The B.C. Nurses' Union strongly denies any link between efforts to organize Licensed Practical Nurses and a contract offer from the provincial government.
“The suggestion is untrue,” said Art Moses, spokesperson for the BCNU. Sources who made that suggestion to the Tyee, reported in an earlier Hook item, are “completely inaccurate”, said Moses.
In an e-mail sent on the weekend, he wrote, “The Tyee should know better than to engage in scurrilous speculation about a union with a long history leading the fight for improved living standards for our members and their communities, as well as standing up for quality public health care and social services.”
The BCNU leadership is considering a contract offer from the provincial government. The offer comes a year before the BCNU's current contract expires and at a time when finance minister Colin Hansen has said there's no money for public sector wage increases.
Moses said details of the contract offer will be released later today or tomorrow once they are reviewed by the union leadership. The offer would then go to BCNU members for approval.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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sunshine coast girl
3 years ago
Glad to see this article...
After I read the last one, I fired off an email to Debra McPherson and to her credit, she responded within the hour.
"Sent: March 14, 2009 7:30 PM
To:
Subject:
Dear Ms. McPherson:
This came from the Tyee this afternoon.
"The offer comes a year before the BCNU's contract expires and two months before the provincial election. The government has pledged to freeze public sector wages, fueling speculation on what has motivated the BCNU to seek a new contract now.
“We've had discussions,” said Art Moses, spokesperson for the BCNU. “It's not nailed down.” He hoped to have more to say Monday or Tuesday, he said.
“Yes, they've been talking,” said Michelle Stewart, a spokesperson for the health ministry. The government is waiting for the BCNU leadership to approve the offer, she said. “The Nurses Union approached government in the new year to see if there was any possibility of coming to an agreement.”
The budget Finance Minister Colin Hansen presented in February contained no money for wage increases for civil servants and he stressed at the time there would be restraint on government spending.
Stewart says the offer to the BCNU is consistent with the government's fiscal situation and position on wage increases. “This lives within the spirit of the budget and the spirit of that direction,” said Stewart.
Several sources say that instead of raising wages, the government has agreed to legislate that the BCNU will represent licensed practical nurses. Those workers are currently represented by the Hospital Employees' Union."
I have a hard time believing this article. Since when does the BCNU (or any union) join forces with the BC Liberals to attack another union? I certainly hope that speculation today is speculation only and not truth. Otherwise the BCNU will lose all the goodwill and support that they currently enjoy from the labour population."
And here is her response to me:
"Hi,
I am afraid the article is incorrect. There was no discussion at the table, nor does it form part of any proposed agreement that the government will legislate the LPN's into the BCNU. That the Tyee would print idle speculation buy unnamed sources is irresponsible journalism in my view.
Regards
Debra"
Curt
3 years ago
I certainly hope this is
I certainly hope this is incorrect, and I hope McPherson is telling the truth in the matter. Just what sort of trade union would even stoop this low? Let alone with the present regime in power and with what has happened in healthcare?
happy
3 years ago
Besides
To my knowledge you can't just "legislate" one Union group into another.
There has to be a ratification vote by the members, at least thats what I've experienced in the past
Curt
3 years ago
This government is the best
This government is the best at ramming through, closure, of "legislation" that plays into their agenda and works best for them. Not the citizens of this province, not the workers of this province. Legislate, privatize, not in the interests of BCers.
Curt
3 years ago
I'd say there's more than
I'd say there's more than meets the eye on this one.
"Enhanced senior-level collaboration between the Nurses’ Bargaining
Association, the Ministry of Health Services and the health authorities
Key nursing practice and patient care issues will be referred to the newly-formed Joint Quality
Worklife Committee (JQWC). The JQWC will replace the plethora of senior workload and
nursing management committees that emerged from the last round of PCA bargaining.
The JQWC will consist of two members appointed by the government, including Dr. Stephen Brown, the assistant deputy minister of health who led the government team in contract discussions; three senior health authority representatives, including two CEOs and one CNO; and
five representatives, including the BCNU president, appointed by BCNU on behalf of the NBA.
The agreement states that “The parties recognize that focusing on how to educate, recruit, retain, develop and support nurses is critical to providing high quality health services to British
Columbians now and in the future. The parties also recognize that a healthy and safe workplace and quality of worklife are integral elements ..."
Trust, I don't think so. Not the way this government says one thing and then does another. And it's unfortunate the nurses are playing right into it.
Curt
3 years ago
The B.C. Nurses' Union
The B.C. Nurses' Union strongly denies any link between efforts to organize Licensed Practical Nurses and a contract offer from the provincial government.
“The suggestion is untrue,” said Art Moses, spokesperson for the BCNU. Sources who made that suggestion to the Tyee, reported in an earlier Hook item, are “completely inaccurate”, said Moses.
The following is from the BCNU website. News Release - 2004
http://www.bcnu.org/whats_new_media/news_releases/2004/July14_2004.htm
DPL
3 years ago
Nobody can force anyone from
Nobody can force anyone from one union to join another. If one union tries, they get slapped by the fed.( raiding) and all workers have the right to join a union of their choice. I just spoke to a long time LPN a few minutes ago, she never heard of any plans to leave HEU. Let's not forget that Gordon hacked up the HEU contract a few years ago and lost big time in the highest court in the land. Using our money of course.