British Columbia’s nurses’ union says it is expanding job action to additional health-care sites across the province, including locations in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Multiple outlets report that picket lines are being added at hospitals and nearby facilities, with coverage extending to areas such as Surrey and Nanaimo, among other major sites.
The union also says it is filing a complaint with the provincial labour board. According to reporting from the Globe and Mail and Business in Vancouver, union leaders cite alleged employer intimidation of nurses at job sites since the job action began. Business in Vancouver reports the union has received more than 1,400 reports of intimidation.
The Globe and Mail reports the union president describes the labour board emergency application as being directed at B.C. health employers, characterizing the employers’ response as improper in reaction to what the union describes as lawful job action. Global News reports the union expects further expansion, saying picket lines will be in place starting this weekend at major facilities across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
