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B.C. nurses have voted overwhelmingly in favour of job action after reaching an impasse with the province, says the union.
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The B.C. Nurses’ Union said about 50,800 nurses voted 98.2 per cent in favour of job action after six months of bargaining failed to reach a deal.
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“Nurses in this province did not choose this path lightly. Health employers forced this vote,” said union president Adriane Gear at a news conference in downtown Vancouver Tuesday.
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The strike vote means nurses can take job action with 72-hours notice, but it does not mean job action is imminent.
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Nurses are also considered an essential services, meaning any future job action will be limited.
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Gear said the union wants to get back to the table, and that the employers have also indicated they are willing to come back to the table. Should those talks fail, the union will assess its options and consider escalating job action, she said.
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Issues around pay and benefits have been the sticking point in negotiations.
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The union said other unions have been able to access an additional two per cent over two years, but nurses so far have only been offered an additional 0.4 per cent. Gear also said there has been no increases to benefits in years, despite nurses facing increasing workloads and escalating workplace violence.
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The nurses’ contract expired in March 2025, and talks started last October.
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The union represents about 55,000 nurses working in B.C. health authorities, in hospitals, long-term care facilities and other non-hospital settings. Of these, about 2,000 were not eligible to vote.
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More to come …
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