The B.C. The Nurses’ Union said mediation talks would resume Tuesday (July 21), after a three-day pause.
“We’ve had four productive days of mediation, and while it’s too early to know whether we’ll reach an agreement, we do feel heard,” said BCNU President Adriane Gear. “We’re hopeful the conversations will continue moving us toward a negotiated settlement when mediation resumes next week.”
BCNU bargainers and the Health Employers Association of B.C. entered mediation talks earlier this week, facilitated by Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers, after the union said talks had reached an impasse.
B.C.’s Labour Ministry said that if the outstanding issues are not resolved after 10 days of mediation, Ready and Rogers will provide recommendations to the minister to settle the dispute.
The union launched job action on July 2, with nurses refusing any non-nursing duties and unnecessary overtime. Nurses also put up picket lines at several health facilities in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
BCNU said it would pause the picket lines as mediation began Tuesday, while the ban on non-nursing duties and restrictions on overtime remained in place.
The BCNU held a rally in Prince George on Friday, calling on Northern Health to end what it alleged was intimidation of striking workers.
The union said last week it had filed an unfair labour practice application with the B.C. Labour Relations Board after receiving thousands of reports from nurses across the province alleging intimidation and threats from employers.
