Answers to popular questions about who can join

No, it's not true. It's like saying you can't be a member of a union and also associate with another organization that promotes strong public healthcare. It's something like BCGEU's Special Associate Membership Program. If you support BCGEU's childcare objectives they welcome you as associates.

If you support strong public healthcare and progress for healthcare employees we welcome you as associates. Associate membership gives other union members some benefits currently enjoyed by BCNU members. We're confident you'll enjoy our services as much as they do.

We will offer Associate Membership to all healthcare workers who are not currently BCNU members including RNs, LPNs, RPNs, nurse practitioners, paramedics and doctors.

We hope employees at non-unionized facilities will become BCNU associates to explore our services and learn how we can improve their wages, benefits and working conditions through collective bargaining.

Many RPNs are already BCNU affiliates through our strong relationship with the Union of Psychiatric Nurses. UPN members bargain with us, attend our conferences and enjoy strong services from their union. UPN representatives often attend BCNU Council meetings.

Non-unionized RPNs as well as those who are members of other associations are welcome as BCNU associate members.

For years large numbers of LPNs have wanted to join BCNU and Associate Membership may be a stepping stone to full BCNU membership. However, a decision to offer full membership to LPNs has not been made by BCNU Council.

We do believe all nurses should have the right to choose their union. We also believe nurses would all be better served by belonging to one nursing union, just as they are in Manitoba and Nova Scotia and as they are currently trying to bring about in Alberta. Having LPNs, RNs, RPNs and nurse practitioners in different unions is bad for healthcare.

By being associate members now, LPNs will have the opportunity to experience BCNU and see if it's the "right fit" to become full members with other nurses. BCNU is not assuming groups of employees are ready to join our organization. But if members of other unions want to join BCNU, it should be their decision to do so by a democratic vote of the interested group.