BC Nurses' Union withdraws raid application on Vernon Jubilee Members

The BC Nurses' Union has withdrawn its application to raid registered psychiatric nurses working at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

After RPN members of HSA had expressed a number of concerns about tactics being used by organizers from the Nurses' Union, HSA filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the BC Labour Relations Board. The LRB has ruled that the Nurses' Union is prohibited from making any further raid attempts at Vernon Jubilee Hospital for 22 months.

"We're very proud of the work done by local members, who worked hard to stop these raids," said HSA President Val Avery. "Raiding that divides nurses from their colleagues, and puts care for the patients at risk, is just not acceptable. We hope the leadership of the Nurses' Union will come to realize that raiding only makes us all weaker, but until then HSA will continue to fight hard to defend our members and the patients they serve."

The BC Nurses' Union attempted to raid HSA RPNs at three worksites in 2016 and failed in all cases. In addition to suffering the ignominy of withdrawal at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, they were unable to gather enough supporters to hold votes at Phoenix Centre and Overlander Extended Care Hospital in Kamloops.