The B.C. Nurses’ Union said its members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of job action.
The strike vote was held May 8-11 after six months of bargaining with the province.
The union said Tuesday that 98.2 per cent of the 50,000 nurses who voted supported job action.
“This vote does not mean that nurses are going on strike tomorrow,” said president Adriane Gear. “What it does mean is that nurses across British Columbia are united more than ever before, and we are prepared to do what it takes to secure a fair contract.”
Gear said the union has been seeking improved benefits, more funding for minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and equal compensation with other public-sector contracts.
Nurses have been offered the same annual general wage increase as other public-sector unions, but Gear said the province has not offered nurses enhanced funding totalling two per cent that other bargaining associations are receiving.
“At this point, we have only been offered or assured that we will access 0.4 per cent. So there’s 1.6% on the table, which equates to over $100 million a year over year for nurses,” said Gear.
She also pointed to other issues, including violence against health-care workers and heavy workloads, saying there has been a lack of response from the province.
Talks between the union and the Health Employers Association of British Columbia reached an impasse April 20. Gear said the union is ready to return to the bargaining table and the employers’ association has also signalled it is willing to resume talks.
“This is the final last chance, however,” said Gear. “If that doesn’t work out, then we will consider our options in terms of escalating job action.”
The Health Employers Association of B.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the vote.
Nurses are an essential service in B.C., meaning any job action must maintain a minimum level of service.
Gear said potential action could include work-to-rule measures, where nurses decline duties outside their contracts. Other options could include a ban on non-nursing duties or temporary information picket lines that do not halt services.
