UHNBC

Danika currently works in longterm care and aspires to intensive care nursing. She co-founded Spare A Pair, a Prince George outreach program to support marginalized community members.

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