Nursing deal ratified, B.C. makes first-in-Canada investments to patient care
An innovative agreement has been ratified between the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) and the Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC) under the Shared Recovery Mandate that increases wages, introduces workplace reforms, improves working conditions and strengthens patient care throughout the province.
“Almost every person in B.C. will benefit from the care, knowledge and support nurses provide at some point, and I want to thank B.C.’s nurses for their heroic efforts,” said Premier David Eby. “This agreement is part of our commitment to continue supporting nurses and strengthening B.C.’s health-care system, ensuring every single person in B.C. gets the care they need, when they need it.”
The new three-year agreement retroactively takes effect April 1, 2022, and includes general wage increases, improved on call rates, responsibility pay, premiums, expanded mentorship positions, and initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, and Indigenous-specific anti-racism.
“This new agreement is an important step in strengthening B.C.’s nursing workforce now and into the future,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Along with investing in the new staffing model, the agreement will support the recruitment and retention of nurses and ensure that they are better supported so they can continue focusing on caring for their patients.”
In addition to reaching a new deal for nurses, the Ministry of Health is separately investing approximately $750 million over three years to implement new first-in-Canada nurse-to-patient staffing model. This model will allow nurses to spend more time with the people they care for and provide better, more person-focused services.
Furthermore, the Province is providing more than $108 million in ongoing funding and additional one-time funding of $100 million to support nurses in accessing training and career-development opportunities, as well as their well-being and day-to-day operations.
“I am immensely grateful for the professionalism of nurses throughout British Columbia and want to recognize the value and importance of the work nurses do and the passion they bring to caring for and supporting people during some of the most vulnerable times of their lives,” Dix said.
The NBA Provincial Collective Agreement covers approximately 51,500 registered, psychiatric and licensed practical nurses in B.C., represented by the BC Nurses’ Union, Health Sciences Association, Union of Psychiatric Nurses, Hospital Employees’ Union and British Columbia General Employees’ Union.
Investing in the recruitment and retention of nurses is an important part of B.C.’s Health Human Resources Strategy. The strategy advances 70 actions to retain, recruit and train health-care workers in B.C. while supporting innovative health system redesign and optimization.
Learn More:
To read the BC Nurses Union announcement, visit: https://www.bcnu.org/news-and-events/news/2023/members-vote-favour-new-provincial-collective-agreement
To learn more about the BC Nurses Union, visit: https://www.bcnu.org/
To learn more about the Province’s health human resource strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0059-001464
A backgrounder follows.