NBA Bargaining Update: NBA bargaining committee tables majority of proposals
As we enter a critical year for nurses across the province, bargaining is front and centre. Following a week of preparation, NBA bargaining resumed this week. The bargaining committee met with health employers at the joint table for the first time in the new year, alongside ongoing small table discussions.
On Monday, the NBA bargaining committee tabled its main package of proposals, bringing the total number of proposed changes to the collective agreement to more than 100 and marking a significant next stage of this round of bargaining.
Proposals focus on recruitment, retention, and respect
In bringing forward the proposals, the bargaining committee underscored the urgent need for change, noting that staffing shortages persist and substandard working conditions remain unsafe and unsustainable, contributing to more nurses considering leaving the profession.
The proposals were presented in three sets – monetary, non-monetary, and housekeeping – and reflect the full range of issues members have raised throughout this round of bargaining through the survey, at the bargaining proposal conference, and by email.
NBA introduces first-ever AI job protections
For the first time in the NBA's history, the bargaining committee tabled proposed contract language to address job protections related to the continued integration of artificial intelligence in health care.
As employers increasingly explore new technologies, the NBA is advancing clear safeguards to protect nurses’ work, scope of practice, and professional judgment.
Appendix U.1 and Vince Ready update
As reported in recent bargaining updates, health employers chose to move the issue of Appendix U.1 into arbitration, where it is now being addressed.
On Dec. 16, Labour Arbitrator Vince Ready issued an order setting out the next steps in that process. Rather than forcing an immediate decision, the order requires the NBA and health employers to agree on a date by when one of the two Appendix U.1 benefit options would be selected and implemented. If the parties cannot agree on a date by Jan. 30, 2026, the arbitrator will determine the date himself following further submissions from both sides.
As of Jan. 13, no agreement has been reached on a revised implementation date. Importantly, this means no changes to members’ benefits have been made, and the issue remains unresolved.
While this arbitration process continues, the NBA’s position has not changed. The NBA maintains that decisions affecting nurses’ benefits belong at the bargaining table, alongside wages, staffing, safety, and workload. The bargaining committee continues to challenge the employer’s approach and advance members’ priorities through bargaining. Members will continue to receive updates as this process moves forward.
Bargaining Watch
HSPBA Strike Vote Results
On Dec. 18, the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) announced that its members voted in favour of strike action, with more than 90 percent supporting a strike mandate. The vote follows several months of bargaining without agreement on key issues, including recruitment, retention, and workload pressures.
A strike vote does not mean job action is imminent. HSPBA’s bargaining committee returned to the bargaining table with the employer this week.
Paramedics Declare Breakdown in Negotiations
On Dec. 30, Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia (CUPE 873) declared an impasse in contract negotiations after talks stalled before the holidays. Paramedics are raising concerns about chronic staffing shortages, vacant positions, and growing system pressures, and are now engaging members about potential job action. HSA expresses solidarity with paramedics as they push for fair agreements that support frontline workers and patient care.