BC Nurses Union denounces intimidation of RIH staff over parking concerns

BCNU President Christine Sorenson says it’s also important that there is a speak-up culture at the hospital.

“It is one of the rules of the union — and that’s why we’re a part of this — that people are intimidated to speak up and state their problems, accessing parking or concerns about patient care or any of those other things that really people should have the right to be able to speak up about,” Sorenson said.

“What concerns me more is that we are supposed to be working collaboratively with the health employers, they have asked us to do that, we continue to try to work with them and bring forward issues of concern that the nurses have. This is an example of a failure to listen to what nurses are saying and failure to value the nurse who’s providing care in that facility.”

Sorenson says nurses can bring up their concerns to their worksite stewards. She says those concerns are then brought forward to the Interior Health Authority and, if necessary, to the Ministry of Health.

“Unfortunately, we can’t fix everything right away. But, we do continue to try to move these types of issues forward as quickly as possible, particularly when it is the safety of our nurses concerning,” said Sorenson. “And, nurses do have the right to report these kinds of situations to WorkSafeBC, particularly if they feel that their health and safety is at risk. They should also be utilizing the employer’s reporting mechanisms as well as any process under the collective agreement, including the grievance process.”

by Jill Sperling

BC Nurses Union denounces intimidation of RIH staff over parking concerns

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