Majority of Licensed Practical Nurses currently represented by HEU have signed BCNU membership cards

The BC Nurses’ Union has applied to the British Columbia Labour Relations Board to represent all Licensed Practical Nurses in BC who are currently members of the Hospital Employees’ Union.

"We’re very pleased that LPNs have given BCNU a strong endorsement of confidence," says Debra McPherson, BCNU President. "We’re confident we will improve their representation and terms of employment just as we’ve done for other nurses in our union."

BCNU believes that a majority of LPNs currently represented by HEU have now signed BCNU membership applications. In earlier legal discussions, HEU disclosed they have more than 5,000 LPN members and BCNU received signed membership applications from more than 50 percent.

BCNU’s application to the Labour Board is complex as refining current union membership lists to determine voting eligibility can be challenging. In our application we have also asked that the membership vote be held early in the New Year so LPNs can enjoy a tranquil holiday period. A hearing on BCNU’s application will be held at the Labour Board on December 8, 2009.

"Joining a professional nurses’ union has been the goal of many LPN activists who worked tirelessly to bring about today’s result," says McPherson. "I want to thank them sincerely for all their efforts, and commit BCNU’s full resources to improve their wages, benefits and professional practice issues. It makes sense for all nurses to be in the same union so we can work together to improve patient care and practice conditions."

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