Nurses in British Columbia have ratified a new three-year collective agreement covering approximately 51,000 registered, psychiatric and licensed practical nurses in the province.
The new three-year agreement, effective retrospectively April 1, 2022, includes general wage increases, improved enrollment rates, responsible pay, bonuses, expanded mentoring positions, and initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, and indigenous-specific anti-racism.
The BC Nurses’ Union says 61 percent of its members voted in favor of the new deal, which also includes improvements in workplace flexibility and access to vacations, and investments in workplace health and safety.
Out of 48,000 members, the union said, 40,526, or 84 percent of members, voted in favor of the deal.
Union President Aman Grewal says the agreement recognizes nurses’ commitment and sacrifice and includes significant investment to recruit more to the profession.
Prime Minister David Eby says the agreement is part of the government’s commitment to continue supporting nurses and strengthening the province’s healthcare system.
The government has promised to make BC the first Canadian province to introduce a nurse-to-patient ratio to improve public health workload standards.
It says it will spend $750 million on the new staffing model, which will allow nurses to spend more time with the people they care for and provide better services.
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