B.C. nurses could begin job action as early as Thursday, July 2, after the BC Nurses’ Union issued a 72-hour strike notice on Monday following the rejection of a tentative collective agreement.
The strike notice marks a significant escalation in contract negotiations between the Nurses’ Bargaining Association and provincial health employers.
The move comes after 67 per cent of union members voted against the tentative agreement reached in May. Earlier this spring, more than 50,800 nurses participated in a province-wide strike vote, with 98.2 per cent voting in favour of job action.
The BC Nurses’ Union says while the proposed agreement included improvements to benefits and shift premiums, it did not go far enough on general wage increases. The union says members continue to face staffing shortages, heavy workloads and unsafe working conditions in hospitals, long-term care facilities, community health settings and home care across the province.
BCNU President Adriane Gear says nurses are frustrated that health authorities continue to spend millions of dollars on temporary staffing while long-term employees struggle under increasing pressure.
NBA Chief Negotiator Jim Gould says issuing strike notice was not a step nurses wanted to take, but many feel they have no choice after years of mounting challenges within the health-care system.
Unless a new agreement is reached before the notice expires, nurses could begin legal job action on Thursday, July 2. The union says it remains committed to negotiating a settlement with employers.
