‘A powerful message’: B.C. nurses reject tentative agreement

Members of the B.C. Nurses’ Union have rejected a tentative agreement with the provincial Health Employers Association.

Approximately two-thirds of the members who participated in the ratification vote refused the deal, which was reached May 22 following months of bargaining.

The results send “a powerful message” that nurses want their employers to “recognize the true value of their work,” the BCNU said in a news release Friday.

“For many nurses, this vote was about more than the terms of a collective agreement,” said union president Adriane Gear, in a statement. “It is about having agency—about having the opportunity to make their voices heard and express their frustration, their tenacity and absolute resolve for change.”

In a statement, Health Minister Josie Osborne said while officials “hoped for a different outcome,” they respect the nurses’ decision.

“We understand that the Nurses’ Bargaining Association will now be engaging with its members to determine the next steps. This is an important and sensitive stage in the bargaining process,” Osborne said.

“We respect the need for both parties to have the time and space required to continue their discussions.”

The BCNU previously said the tentative agreement included improved benefits coverage, workplace violence prevention measures, and access to “enhanced mandate monies” on top of the government’s regular wage increase.

Before that deal was reached, the union passed a strike vote with 98.2 per cent support.