Updated July 16, 8:30 a.m.
The BC Nurses Union issued 72-hour strike notice on June 29, 2026.
On July 2, they announced their first phase of job action:
- a ban on nurses performing non-nursing duties
- a ban on all non-essential overtime hours.
On July 7, the BCNU setup picket lines at Vancouver General Hospital. BCNU picket lines at VGH came down temporarily on July 9.
On July 9, BCNU picket lines went up at Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre. These picket lines came down temporarily on July 11.
On July 10, the provincial government announced the appointment of mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers to help resolve the dispute.
Between July 12-14, new BCNU pickets lines went up Victoria General Hospital, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, South Islands Surgical Centre and Royal Jubilee Hospital. Lines at Victoria General Hospital and South Islands Surgical Centre came down on July 13. The other two Island sites came down July 14.
On July 13, the BCNU announced there will be no new picket lines added after today's lines come down, while mediation talks between health employers and nurses continue. For now, BCNU is limiting job action to just the twin bans on nurses performing non-nursing duties and all non-essential overtime hours.
HEU will do our best to keep members informed, and will reach out directly to members in impacted worksites. Please make sure we have your current email address.
If there are no picket lines at your worksite, HEU members should report to work as usual.
Below are some frequently asked questions to help HEU members navigate this labour dispute.
HEU members are encouraged to reach out to their local executives, shop stewards or staff representative, if they have any further questions about the nurses' job action.
- What happens if there is a picket line when I show up for my shift?
If you show up at work and there is a picket line at your site, your first step is to honour the line and do not cross it, and report to strike headquarters. There you find out if you are an essential worker or on a picket line that day.
If you are already on duty when a picket line goes up on your site, stay at work until completion of your shift.
- What if my shift is cancelled due to the job action?
If your scheduled shift was cancelled due to job action you are welcome to come to your worksite and join the picket line. Information about picket lines and picket pay is below on this page.
- How will the ban on overtime affect me?
The BCNU’s ban on overtime does not impact HEU members’ acceptance of overtime, except those HEU members who are part of the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA).
There may be nurses who are not working overtime at your site. HEU members must still report to their shifts as normal.
A ban on overtime does not mean that nurses will not be working overtime during this phase of job action. Nurses may still be working overtime but this must be approved by their union, and the employer must contact the union for authorization.
- What does a ban on performing non-nursing duties mean?
The NBA has provided instructions to their members to refuse to perform non-nursing duties. They have described these duties to include portering duties, food service duties, clerical duties, stocking supplies, cleaning, and other duties performed by members in other bargaining units.
- What should I do if my manager asks me to perform work normally done by a nurse?
During job action, managers may ask HEU members to take on additional duties that are sometimes performed by nurses.
If your manager directs you to perform the work, you should do the work if you are qualified and trained to perform it; it is safe to do; and it falls within your job description or normal scope of work.
HEU members can tell their supervisor they object to taking on additional nursing-related duties during job action. However, unless the work is unsafe, outside your qualifications, or clearly outside your scope of work, members should follow the direction and raise concerns with the union afterward. This is known as “work now, grieve later.”
If you are unsure in the moment, ask your manager whether the task is expected of your role, whether other work should be reprioritized, and what tasks should take priority during the shift.
If the added duties create workload concerns, affect patient care, or prevent you from completing your regular work, document the issue and contact your shop steward. Your union can review whether a workload complaint or grievance is appropriate under Article 37.07(b) of the FBA Collective Agreement.
Members can also support nurses during job action by not voluntarily taking on extra work unless specifically directed by management.
How picket lines work
- What if there are pickets at some entrances but not others at a site? If we enter a non-picketed entrance, will it be considered crossing a picket line?
If there is a picket line at any entrance to a facility, the entire facility is considered to be picketed. There will be a designated entrance for essential service workers.
- Who can cross a picket line?
- essential workers with badges
- emergency vehicles
- deliveries of blood and oxygen
- doctors, patients, families and visitors
- food supplies
- any other person or delivery required for the continued essential operation of the facility.
These picket lines are set up and managed by the BC Nurses Union, and the BCNU Picket Captain is responsible for recording and reporting any violation of the picket line.
You can help the Picket Captain by noting any details about the person or vehicle crossing, and names of witness who observed them crossing.
Do not try to physically stop them or otherwise put yourself at risk.
- Will there be an HEU staff person to support us during picketing?
An HEU staff person will be assigned to each strike headquarters. They will be on-site or reachable via phone at any time.
- What does it mean to “report to the strike headquarters” or “go to the picket line.” Where do I actually go and who do I talk to?
The location of strike headquarters will be different in each facility, and we will notify members as soon as we are aware pickets are happening. It is usually set up in a place that union members can reach without having to cross the picket line.
- Why should I honour the nurses’ picket line?
Every worker has the right to strike. Withholding our labour is one of the strongest tools we as union members have to push for better working conditions. But this strength is weakened if picket lines are not honoured by other workers.
Supporting other union members in their right to strike is an act of solidarity and is how we build strength and solidarity across our labour movement.
Taking strike action is often a difficult decision, and it can come at a personal cost. HEU members have been on strike in the past and received tremendous support and solidarity from other union members. We may be forced to make a similar, difficult decision to go on strike again some time in the future and we know other unions will support us, as we supported them.
- Can I be disciplined for honouring a legal picket line?
No. Article 5.08 of the FBA collective agreement contains language that allows you to honour all legal picket lines.
How picket pay works
- Do we get picket pay?
If the job action requires you to stop work, you will receive picket pay.
This includes honouring another union’s picket line.
You do not have to do strike support work, but if you don’t, you won’t get picket pay.
- How much do I get paid for picket pay?
Members will be paid $100 per day to a max of $500 per week, and $10 per day per dependent to a total of $50 per dependent per week, provided that picket duty is done and a picket time card is completed and signed by an authorized local union officer or picket captain.
To receive the $100 per day members must complete a minimum 4 hour shift per day on the picket line.
- How are dependents defined?
A dependent is defined as a person without any taxable income who is totally reliant on the member for financial support.
In other words, if there is another adult living with the family who provides financial support, or if there are child support payments from an ex-spouse, the policy would not apply.
If there are two striking members in the same family, only one of them can claim dependent pay.
- Do I have to walk a picket line to get picket pay?
You are entitled to picket pay if you fulfill at least 4 hours per day of strike support work. This could include serving on a strike committee, organizing a study session, or other tasks.
The strike committee will direct you to where you are most needed. You must accept any duties, including picketing, that the committee asks you to, in order to get picket pay.
- I have a disability and I’m unable to do picket duty. Will I still get picket pay/job action pay?
If you are actively in the workplace but have a disability which interferes with your ability to do picket duty, please contact your local job action committee for guidance. The job action committee may be able to assign you alternative duties which are eligible for job action pay.
Please note, if you are on sick leave, or a WCB claim, or a Long Term Disability claim, you are not eligible for job action pay and we strongly recommend that you do not picket as these activities could jeopardize your leave or claim.
- Can members get picket pay if they are on their scheduled days off from their job?
No. We will not be covering picket pay for members if they are not scheduled to work.
- How many hours a day do we have to picket?
Members will picket for four hours a day over five days per week. But you can speak to the strike committee to see if you can arrange a different schedule.
- Do I have to picket during my usual scheduled shift?
You will be scheduled to picket by the Local committee. Best efforts are made to schedule members during their usual scheduled shift.
- What if I am on vacation or sick leave, or have vacation or leave scheduled, when we go on strike?
All pre-approved leaves continue (sick leave, vacation etc.) as if it were business as usual, and pre-approved vacations and leaves will be honoured by the employer.
- Can I collect EI if my union is on strike?
No.
- What if I get sick during the strike? Can I take a paid sick day during job action?
If you are sick during the current overtime ban/work to rule campaign, you should call in sick per the usual process. If you are denied sick pay, please contact your steward immediately to file a grievance.
Should picket lines be set up, and essential service levels be put in place, if you are sick on a day you are scheduled for an essential shift, benefits are meant to continue. If you are sick on a day when you are scheduled to picket, or are not scheduled, there is no sick pay on that day.
If you are already on an extended sick leave when picket lines are established, pay continues as long as you have a bank.
- Is there a waiting period for picket pay?
No, picket pay will begin on the first day of job action and cheques will be delivered to picket sites weekly.
- Is picket pay taxable?
No. You do not need to declare it as income on your tax return, and you will not be issued a T4 by the union. And union dues are not deducted from picket pay.
- How do I claim for picket pay?
You will be required to sign in at the Strike Headquarters and will be issued with a job action/strike picket card.
- Can I do essential service work and still receive picket pay?
No, not in the same day. The picket pay only applies to those were unable to work a scheduled shift that day due to the BCNU picket line.
- Are casuals and part-time members eligible for job action/picket pay?
Yes, any member who loses wages as a result of the job action is eligible for picket pay, provided they fulfill picket duty requirements.
- Can members receive picket pay at multiple locals or sites?
Yes, if they are scheduled to work and participate in job action at each local.
- Do I continue to accumulate seniority while on strike?
Regular full-time and part-time employees will accrue seniority as if they were at work.
Essential services
- What about essential services?
HEU has negotiated essential service levels at all HEU worksites. In the event of a strike action by BCNU, HEU members who are scheduled to work are asked to report to Strike Headquarters and contact their shop steward, local executive member or staff representative to determine whether or not they should report to work according to essential service levels.
- How do essential service levels work?
Essential service levels are levels of staffing that must be met to maintain minimal operations, safety and care for patients and residents The levels are negotiated between the unions and the employer, and are different depending on the type of job, department, and facility.
Essential service levels are very high in the health care sector. As a result, most members will continue to work during any kind of job action.
Workers designated as essential by the local strike coordination committee will be given badges and will be provided a designated entrance to their facility.
- Will my regular shifts will be considered when I am assigned to essential shifts?
The committee will consider the qualifications of the workers and assign the shifts based on the seniority list.
NBA bargaining and what it means for HEU
- What happens if the nurses are able to secure a better collective agreement than the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) collective agreement?
The Nurses’ Bargaining Committee’s collective bargaining is the last bargaining process taking place in this round of public sector bargaining. All other public sector bargaining tables have concluded and have ratified a collective agreement.
In 2025 Facilities Bargaining, the employer and the union agreed to a Memorandum of Agreement to provide protection when another public sector union and employer, such as the nurses and health care employers, bargain a better general wage increase under the government’s mandate for this round of public sector bargaining.
These are often referred to as “me too” clauses, and they provide protection that ensure a similar increase is provided to the members.
During this round of public sector bargaining, all public sector unions have negotiated “me too” clauses into their collective agreements, including Community Health (CBA) and Community Social Services (CSSBA) collective agreements. Generally speaking, a “me too” clause kicks in when another union bargains a higher general wage increase that applies to all members of their bargaining unit.
At this time, it is not possible to determine whether a revised nurse settlement would trigger the “me too” provisions. At the outcome of any collective agreement settled between the NBA and HEABC, HEU will carefully review the new NBA agreement to see if it triggers the “me too” clause for the FBA, CBA and CSSBA collective agreements.
- What kinds of increase do not trigger the “me too” clause?
There are certain types of monetary increase that do not trigger the clause:
- monetary increases that only apply to certain employees or situations, such as shift premiums. For example, if the NBA tentative agreement includes a revised night shift differential, it does not qualify in that it is not a general wage increase, and does not apply to all members of the NBA bargaining unit.
- commitments that change government policy in health care, such as nursing ratios.
- Is it only a general wage increase that triggers the “me too”?
An increase to the wage impacted benefits or flexibility allocations in the settlement may also trigger the “me too” clause. These types of increases require detailed analysis by your union.
- Why didn’t HEU bargain a better “me too” provision?
In each round of bargaining, your Facilities Bargaining Committee works hard to negotiate the strongest possible “me too” provision, given how important it is that we do not fall behind if another union makes gains. This round was no different, and we, along with other public sector unions, pushed to improve the language over the language of the last round.