The British Columbian Nurses' Union filed an application yesterday with the Labour Relations Board asking to represent licensed practical nurses who are now Hospital Employees' Union members.
“BCNU believes that a majority of LPNs currently represented by HEU have now signed BCNU membership applications,” the BCNU said in a news release. “In earlier legal discussions, HEU disclosed they have more than 5,000 LPN members and BCNU received signed membership applications from more than 50 percent.”
The release quoted president Debra McPherson saying, “It makes sense for all nurses to be in the same [union] so we can work together to improve patient care and practice conditions."
The HEU posted a newsletter on its website today that said “ongoing outreach to LPN members across the province consistently shows the majority of LPNs want to stay in HEU.”
The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union also represents some LPNs. Even with a change of unions LPNs will be covered by the same collective agreement and bargaining process, a Nov. 16 BCGEU newsletter said.
LPNs will not automatically be covered by the Nurses' Bargaining Association, it said. “They will have to ask government for permission—and that permission may not be granted.”
The Tyee reported in March that HEU officials were unhappy with the “secret pre-election dealings” that saw the government and BCNU negotiate a contract extension.
BCNU officials insisted the contract extension was unrelated to the union's desire to represent LPNs.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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frances
2 years ago
Solidarity, Sisters! Just
Solidarity, Sisters! Just goes to show that principles get tossed when power gains & greed come into play. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop since BCNU made their sweetheart deal with Gordo last spring & here it is. Since Gordo stacked the LRB with his buddies, the fix is in. What a sad commentary on our society when even nurses have sold out.
DPL
2 years ago
It's called raiding, plain
It's called raiding, plain and simple. The few LPN's that we know remind us that it was McPherson who told them not that long ago that they just didn't have the skills to do the job.
Curt
2 years ago
BCNU Constitution
I understand BCNU members signed a petition and had enough signatures to request to hold a special convention under their constitution on this raid being conducted by their "union leaders". McPherson and Co. are denying this right and have said there isn't enough money. I wonder why? Could it be the millions they've spent on RAIDING another union.
Yeah, Gordo and Co. have Debra and Co. trained.
munroe
2 years ago
Still a mountain to climb
The NU may have made an application, but if the LRB is true to its own policy there may never be the counting of any possible vote. The Nu claims 50% (a raid requires 50% plus one), but numbers are always elusive. The fact the application appears to have been made on the very last day of the raid period suggests the numbers may be shaky.
As importantly, this appears to be a PARTIAL raid of an existing bargaining unit that involves a single classification. Neither part raids or the carve out of single classifications is allowed.
Finally, the LPNs are not in what is called the Nurses subsector - they are in Facilities. The NU is not currently a player in Facilities and would further fracture that grouping of unions and introduce the serious potential for instability as the HEU is the major player. Industrial stability is a major factor in weighing whether such applications should succeed.
Let's sit back and see how far the LRB has fallen from an independent tribunal into a political organisation.
Van Isle
2 years ago
If HEW is doing such a great
If HEW is doing such a great job for their LPN's, then how come 50% of them want to sign up with BCNU? And this business about the BCNU extending their contract until 2012; well I call that as being just smart. Think of it; next year most of the public sector unions contracts will expire. Negotiations will start and all the unions will beat each other up to get some scraps that maybe thrown at them by the government (if they're lucky). Meanwhile the unions who have extended their contract dates will sit back and wait. Remember, 2013 is the next election and the Liberals will work their magic and they will be telling us again that the economy is just fine. Who's waiting? The unions who extended their contracts.
sunshine coast girl
2 years ago
McPherson and her henchmen..
are a disgrace to the trade union movement and are raiding, plain and simple. Hope you don't look to your brothers and sisters for help when the snakes that you laid down with, bite you Debra. There will be no help for you.
Nanaimist
2 years ago
BCNU "raid" not
I am an LPN and have been for several years and have worked as a shop steward for other unions and have been a bargaining unit chairperson years ago when unions in the early 90s went and started organizing the pie when non profits started to unionize.
I can saw with certainty that HEU never thought it would get this far. I remember in the first meeting I went to addressing LPN concerns in HEU back in 2002 one of the LPN reps stated in a public meeting to me, BCNU doesnt want anything to do with LPNs.(ie you are stuck with us no matter what)
This splitting of ways is a reflection of local control seeing care aides/ support staff vs. "junior " nurses.
A great deal of LPNs felt that HEU never really represented their interests of those who are belonging to a professional body with a Licence.
We want to change our union and have asked for their help.
It is not a raid.
LPNs want to vote on switching unions and you would see a strong majority wanting to have BCNU to represent us.
We are professionals, family members, people.
We need to grow beyond that old school of rhetorical thinking of brothers and sisters.
We had a chance in 2005 to go out on a large scale strike and it never happened.
Many LPNs felt at that point betrayed. Now we are used to a full scope basis and BCNU sees the writing on the wall.
More LPNs vs RNs.
And many RNs are retiring in the next few years.
Of course it is in their interest to have all nurse when there are going to be more of us being utilized. Remember the nursing shortage folks.
No matter what I will support my union and fellow members in making the next contract is fair and representative.