Nurses reach tentative deal with health employers

Agreement improves nurse staffing for safe patient care. Details will be released after the union starts meeting with its members next week
Nurses negotiators have reached a tentative agreement with health employers on a new provincial contract that addresses their members main concerns providing safe patient care through safe staffing, enhancing job security and improving compensation. The Nurses Bargaining Association reached the agreement in a very tough fiscal climate, with the provincial government insisting on its cooperative gains mandate for public sector bargaining. If the agreement is ratified by members, it will cover more than 32,000 Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses across BC. We are pleased we were able to work constructively with health employers to address our members major concerns, says Debra McPherson, president of the BC Nurses Union, the largest union in the bargaining group, which also include the Health Sciences Association and the Union of Psychiatric Nurses. Im looking forward to discussing the agreement with our members starting next week. Details of the agreement will be released after the union has an opportunity to present it to a province-wide group of regional executives and stewards on October 2.