More than 500 nurses demonstrated in Vancouver on Thursday, Feb. 27 ahead of the two-day British Columbia Nurses' Union (BCNU) Provincial Bargaining Conference, which aims to improve working conditions for nurses.
The rally began at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and ended at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It was organized to highlight chronic issues that the BCNU says are plaguing the healthcare system throughout the province.
“I think they’ve had it,” said Danette Thomsen, the northern region council member for the BC Nurses' Union. “Nurses are looking for action. The mood was high, and it was intense. We had presidents from across Canada, from nurses’ unions, with us, including Linda Phylas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions. It was incredible to have that support.”
The primary goal of the rally was to draw attention to the implementation of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in healthcare settings across the province. Thomsen told The Citizen that these ratios are essential not only for nurses but also for the patients they care for.
“I think ratios are going to be huge for Prince George,” said Thomsen. “Our units have been working far beyond what is safe for so long. They’re also working over capacity, with more patients than there are beds. This results in hallway nursing and patients in lounges, as well as in shower and tub rooms. I feel that ratios and the ability to care for patients safely will be invaluable for UHNBC.”
The BCNU stated that these ratios have been effective in not only reducing healthcare costs but also improving patient care and saving lives.
The rally also highlighted chronic issues, including workplace violence, unsafe working conditions, untenable workloads, and critical staffing shortages.
Thomsen is particularly concerned with nurse safety across the province.
“Nurses are facing violence,” Thomsen said. “It seems to be on the rise again, not just in Prince George but across the province. It’s extremely challenging to go to work, care for people, and not feel safe. It leaves you feeling undervalued and disrespected when your employer doesn’t take your safety seriously.”
In addition to the rally, nurses in Vancouver are voting for candidates for a bargaining committee and a job action committee. Thomsen told The Citizen that job action is looking more likely every day.
“They’re ready to go,” Thomsen said. “Nurses are demanding change. They’ve given up wages in the past for promises of safe staffing levels. They’ve sacrificed so much for the promise of better workloads and a better work-life balance, but none of it has come to fruition.
“I think they’re done. They’re serious and willing to do whatever it takes to get the changes they need in this collective agreement. We’re not just fighting for ourselves; we’re fighting for the patients in our care. They deserve better care than we’re currently able to give them. This is a fight for public healthcare and for the people we care for in the system.”
