BC Nurses' Union Expands Pickets Amid Intimidation Allegations

The BC Nurses' Union (BCNU) expanded its job action across British Columbia starting July 7, 2026, following the rejection of a tentative agreement and an impasse in negotiations with the Health Employers Association of B.C. Picket lines began at Vancouver General Hospital and extended on July 10 to Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre. The union announced that pickets will further expand during the weekend of July 11 to include major facilities on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, such as Victoria General Hospital, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Royal Jubilee Hospital, and the South Island Surgical Centre.

Union President Adriane Gear filed an unfair labour practice application with the provincial labour board, reporting that members filed over 2,300 reports of intimidation and coercion since July 2. Gear alleged that managers threatened nurses with termination or reports to their professional college for refusing non-nursing duties and overtime. The Health Employers Association of B.C. denied directing employees to work outside their professional scope and urged the use of established labour relations processes.

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne stated that the Health Employers Association is ready to negotiate, acknowledging that while the province has addressed nurse-to-patient ratios and safety, substantial gaps remain. The union continues to call for the provincial government to intervene with a new mandate to improve nurse retention and working conditions.