A message to BCNU members from B.C.’s health care unions

B.C.’S HEALTH SECTOR UNIONS have a proud history of cooperation. That’s why it saddens us that BCNU’s leadership is raiding other unions’ members – starting with LPNs.

The actions of BCNU’s leadership threaten valuable, long-standing relationships.

The Canadian Labour Congress and the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions have called for an end to this raid. But BCNU leaders say they will leave national bodies like the CLC and CFNU to pursue their expansion plans.

We need to strengthen our shared goals and commitment to quality health care – not throw them away.

B.C.’s health unions are calling for a renewed focus on the issues that matter to all our members – team work, professional practice, patient care, improved working conditions, and stronger public health care.

Advocate for respect, teamwork and solidarity

  • Don’t participate in the BCNU card signing drive for LPNs and other health care workers.
  • Talk to other BCNU members about your concerns.
  • Tell BCNU’s leaders that you support respect and solidarity, not raiding.

Facts on the BCNU raid

The Canadian Labour Congress has found that BCNU’s actions constitute an illegal raid on other unions.

Even the 158,000-member Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions - BCNU’s national union - has told BCNU to immediately end its raiding activities.

As a result of their actions, BCNU has been suspended from all activities of the CLC, the BC Federation of Labour and local labour councils.

And they risk isolating B.C.’s RNs from Canada’s national voice for nurses.

  • On February 17, HEU and BCGEU filed raiding charges against BCNU, through their national unions (CUPE and NUPGE). The raiding provisions of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) constitution state that:

    “No affiliate will try to organize or represent employees who have an established bargaining relationship with another affiliate or otherwise seek to disrupt the relationship.”

  • On May 14, CLC president Ken Georgetti wrote Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions president Linda Silas stating:

    “It became clear with the publication of advertisements in British Columbian newspapers on May 13, 2009, and from statements at the meeting by the BCNU representative [held May 13], that the BCNU was preparing to undertake actions that would be in violation of Article 4, Section 5 of the CLC Constitution.

    “I am, therefore, directing that the CFNU/BCNU cease all actions in which it is interfering in and seeking to disrupt the established bargaining relationships of other affiliates.”

  • Despite this direction from the CLC president, BCNU continued and in fact escalated its actions.

  • On July 30, following additional investigations, CLC President Ken Georgetti wrote to CFNU President, Linda Silas, requesting that she direct BCNU to uphold the CFNU and CLC constitutions and cease their raid.

  • On August 4, the BC Federation of Labour suspended BCNU and its members from participation in local Labour Councils, education programs and activities of the CLC.

  • On August 5, CFNU President, Linda Silas, directed Deborah McPherson and the BCNU to immediately stop all actions found to be raiding under the CLC and CFNU constitutions.

  • In a September 14 letter, BCGEU president Darryl Walker wrote to Debra McPherson, rejecting BCNU's offer to compensate BCGEU for raiding LPNs. Walker wrote, “Our members are not chattels to be brokered or paid for in a hostile takeover bid.”

 

A message of solidarity from:

  • Hospital Employees’ Union
  • BC Government and Service Employees’ Union
  • United Food and Commerical Workers Union local 1518
  • CUPE British Columbia
  • International Union of Operating Engineers local 882