parasol 2016/2017 annual report volume 78/october … · parasol 2016/2017 annual report volume...

P A R A S O L 2 0 1 6 / 2 0 1 7 A N N U A L R E P O R T V O L U M E 7 8 / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

WWW.NBNU.CANEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNION

STAND UP

– SPEA

K OUT!

NB NURSES UNION I OCTOBER 2017 I STAND UP – SPEAK OUT!

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CONTENTS

4. . . . . . . . . . Agenda

5. . . . . . . . . . President’s Report

9. . . . . . . . . . Executive Director’s Report

12 . . . . . . . Vice-President’s Report

14 . . . . . . . Second Vice-President’s Report

16 . . . . . . . Unit Representatives’ Reports

20. . . . . . . WorksafeNB Annual Report

22 . . . . . . . Annual Meeting OperationsCommittee Report

22 . . . . . . . Keynote Speaker

23 . . . . . . . Resolutions

26 . . . . . . . Constitution and By-lawChanges

27 . . . . . . . Scholarships and Bursaries

30 . . . . . . . Becoming an NBNU Activist

32 . . . . . . . Candidates for Elections

35 . . . . . . . Canada’s nurses applaud CLCfor joining our fight foruniversal pharmacare

36 . . . . . . . Auditor’s Report

49 . . . . . . . Finance Committee’s Report

50 . . . . . . . NBNU Operational Budget

51 . . . . . . . Notes to Budget

52 . . . . . . . Investments Schedule

MOVING? NEW EMAIL?STAY CONNECTEDWhen you move or change your email, please let us know your newaddress so we can keep sending you the Parasol, bargaining and electioninformation as well as other vital NBNU material. Please contact Jennifer Heade, Membership Records Coordinator, byemail at [email protected] or toll free, 1-800-442-4914.

HOW TO REACH US ATPROVINCIAL OFFICE Telephone: 1-800-442-4914 or 506-453-0829 I Fax: [email protected] I www.nbnu.ca

MISSION STATEMENTThe mission of NBNU is to enhance the social,economic and general work life of registered nursesand nurse practitioners.

LANGUAGE POLICY - ARTICLE 18 (a) Official Languages – NBNU adheres to the

following:(i) that the provision of bilingual services be apriority of the New Brunswick Nurses Union;(ii) that the New Brunswick Nurses Union strive tooffer services in both official languages at alllevels of the organization; and(iii) that no employees be negatively affected bythese initiatives.

(b) Translation Services - All NBNU documents forthe Annual General Meeting, Executive Council,local presidents or general membership, shall notbe distributed unless they are available in bothofficial languages at the time of distribution.

EDITORLeanne Lagsiar

CONTRIBUTORSPaula Doucet, Matt Hiltz, Maria Richard, NancyArseneau, Shelley Duggan, Norbert Robichaud, KathyLeBlanc, Ronda McCready, Cathy Wall, Leanne Lagsiar,Maureen Wallace, Coleen Logan, John MacDonald,Jocelyne LeGresley, Jennifer Dickison and Emily Doer.

CONTACT USNBNU Provincial Office103 Woodside Lane, Fredericton, NB, E3C 2R9Tel: (506) 453-0829 I Fax: (506) 453-0828Toll Free: 1-800-442-4914 I Email: [email protected]

MOVING? NEW EMAIL?Please send change of address and/or email toJennifer Heade, Membership Records Coordinator, byemail at [email protected] or toll free, 1-800-442-4914.


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PRESIDENT’S REPORT BY PAULA DOUCET

INTRODUCTION I am pleased to present my first annualreport as your President. This past year hasbeen an exciting and busy one. Kicking offmy new role with a press conference on our#fixthelaw campaign regarding violence inthe workplace, then into talks for NashwaakVilla and multiple meetings. Regardless ofthe issue, I was always standing up andspeaking out on behalf of all NBNUmembers. So very fitting that the theme forour 2017 Annual General Meeting is “StandUp – Speak Out!” Registered nurses are andhave always been good at advocating fortheir patients, clients and residents – it isnow time to find your voice and courage tostand up and speak out for yourself, your co-workers and all New Brunswickers for betterhealthcare in our province. Registerednurses are held in high regard by the publicwhen we speak out on an issue because wehave the facts and the frontline experienceto back up what we are saying.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCECAMPAIGN UPDATE Reducing the rates of workplace violencecontinues to be a top priority for NBNU. TheAnnual General Meeting in October willmark one year since we publicly launchedour #fixthelaw campaign. To increase publicawareness around this important issue, werecently ran two anti-violence commercials,one featuring a community care scenarioand one featuring an acute care scene. Welaunched on May 29 and ran thecommercial in theatres, TV and digital mediauntil June 25. On September 29, we willcome back into market for five weeks. NBNUpartnered with NSNU on this commercial, asno matter which province you are in,violence in the workplace is an issue thatneeds to stop.

As Horizon’s internal violence preventionprogram progresses, officials within thehealth authority have shared with us the dataon violent incidents from the first full yearusing the new Parklane electronic reportingsoftware. In the 2016-17 fiscal year, a total of439 violent incidents were reported. Although Vitalité has for many years tried tocurb the violent episodes in their facilities, itstill happens. I met with Gilles Lanteigne,CEO, earlier this year and he reiterated to methat they continue to work at improvingsafety for all employees within Vitalité. Wewant to ensure that there are also propersteps to follow and supports in place nomatter which RHA or nursing home youwork in. NBNU will continue to workcollaboratively with all employers to ensurethe safety of our members. In September, NBNU will meet with severalunions in hopes of uniting under one publicrelations campaign. Our objective will be toincrease public pressure on government toamend the OH&S Act. While data shows thatregistered nurses experience one of thehighest rates of workplace violence, weknow that many workers are impacted andnot properly protected by the law. I hope toprovide an update on this coalition at theAnnual General Meeting in October. Thetime is now to speak out and make safety forall workers in this province a priority.

ADVOCACY Aside from our priority effort to persuadegovernment to amend the OH&S Act toinclude violence as a workplacehazard, NBNU advocacy work overthe past year has focused mainly ontwo campaigns: restoring balanceto WorkSafeNB and opposing theopening of a paid plasmacollection clinic in Moncton.

The WorkSafeNB: Restore Balance campaignis being led by the New BrunswickFederation of Labour (NBFL) withcollaboration from NBNU and other NBFLaffiliated unions as well as some non-affiliates, including the New BrunswickUnion (NBU). At our Executive Councilmeetings in April, I shared an overview ofthe issues occurring within WorkSafeNB andthe labour movement’s proposed changes tomake the system fairer for injured workers. In May, government announced the creationof a task force to examine the workerscompensation system in response toemployers’ concerns about a rise in the ratesthey pay to fund compensation to injuredworkers. We have concerns about theneutrality of this task force and believe thegovernment’s perspective may be biased tofavour the fiscal interest of businesses overthe safety of workers and the suffering ofthose who are injured on the job. As such,NBNU is continuing to work with the


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OPEN INVITATION TO ATTEND THE 43RD

NBNU ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGOCTOBER 16-19, 2017 I DELTA BEAUSÉJOUR, MONCTON

AGENDAMONDAY, OCTOBER 16

11:30 - 13:00 – First Timers Session11:30 - 13:30 – Registration13:30 - 16:30 – Unit Rep. Meetings • Nurses, Part III • Nursing Homes • Community Care Nurses• Nurse Managers/Supervisors

19:00 - 21:00 – Wine & Cheese Reception

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17

7:00 - 8:30 – Breakfast7:30 - 8:30 – Registration 8:30 - 10:00 – Business Session• Call to Order• Welcome• Introduction of Head Table• Introduction of Guests• Approval of Agenda• Annual Meeting Operations Committee

Report• Appointment of Scrutineers and

Sergeants-at-Arms• Rules and Privileges of Annual General

Meeting• Review of Instructions for Voting

Delegates

• President’s Address • Executive Director’s Report

10:00 - 10:30 – Break

10:30 - 12:00• Vice-President’s Report• 2nd Vice-President’s Report• Finance Committee’s Report

• Auditor’s Report• Motion to Approve Auditor’s Report for

2016• Presentation of 2018 Operational Budget

12:00 - 13:00 – Lunch (provided)13:00 - 13:30 – Greetings – Linda Silas,CFNU President13:30 - 14:45 – Guest Speaker – Tim Hague15:15 - 16:00 – Membership RecognitionAwards 18:00 – Reception18:30 – Banquet

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18

7:00 - 8:30 – Breakfast7:30 - 8:30 – Registration8:30 - 10:00 – Business SessionReconvenes• Call to Order• Conversation with the Board of

Directors• Greetings – Hassan Yussuff, CLC

President10:00 - 10:30 – Break10:30 - 12:00 – Elections 12:00 - 13:00 – Lunch (provided)14:00 - 14:45 – Resolutions

14:45 - 15:00 – Wellness Activity 15:30 - 16:30 – Business SessionReconvenes16:30 – Business Session Adjourns

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

7:00 - 8:30 – Breakfast7:30 - 8:30 – Registration8:30 - 12:00 – Business SessionReconvenes• Open Forum • New Business• Motion to Approve 2018 Budget

12:00 – Adjournment


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SOLIDARITY AUCTIONWILL BEGIN MONDAYAT 19:00 HRS AND

FINISH WEDNESDAY AT13:00 HRS.

eye-opening. Several presidents from theCFNU NEB presented at concurrent sessionson nursing challenges in Canada, as well assome success stories. We also spent a day with the Nurses Unionof Madrid. Their structure is somewhatdifferent compared to Canada. Interestinglythough, they have launched a hugecampaign on violence in the workplace aswell. Some of the topics that we discussed werethe healthcare structures in Spain vs Canada,the differences in our unions, bothprovincially and nationally, as well ascollective bargaining. Spain has both apublic and private healthcare system withapproximately 240,000 nurses nationwidewith approximately 164,000 working in thepublic system. The make up in the publicsystem is 30% physicians, 33% nurses and37% other healthcare providers. Seventyeight per cent of these nurses work inhospitals, and 22% in primary healthcare.Thirty-five per cent of nurses work part time.One major difference between Spain andCanada is in their bargaining structure. Theyhave coordinated bargaining where alldisciplines, including physicians, bargaintogether at the same table at the same time.On July 18, I attended a CFNU breakfast inEdmonton where Premiers were briefed onAccess Through Innovation: MaximizingFederal Mental Health Funding. According toHon. Michael Kirby, former Senator andfounding Chair of Partners for MentalHealth, “20% of Canadian children andyouth will develop a mental illness by age25, 43% of Canadians will experience amental health problem or illness over thecourse of their lifetime, and 50% of familydoctors’ time is spent addressing mentalhealth issues or illnesses.” CFNU, NBNU andthe rest of the National Executive Board arecommitted to working with the federal,provincial and territorial governments toreduce these statistics and improve publichealthcare services for all Canadians. Duringthe meeting, I had a chance to speak withPremier Gallant to discuss building arelationship between NBNU and hisgovernment on a go-forward basis.

Following the Premiers’ meeting inEdmonton, we were invited to a meeting inmid-August with Premier Gallant along withrepresentatives from NBFL, CUPE andUNIFOR, through the assistance of HassanYussuff, CLC President, to discuss issues suchas the WorkSafeNB review, pay equity, andviolence in the workplace. I am pleased thatthis is possibly the start of relationshipbuilding that is long overdue.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSThe board meets every 6-8 weeks to carryout the work of the Union on your behalf.We are embarking on a new strategic plan inAugust and will be reporting on this at theAnnual General Meeting in October. Wehave reviewed the comments, suggestionsand survey results over the last few yearsand felt that strengthening and supportingleadership at the local level remains apriority. Having said this, we will be lookingat more educational opportunities andcontinuing to strengthen our lines ofcommunication between provincial office,local activists and members. Knowledge isthe key to a strong and active union, and weare committed to expanding the educationallearning for all members.The board is also mindful of the mandate ofNBNU to protect RN positions and enhance

your social, economic and general work life.This is always key in the decision making anddiscussions at the board level. The discussionsand debates are diverse and healthy and wealways take a look at the big picture when itcomes to decisions that are made. This year at the AGM, we are planning tohave a conversation between the board andthe delegates present, to have a moreinclusive and participatory conversationabout issues that are directly affectingmembers at all worksites. It is somethingnew and innovative that we are excited to try.

CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS Twelve NBNU members (including yourboard) joined me at the 28th ConstitutionalConvention of the Canadian LabourCongress in May. The theme this year was"Together… for a Fair Future." For Canada’sunions, a fair future includes decent work, a$15 minimum wage and the right to join aunion, but it also means challenging racism,Islamophobia and xenophobia, whilechampioning equity, social justice, and agreen economy. More than 3000 labouractivists took part in a rally in downtownToronto which was led by Hassan Yussuff, re-elected CLC president. I am pleased to sharethat Hassan will address delegates at ourAnnual General Meeting in October. A


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coalition of unions advocating to restorebalance to WorkSafeNB. We also believe thistask force is duplicating the work of theWSNB Board of Directors, which hasemployer and employee representatives onit. In support of BloodWatch, NBNU’s ongoingadvocacy work opposing the opening ofCanadian Plasma Resources pay-for-plasmaclinic in Moncton has been facilitatedthrough our membership on the NB HealthCoalition. In May, a rally was held at the siteof the planned clinic, with participation fromseveral NBNU members. The NB HealthCoalition had commentaries published inthe newspapers sharing their opposition tothe clinic. The coalition also wrote letters tothe Health Minister and Premier calling forthem to follow the lead of several otherprovinces and ban the clinic from operatingin our province. Throughout the summer,the NB Health Coalition has been rolling outa social media campaign opposing the clinicas well as other forms of privatizationcreeping into New Brunswick’s healthcaresystem. In addition to the work on these twoadvocacy efforts, NBNU also supports NBU’sadvocacy for domestic violence employmentleave, similar to legislation that was recentlypassed in Manitoba, allowing workers totake time off in order to seek support/makepersonal arrangements when experiencing

interpersonal violence (IPV). NBNU believesthis advocacy on NBU’s part dovetails withour own advocacy on workplace violence.We plan to discuss this in our meetings withthe NBU and other stakeholders this fall, aswe work to bring them on board ascollaborators on our #fixthelaw campaign forworkplace violence legislation.

NURSING HOMESI have met with the new Executive Director,Jodi Hall, of the New Brunswick Associationof Nursing Homes and most recently wediscussed the workplace violence toolkit. Thesupport from management in all homes iskey to its success, in helping keep yourworkplaces safe. We have commitment fromthe Executive Director that the framework ofthe committee is under review. We are alsocollaborating with WSNB to re-launch thecommittee that had previously worked onthe toolkit. We have been told that underthe new strong and healthy workforcestrategy for nursing homes, reducingviolence is a priority for NBANH. NBNU ismore than willing to work collaborativelywith them to ensure safe workenvironments, and that necessary tools andsupports are in place for everyone.

NURSES ASSOCIATION OF NEWBRUNSWICKNBNU continues to strengthen ourrelationship with NANB by seekingopportunities to collaborate on workplaceissues that fall under both of ourorganizational mandates. The issue of compassion fatigue was raisedat both NBNU and NANB’s Annual GeneralMeetings in 2016, so it made sense topartner and offer workshops on the subjectmatter. For those of you who may not beaware, compassion fatigue refers to theemotional, physical and/or spiritualexhaustion that healthcare professionals canexperience because of exposure to largevolumes of complex cases or difficultsituations. The workshops, titled, Running onEmpty: Recognizing When Nurses Need to

Refuel, will take place on September 26 inBathurst and 27 in Fredericton. The goal is toeducate RNs and NPs about contributingfactors to compassion fatigue and how torecognize signs and symptoms. Facilitator,Stéphanie Maillet, will also teachparticipants about best practices to treat andavoid being impacted by compassionfatigue. Members can register online athttp://www.nanb.nb.ca/workshop,however, the registration deadline date ofSeptember 20 is fast approaching, so if youhaven’t signed up, I encourage you to do soasap!

CANADIAN FEDERATION OFNURSES UNIONS The 2017 CFNU #SpeakUp Biennial was thehighest attended to date and took placefrom June 5-9 in Calgary. Some of thehighlights included an announcement fromthe Stephen Lewis Foundation that CFNU,along with the provincial nurses’ unions,had made the largest contribution to datetowards fighting AIDS & HIV in Africa –$135,000 per year for the next three years. Another highlight was the launch of CFNU’sresearch paper titled, Enough is Enough:Putting an End to Workplace Violence in theHealth Care Sector. I encourage all membersto visit our website to read this eye-openingdiscussion paper. It is important to note thatnurses’ unions across Canada are all facingviolence in the workplace and workingtogether, we hope to bring a stop to thisworkplace hazard.As I mentioned in the July newsletter, NBNUis thrilled to host the CFNU 2019 Biennial inFredericton from June 3-7. I hope many ofour members will be able to attend and lookforward to sharing details with you about theevent as we move closer to the date. In May, all members of the CFNU NationalExecutive Board travelled to Spain toparticipate in the International Council ofNurses (ICN) Congress. Over 50 countrieswere represented and nurses from all sectorswere there. The networking, concurrentsessions and plenaries were interesting and


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Paula Doucet speaking out against privatization insupport of CUPENB, during a rally at the NB Legislative

Assembly.

CFNU National Executive Board at MP Breakfast on Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT BY MATT HILTZ

As predicted, this year has been anythingbut boring and now we have the pleasure ofgearing up for 2018 negotiations! To date,2017 has not been without its challenges;some of the highlights include:1) lobbying the government to include all

forms of violence as a workplace hazardunder the Occupational Health andSafety Act (the “#fixthelaw” campaign);

2) publicly opposing the government’sdecision to allow CPR, a private plasmacollection company, to open inMoncton which diverts plasma from thevoluntary collection stream;

3) an ongoing pension lawsuit;4) the much-maligned roll-out of the

“optimized rotation” project in HorizonHealth Network;

5) the pending consolidation of EMP withAmbulance NB and Tele-Care 811 into anew RHA (under the management ofMedavie); and

6) the ongoing attempts by theDepartment of Social Development toderegulate the care provided toresidents in our nursing homes.

Most of these matters are still in flux at thetime of writing this report, but I shall do mybest to provide an update as of July/August2017.

2018 NEGOTIATIONS2018-19 will be a very busy year for NBNU,as all three of our Collective Agreements willexpire on December 31, 2018. As such, ninemonths before this expiry date, we will needto elect a new negotiating committee foreach bargaining unit. That means in early2018, you can expect to see information onthe nomination and election process beingreleased from provincial office. Negotiating Collective Agreements is myfavourite part of my position because during

this time we can advance the work-lifeinterests of all our members. I would askthat anyone who is interested inparticipating on the negotiating committee,to please put your name forward. This is agreat opportunity to stand up and speak outby being involved in your Union.

THE “OPTIMIZED ROTATION”PROJECT IN HORIZONWhile the end goal of this project may beadmirable, it would be an understatement tosay that this project was implemented poorly.As a recap, Horizon hired an external companyto inform them on how best to optimizerotations to minimize gaps (notwithstandingyour Collective Agreement rights). As such,many part-time positions were offered smallincreases in FTE and the employer attemptedto implement rotations that violated manyarticles of the Collective Agreement. A provincial grievance was filed and to itscredit, Horizon finally decided to listen to ourmembers (which is what we suggested tothem when they first proposed their plan toNBNU in the early summer of 2016). As such,while the matter has been referred toadjudication, we’ve held it to allow Horizon tomake the necessary adjustments to complywith the Collective Agreement, and mostimportantly, to listen to the frontline memberswho actually work these rotations. We haveseen progress being made; however, there aresome issues remaining outstanding.To date, units at the Miramichi Regional, theMoncton Hospital, the Veteran’s Health Unitand St. Joseph’s Hospital have undergoneoptimized rotations. Currently, units at theSaint John Regional Hospital, OromoctoPublic Hospital and Ridgewood Veteran’sUnit are working through the creation of thenew rotations. After this painful year, weexpect to see Horizon be more consultativeand use the knowledge it gained to

minimize any negative impacts during thenext phase of implementation.

EMP-MEDAVIE MEMORANDUMOF UNDERSTANDING (THE “MOU”)In March of 2017, NBNU requested an “allstakeholders” meeting to ensure that eachgroup likely to be impacted by the MOU wasbeing provided with the same information.In April Medavie and the Department ofHealth met again with the Regional HealthAuthorities and EMP leadership. We werenot invited to that meeting. On May 24,NBNU attended a stakeholders meeting inFredericton, along with NANB, CUPE, NBU,as well as many of the professionalassociations representing the EMPpractitioners. During the meeting, officialsfrom the Department of Health and Medaviepresented a high-level plan explaining thenew proposed service delivery model. Medavie explained that the plan wouldentail three phases: 1) integrating EMP, Ambulance NB and

Tele-Care 811;


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highlight of the week for me was when Ispoke to a resolution on workplace violence.As many of you know, I am very passionateabout this issue and have made it acommitment to reduce incidents ofworkplace violence in New Brunswick, notjust for registered nurses, but for all workers. During September 29–October 1, I willparticipate on a panel at CLC’s first women’sleadership summit. The theme is “SistersRising Together” and the event will takeplace in Halifax, NS. I encourage membersto visit the CLC website if you are interestedin attending. To register visit http://sms.clc-ctc.ca/atlanticschool.htm. In June 2018, the CLC will hold a worker’ssummit in Antigonish. I am pleased to sharethat the CLC has offered to hold a train-the-trainer course on domestic violence that willbe open to registered nurses exclusively. Iwill share more information on this event aswe move closer to the date.

CHARITABLE DONATIONS NBNU has been a long-time supporter ofseveral provincial charities over the years. Ashealthcare providers, we know firsthand thatthe primary factors that shape the health ofNew Brunswickers are not necessarilymedical treatments, but rather the livingconditions an individual or familyexperiences. I am proud to share that thanksto our relationship with Johnson Insurance,NBNU was able to donate $13,480 in 2016to transition houses around the province tohelp provide shelter for abused women andtheir children. NBNU also continued oursponsorship with the NB Association ofCommunity Living. The Association works tobuild inclusive communities whereindividuals with an intellectual disability canlive, learn, work and play.

BLAIR DOUCET YOUTH SUMMERCAMP This year’s camp was held from August 7-11at the Moncton campus of Université deMoncton. A total of 13 youth participated, four

of which are children of NBNU members. It isalways a very special week for me, as it isnamed after my father who was the NBFLPresident from 1999-2005. It is also a uniqueexperience for the youth who attend. They aregiven an opportunity to learn about subjectsthat aren’t covered in the NB school system.Educational sessions cover health and safety,the importance of voting, Union 101 andsocial media do’s and don’ts to name a fewtopics. Summer camp also requires funactivities, and this one is no different, wespent our afternoons and evenings keepingthem busy with all kinds of fun activities.The success of the camp is made possible bythe generous financial donations of NBFLaffiliates and the volunteering of the manychaperones and instructors that have the bestinterest of the youth at heart. My father wasalways a staunch believer that education iskey, and keeping his dream going with thecamp every year is an honour and privilege.

IN CLOSING I can’t believe how fast the year has gone by.Every day has been challenging, rewardingand interesting. It is truly a privilege andhonor to represent RNs and NPs in ourprovince. With the support of the board, localexecutives, activists, members and the teamat the NBNU office, my role is very fulfillingand I strive to learn something new every day. I like to always take a “team approach” onissues and collaborate with not only theboard, but the staff of NBNU and othercounterparts. We have many experts amongus and I believe the credibility of ourorganization is only strengthened when morepeople are involved and aware of the issues.We are facing tough times in healthcare andnow more than ever, we need to worktogether and be strong to face these issueshead on, making the best decisions formembers and all New Brunswickers.Delivering safe, timely and competent carewith the proper numbers of nurses in thesystem will make work life and home lifebalance achievable for all.

I look forward to the next year aheadknowing that I still have the passion,commitment and fire in my belly to alwaysstand up – speak out on behalf of all NBNUmembers. I will continue to work tirelesslyon your behalf.The quote I will leave you with is one fromlast year, but I feel is still very appropriateand fitting: “Today I will do what otherswon’t, so tomorrow I can do what otherscan’t”. – Jerry RiceIn Solidarity,

Paula Doucet President


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NBNU POLICYMembers may be entitled to a duesrebate according to an NBNU policyadopted by the executive committee atits June 1989 meeting:NBNU shall reimburse an amountequivalent to the monthly union duesminus the local rebate to anyregistered nurse who pays monthlyunion dues to two separate employersfor the same month. The Union willonly reimburse dues, where applicable,for a retroactive period of 12 months atthe request of a member.

Please apply in writing toprovincial office:

Attention: Jennifer HeadeMembership Records Coordinator New Brunswick Nurses Union103 Woodside Lane, Fredericton, NB, E3C 2R9 Telephone: 1-800-442-4914 Email: [email protected]

Matt Hiltz

NBNU STAFFING2017 brought significant change to theNBNU office. LRO Ellen Oakes Thompson,began her maternity leave, which openedthe office to the wonderful Jennifer Weston,as her temporary replacement. DonnaMcNeill, LRO, retired in June of 2017, whichresulted in an opportunity for Paula Thebeauto continue Donna’s exemplary work ethicand dedication. Also, Sarah Bonnar acceptedthe position of Executive Assistant within theorganization. Finally, we were saddened bythe passing of long-time NBNU stalwart,Virginia Stairs, in June.

2017 GOVERNOR GENERAL’SCANADIAN LEADERSHIPCONFERENCEI was fortunate to be selected as aparticipant in the 2017 Governor General’sCanadian Leadership Conference (the“GGCLC”), with its theme “Leadership andthe Canada we will Build.” From June 2-16,along with 250 or so leaders from across thecountry, I embarked on a once-in-a-lifetimeexperience. I was part of a diverse group of17, which was tasked with studying howfolks in British Columbia are stimulating andembracing change to build a better Canada.In addition to learning from leaders in theeducational, commercial, NGO andIndigenous realms, our group also visitedwith registered nurses at Insite, NorthAmerica’s first legal supervised injection site

in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, as wellas the Fort St. John Hospital, in Northern BC. At the end of this incredible learningexperience, we were left with morequestions than answers. The opportunitiesand challenges facing Canada fell into threemain themes: trust, community andinnovation. It became clear that the statusquo will not work for Canada’s future, so weneed change through innovation. Positivechange and innovation are more likely to besuccessful if there is trust amongst thestakeholders. The simplest way to build trustis through proper community consultationbefore starting a project.

IN CONCLUSIONThis past year, the old saying “nothing aboutus, without us” has resonated loud and clear.So, while we continue to face down issuessuch as the privatization of healthcare,working short and workplace violence, wepromise to keep fighting for a place at thetable, rather than be on the menu.In Solidarity,

Matt HiltzExecutive Director

Provincial unions joined Hassan Yussuff, CLC president, at a two-day meeting with provincial government. From left to right: Danny Légère (CUPE), Bill Fraser, Cathy Rogers, Hassan Yussuff, Premier Gallant,

Lana Payne (CLC-Atlantic), Patrick Colford (NBFL), Matt Hiltz (NBNU) and Roger Melanson.


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2) establishing a “Health ServicesCoordination Centre” (“HSCC”); and

3) leveraging the services to address themost complex patients.

Phase one would take approximately 3-4months, phase two would takeapproximately 18-24 months, while phasethree could take 18-36 months.Then on June 15, we received notice inaccordance with Article 47 (Merger andAmalgamation) of the Collective Agreement,that the Government intended to “reformprimary healthcare by bringing EMP, 811and ANB under one umbrella… [and] it mayimplement such changes as early asSeptember 2017.” EMP members wereinvited to a second telephone townhall onJune 27, to hear an update on those recentevents and ask questions.At the time of writing, NBNU has: 1) requested a meeting with the Minister ofHealth to discuss recent comments byBernard Lord, the new CEO of Medavie,about expanding some private aspects ofhealthcare; and 2) set August dates toexplore actual mobility/transfer language forcurrent EMP members to move to the new“umbrella” RHA.


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THE DEREGULATION OF HEALTHCARE IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIESIn the spring of 2016, NBNU was assured by then Minister of Social Development, KathyRogers, that “[a]ny changes to the nursing home skill mix will be evidence-based, relying ondata that we are just beginning to compile through the introduction of the RAI-MDS tool. Inshort, skill mix will be driven by evidence… we will proceed with this initiative in a responsible,collaborative manner and will make evidence-based decisions while ensuring that all relevantconsiderations, staff training as an example, are considered throughout.”

Notwithstanding this “promise,” NBNU negotiated for a joint committee on resident careneeds (the “Committee”), as part of your current Collective Agreement (p.79). An importantfunction of this committee is to “[e]valuate and provide feedback on the aggregate datacreated by the resident care needs assessment tool to assist in determining appropriate staffingmix and staffing levels, including any proposed change to the 20/40/40 (RN/LPN/RA) skill mixto meet the care needs of residents.” The committee met last May, with further meetingsplanned quarterly once the data becomes available by the end of 2017.Unfortunately, at least one nursing home, with agreement from Social Development, hastaken steps to reduce their skill mix based on outdated information and without feedbackfrom the committee. This course of action is not collaborative, evidence-based or responsible.NBNU has filed a grievance at this nursing home. Furthermore, your president, Paula Doucet,and I met with representatives from Social Development to appeal to their good sense. We leftthe meeting with the understanding that arbitration would be our only recourse. NBNU willcontinue to keep you updated on this situation.In addition, in March of 2016, NBNU filed a request under the Right to Information andProtection of Privacy Act (“RIPPA”) for the information upon which Social Development wasbasing its announcement to lower the ratio of funded RN and LPN positions in nursing homes.Social Development refused to disclose this information and we filed a complaint to thePrivacy Commissioner. In March of 2017, the Privacy Commissioner agreed with NBNU andrecommended that the department disclose the requested documents. Unfortunately, at thetime of writing, the Department is refusing to comply with the recommendations of thePrivacy Commissioner and we have appealed to the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench.The hearing has been re-scheduled for October 10, 2017.

2017 MEMBERSHIP DATA

Full-time Part-time Casual Total2017 Dues % change % change % change % changePaying Members from 2016 from 2016 from 2016 from 2016Hospital 3201 1356 515 5072(excluding EMP) (+0.3%) (-3.8%) (-14.0%) (-2.5%)Community Care 498 145 47 690(PH, MH, EMP) (+7.0%) (-4.0%) (-6.0%) (+3.6%)Nurse Managers & 216 17 4 237Supervisors (-1.0%) (+6.2%) (-50.0%) (-2.0%)Nursing Homes 155 219 130 504

(-10.0%) (+10.0%) (-5.1%) (-0.6%)Total: 4070 1737 696 6503% change from 2016: (+0.6%) (-2.2%) (-12.3%) (-1.7%)

Matt Hiltz with Kendra Gunn, PEINU Executive Director,at the GGCLC in June 2017.

IMPORTANT DATESRunning on Empty: Recognizing WhenNurses Need to Refuel workshopsSeptember 26 in Bathurst andSeptember 27, 2017, in Fredericton.

CLC, Atlantic Region, Women’sLeadership Summit: “Sisters Rising Together”September 29-October 1, 2017, at the DeltaHalifax.

Deadline to submit educationalassistance applications for nursinghome nursesOctober 15, February 15 & June 15.

Deadline to submit educationalassistance applications for part IIInurses and nurse managers/supervisorsOctober 7 & March 31.

NBNU Executive Council Meeting,Delta FrederictonApril 16-19, 2018.

CNA Biennial Convention, Ottawa,OntarioJune 18-20, 2018.

Deadline to receive applications forscholarships: Family Scholarships;NBNU Nursing Scholarship (2nd and3rd year); NBNU Post-SecondaryScholarships; and CFNU NursingScholarshipSeptember 30, 2017.

“CLC Worker’s Summit”, St. FrancisXavier, Antigonish, Nova ScotiaMay 27-June 1, 2018.

Eastern Labour School, St. FrancisXavier, Antigonish Nova ScotiaJune 4-6, 2018.

Blair Doucet Youth Summer Camp,August 6-10, 2018.

NBNU Annual General Meeting, DeltaBrunswick, Saint JohnOctober 22-25, 2018.

CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESSThe 28th Constitutional Convention of theCanadian Labor Congress (CLC) was heldfrom May 8-12, in Toronto. Approximately3000 labor unionists attended the triennialconvention. Twelve of them were NBNUmembers who were part of the 140 memberCFNU delegation. Over five days, delegatesdebated issues of a greener economy, betterprotections for equity-seeking members, thecreation of more good jobs in Canada to putan end to precarious work, Pharmacare andthe fight to implement a $15 minimumwage. These are issues that focused oncreating a fair future for all Canadianworkers. Resolutions were debated andpolicies adopted. Delegates at theconvention also elected their CLC officers forthe next term, 2017-2020. CLC President Hassan Yussuff won a secondmandate by acclamation. Marie Clarke Walkerwas elected to replace retiring Secretary-Treasurer, Barbara Byers. Walker waspreviously a CLC Executive Vice-President,having held the position since her election in2002. Returning Executive Vice-President,Donald Lafleur, was re-elected for a secondterm and Larry Rousseau from the PublicService Alliance of Canada (PSAC), was newlyelected as the second Executive Vice-President.

THE NEW BRUNSWICKFEDERATION OF LABOURThe New Brunswick Federation of Labor(NBFL) held its 53rd convention in Monctonfrom May 28-31. The theme for this year’sconvention was: "Together… for a Better NewBrunswick.” The biennial convention is theNBFL’s governing body. Over 40 resolutionswere debated and voted upon, guiding thework of the NBFL for the next two years. Manyguest speakers presented during theconvention, including leaders from: theBroadbent Institute, BloodWatch, theCanadian Union of Postal Workers, theCanadian Labor Congress and the UnitedFood and Commercial Workers union, toname a few.

Patrick Colford, a Canadian Union of PublicEmployees (CUPE) member, won his thirdmandate as NBFL President. Chuck Rouse, aUnifor member, was acclaimed to theposition of Secretary-Treasurer and JohnGagnon, United Steelworkers (USW)member, to the position of First Vice-President. Our very own NBNU member,Nancy Arseneau, was acclaimed to theposition of Second Vice-President. Nancyreplaced outgoing NBNU member PaulaDoucet. Eight NBNU members were inattendance and from their feedback, theyenjoyed the conference and felt theinformation shared was beneficial. The NBFLis New Brunswick’s largest central labourbody with over 40,000 membersrepresenting over 325 local unions fromboth the public and private sectors.

CFNU BIENNIALOn June 5-9, in Calgary, approx. 1200 nursesfrom all across Canada participated in the2017 CFNU Biennial Convention. Thisconvention was filled with amazingopportunities to network with colleaguesfrom across the country, to learn from expertsin their fields, to hear wonderful speakers, tobecome inspired by other activists, to engageand “Speak Up!” on issues facing nurses, andof course...to have fun! I look forward to when NBNU will host inFredericton, June 3-7, 2019!

CONCLUSIONBesides board meetings and teleconferencesthat were held, I had the opportunity torepresent NBNU at the National ExecutiveBoard (NEB) meeting with CFNU and aNANB/NBNU partnership meeting. I gavethree radio interviews and did the Frenchvoiceover for our commercial #fixthelaw onworkplace violence. I also attendedUniversité de Moncton AccommodatedStudents Policy meeting and the 2017 newgrad pin celebration dinners.I am learning every day and the chance towork with Paula, Matt, the Board of Directorsmembers and all the NBNU staff has been

instrumental in my role as your first VP. Itruly enjoy the work I do on behalf of allNBNU members and I feel very privileged tobe part of what I consider one of the mostrespected, accountable and strongest laborunions in NB. We need to continue to look at buildingcapacity within our Union whilesimultaneously protecting and improvingthe lives of you, the members of NBNU. Weneed to find ways to engage members of allage groups, especially our young RNs. Theyneed to not only be part of our future, butalso our present if we are to continue togrow. For us to accomplish this we need theinvolvement from not only local executivesand activists, but all of you, our members. Iencourage each and every one of you toparticipate at the local and/or provincial levelvia all the different NBNU events/activities.Voice your opinions and concerns bycontacting "your union" via the differentchannels available to you (contact ourPresident, myself or other board members,the NBNU staff via e-mail or call our toll freeline or send your comments via ourFacebook page).I look forward to seeing all local presidentsand observers at the AGM in Moncton thisyear. To all members: “Take care and staysafe!” Together stronger!Maria Richard, RNVice-President


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VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORTBY MARIA RICHARD

I am pleased to present my annual report for2016-2017. This is my first year as your 1stVice-President. I want to thank everyone foryour support and patience as I endeavor to“learn the ropes" of this position. I want toespecially thank Paula Doucet, our president,for her continued guidance andencouragement in helping me make thetransition from my Community Care Part IIIunit rep role to my VP responsibilities. I amalso grateful for the Board of Directors andthe NBNU staff and thank them for theirsupport. It is a privilege to work alongsidesuch a great group of union activists thatgive their 100% every day for our members. It truly is an honor to do my part in makingRNs voices heard in New Brunswick. Thisyear marks my 30th year as a proudregistered nurse. Like most of you, I havewitnessed the consequences and changes toour profession that have been brought on bythe advancements of modern medicine andthe realities of nursing in the "do more withless" era. The role of unions and activism inour work-lives has never been moreimportant to not only protect our rights, butthe rights of our clients, patients andresidents to safe and quality healthcare.In my report, I will highlight some of thisyear’s events and committees that I havebeen involved with since being elected at

the 2016 Annual General Meeting.

LEADERSHIP IN ACTIONMembers from the Board of Directors andNBNU staff facilitated two “Leadership inAction" education sessions for members atthe local level in February and March. Thesetwo-day sessions provide an opportunity formembers of our local executives to shareand discuss their experiences in a smallergroup setting with the Board and LROs. Theobjective of the session is to strengthen theleadership abilities of our local activists, byproviding them with the tools/educationneeded to better carry out the work ofNBNU. As the evaluations continue to bevery positive, we will hold sessions againthis September.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCECOMMITTEEThe Nurses Part III and NurseManagers/Supervisors Educational AssistanceCommittee met in the fall of 2016 andspring 2017. In total, 382 applications werereviewed by the committee with 362successful member applicants receiving atotal of $400,236. For the past few years thefull amount of the fund has not been used.

Therefore, at the end of every fiscal year it hasnot been carried over but re-absorbed bygovernment. We must continue toencourage and remind our members to takeadvantage of this financial assistance thathelp cover costs of educational opportunitiesrelated to our profession. This fund of $500,000 is set up within theCollective Agreements. Presently, it coversthe cost of books, tuition and registrationfees for course and/or conferences. Werequire official receipts and forms which aredeadline sensitive. Please be mindful ofthese deadline dates and ensure that theform is completed properly. Forms andinformation can be obtained from the NBNUwebsite. If you require more information orhave any questions regarding this fund, youcan contact me, or the unit representativesfrom Hospital Part III, Community Care orNurse Managers/Supervisors.

PENSIONI have attended two Certain BargainingEmployees (CBE) Shared Risk Plan meetingssince my appointment as a trustee-in-training on this pension plan. As part of themandated educational requirements, I willattend the Advanced Trust ManagementStandards (ATMS) course next year. InAugust, I attended the 50th Annual CanadianEmployee Benefits Conference in Montreal.


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Maria Richard

Maria Richard rallying for quality healthcare services inour communities at #CFNU17 with 1000+ delegates.

Members proudly display their Leadership in Action certificates at provincial office in February 2017.

I want to thank you, the members, for yourcontinuous support in our food bankfundraiser activities. It means so much tothose on the receiving end of yourgenerosity. I also want to thank the CFSJ fortheir dedication to this work andcongratulate the organization on their 20year anniversary!

CANADIAN HEALTH COALITIONOn January 31, 125 public healthcareadvocates from across Canada were onParliament Hill to talk to Members ofParliament (MPs) about a National PublicDrug Plan for all. It was easy to spot us withour red folders, red umbrellas and me, in ared coat! The Coalition had 96 meetings with Liberals,Conservatives, NDP, and Green Party MPs.We met with three cabinet ministers, theoffice of the Leader of the Opposition, aswell as the oppositions' health critics andseveral members of the ParliamentaryCommittee on Health.The MPs were interested in what we had tosay, especially in the sharing of our personalor provincial stories. They asked questionsand many asked for supplementary material.Some MPs committed to taking concreteactions.

NB HEALTH COALITIONWhile the Canadian Health Coalition worksat the national level, our provincial chapterstrives to be the guardians of publichealthcare in NB. We enjoy good quality of life thanks topublic services. Canadians know they cancount on public services to be accountable,accessible, locally-controlled and a wiseinvestment of tax dollars.Privatization undermines these communityvalues. Contracting work out to privatecompanies and public-private-partnershipsare risky and expensive for municipalitiesand citizens. Costs rise, quality suffers andlocal control is weakened. Services are lessaccessible, and projects are delayed. Publicfunds are diverted from core services tocorporate profits.We believe there is a better way. Whenservices are public and well-funded, theydeliver a solid, reliable foundation NewBrunswickers can count on.This last year has been busy and severallobby activities have taken place on variousissues, especially on privatization. Here are some of the issues the NB HealthCoalition lobbied on: Canada’s HealthAccord, saving medicare, advocating for anational public drug plan and seniors care.We have also spoken out publicly aboutprotecting our public healthcare systemespecially with the opening of a paid plasma

clinic in Moncton, privatization of food,cleaning and laundry services in hospitalsand the construction of P3 nursing homes.

NB FEDERATION OF LABOUR The New Brunswick Federation of Labourheld its 53rd convention “Together… for aBetter New Brunswick” in May 2017. I wasacclaimed to the position of Second Vice-President. Replacing Paula Doucet will be adifficult but challenging undertaking. More than 100 people gathered at theentrance to the Canadian Plasma Resourcescentre on Elmwood Drive, as we expressedour opposition to the new clinic. MichaelMcCarthy, a tainted blood victim, whoseefforts for justice in the 1980s and 1990sresulted in $2.4 billion in compensationfrom Ottawa to tens of thousands of victimswho contracted either Hepatitis C or HIVfrom tainted blood transfusions, flew in fromToronto to support our protest/rally.

IN CLOSING It is important that we, NBNU, continue topush forward ideas and policies that willpromote social justice. Our past successesserve as a reminder of what can be achieved,as well as point us towards what remains tobe done.I believe strongly in NBNU’s values andpromise to represent you with integrity,transparency, professionalism andenthusiasm. Thank you for your continued support. In Solidarity,Nancy Arseneau, RN Second Vice-President


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SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT’SREPORT

BY NANCY ARSENEAUOver the past few years, I have found myplace in the fight for social justice and healthequity. It has been my privilege to be part ofseveral committees on your behalf. I enjoythe challenge leadership brings and seekopportunities that allow me to fosterteamwork, empower others and encouragenew ideas. Here are a few highlights from the past year.

NB COALITION FOR PAY EQUITYThis past year, the Coalition for Pay Equityhas played an active role in severalprovincial consultations, including theFamily Plan framework, economic summits,and the provincial budget. The coalition has increased the number ofmeetings with MLAs for three importantreasons: • continuing to pressure provincial

government so that it will keep itspromises in the matter of pay equity;

• continuing to advocate for investmentsto ensure pay equity for human serviceand day care workers;

• convince (working hard to do) all ourprovincial political parties to include alaw for pay equity in the private sectorin their platform for the next election.

The coalition wants to remind us thatalthough legislation is in place for the publicsector, the pay equity negotiation processhas not yet begun for bargaining unitsrepresenting teachers and institutionalservices and care, nor for non-unionized civilservice workers. The Crown Corporationssubject to the law have started the process,namely NB Power, WorkSafeNB, NB LegalAid Services Commission, New BrunswickCommunity College, NB Liquor, and the

Financial and Consumer ServicesCommission. There is still a lot of work to dobefore the government’s promise is fulfilled.

COMMON FRONT FOR SOCIALJUSTICE Hunger involves a lot of hard choices.Imagine being faced with a daily decision toeither buy food or pay your bills, parentshaving to choose between eating dinner andgiving their portion to their children.According to the 2016 HungerCount report,“863,492 Canadians turned to food banks inMarch this year.” That is an increase of 1.3per cent compared to last year.Food bank use remains unacceptably highbecause there are too few well-paying jobs;inadequate supports for people unable towork; and inadequate training to preparelow-skilled Canadians for well-paying jobs.At the Common Front for Social Justice(CFSJ), we believe policy changes to povertyand food insecurity must be consideredthrough a human rights framework. Using arights-based approach will promote dignityand equality for all people. The CFSJ made several recommendations,for example:• that the government of New Brunswick

put a tax on junk food; • that the human rights commissioner,

along with other provincialdepartments, develop an awarenesscampaign focused on the need toreduce poverty in the province so as torespect human rights. The CFSJsuggests a campaign aimed atdemolishing myths about peopleliving in poverty;

• that the Minimum Wage Commissionrecommend minimum wage beincreased progressively to $15 an hourand then indexed, so that workers canmaintain their purchasing power. Thisremains the key campaign for the CFSJ.

It is time to recognize that being foodinsecure is unjust. It is unfair that millions ofpeople in Canada struggle to put food ontheir table every day and that children arenot all given an equal start in life. Thequestion is simple: Do we continue down apath where people rely on band-aidsolutions to survive? Or do we holdgovernments accountable?


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Nancy Arseneau

NBNU delegates march with CLC president, Hassan Yussuff, at the "Together...for a Fair Future" rally in downtown Toronto.

19,769 people assisted by food bankswhich 32.5% are children+4.1% change, 2015-2016+26.4% change, 2008-2016

NURSING HOMES BY RONDA MCCREADYHello fellow NBNU members. I hope you areall well and have had a good summer.NBNU has filed a grievance against anursing home that chose to decrease theirstaff ratios of RNs and LPNs despite our skillmix agreement with government. NBNU isscheduled to go to arbitration in mid-November. It was decided at negotiationsthat homes would hold off on any staffingchanges until the LTCF assessments werecompleted and results could be analyzed bythe LTCF-RAI committee. This committee hasmembers from NBNU, NBANH, andmanagement. Our initial meeting was onMay 17, 2017, where we set up terms ofreference and discussed objectives. At thispoint, most homes are well established inthe process while others are just gettingstarted. I have heard staffing and workloadfor those in these positions have made thejob challenging, but they continue to moveforward. It won’t be until the New Yearbefore we can even start to analyze theaggregate data that will be compiled by theprogram.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE COMMITTEE

Unfortunately, some communication issuesand debates as to roles and responsibilitieshave delayed the Violence Committee from

being able to meet. NBNU leadership metwith the Association and a renewedcommitment was promised. Please continuelobbying efforts in your homes to use thenursing home violence prevention toolkit toimprove safety and working conditions. Thecommittee will begin meeting again overthe coming months to strategize on how tomove the project forward. We hope to findmeasures to increase uptake of the toolkit,including amending existing tools andadding new ones.

HEALTH PLAN

The NBNU leadership along with otherunions that make up our health plan, are indiscussions with NBANH to resolve theconcerns regarding how our health benefitssurplus we have accumulated is spent.Despite our surplus the cost of our healthplan has recently increased by 3.5% with noother cost increases to our benefits package.Currently, these final decisions are not madeat our joint union/management HealthBenefits Advisory Committee but byNBANH’s Board of Directors.

PENSION UPDATE

Many of you will have received a copy of thefirst annual pension report. A reminder thisis for 2015, as pension data is always a yearbehind. You will receive another this yearwith the 2016 data, then yearly afterwards.The pension committee has also developedposters that should have been distributed toall your homes with the pension websiteinformation on how to log in. This was doneto encourage you to visit the site forinformation on your pension and use thepension calculator that can roughly calculatewhat you will receive for pension at age 55through to 65.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCECOMMITTEE

The educational assistance committee lastmet on July 10, 2017, with three applicantsreceiving monies. I encourage you to attendnursing conferences and courses thensubmit your education requests using theform which can be found on NBNU’s

website. The committee met three times thisyear with the next deadline being October15, 2017. If you have questions pleasecontact either myself or your local president.

STAFFING

Another issue we are seeing more lately isthe lack of registered nurses to work casual,temporary and even some permanentrotations. This trend started in rural areasover the last few years and we are nowseeing it in urban centers too. As most areaware, a nursing home in Moncton had todelay opening beds due to a lack of staff.Recruitment and retention will definitely bean issue we will need to address, as thenursing shortages in all sectors seem to beincreasing.

CONVENTIONS

I was able to attend this year’s CLC and CFNUconventions on your behalf and wasinspired by the leaders that spoke aboutworking together to make improvements inthe lives of not only unionized workers butall Canadians. At CFNU’s Biennial, Linda Silasspoke specifically about LTC and theircommitment to look at the challenges thatour sector has to improve the entire systemnationwide. Great to hear that although weare a smaller group, our issues are beingaddressed and will be the focus of one ofCFNU’s new campaigns.I would like to thank you for your supportand encouragement. I will continue to lobbyfor the rights of not only our sector but allNBNU nurses as we move towards whatcould be an unsettling year.Notwithstanding, I know we will worktogether against all challenges to makenecessary changes to better our workingconditions and in turn our healthcaresystem.In Solidarity, Ronda McCready, RN


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UNIT REPRESENTATIVESANNUAL REPORT

NURSES PART III - COMMUNITYCARE REPORTBY KATHY LEBLANCBefore a baby learns to run there are manysteps that lead up to that mastering ofmobility. That is how I would describe mynew role as your Community Care UnitRepresentative on the Board of Directors. Ithas been an exciting nine months oflearning since being elected and a privilegerepresenting you, the members. Elections for the Community Care positionoccurred after Maria Richard was electedVice-President at the last Annual GeneralMeeting. I attended my first board meetingin December 2016. Following that, ShelleyDuggan and I took part in an orientation dayas new board members. Executive Council was held in Fredericton atthe Delta on April 3-6. The Community Careunit rep meeting was well attended andthere was great discussion on the concerns ofour members. It helped to have some reportsfrom local presidents to generate discussionon what is happening around the province. Ilook forward to more local president reportsfor the October Annual General Meeting.Each board member sits on a sub-committeeand the educational assistance committee is

one that I participate on as a member. Themeeting, held on April 19, had me rollingup my sleeves and reviewing applicationsfor educational assistance. The deadline forsubmitting applications is October 7, 2017.Remember to send in your original receiptsfor books and courses. May 8-12, I attended my second CanadianLabor Congress (CLC) Convention in Torontowith the board, a few members and staff. Thehighlight for me was meeting Mary Walsh, anaccomplished actress, writer and comedian.She presented on mental illness and theinjustice of overloading our detention centersinstead of offering mental health support tothese individuals. Another proud momentwas when our very own President, PaulaDoucet, spoke on a resolution about violencein the workplace. It was one of the mostpassionate speeches I have heard her deliver.At the end of May, I attended the NBFLmeeting held in Moncton. There wereinnovative guest speakers and I noted thatthe meetings were better organized thanpreviously. I think Paula’s involvement at theinner executive level helped influence thesechanges. I am certain with Nancy Arseneaureplacing Paula’s position as 2nd Vice-President that she will continue to keep theexecutive focused.

I concluded travel in June, when I attendedthe CFNU Biennial, held in Calgary, with theboard and several NBNU members and staff.The meetings, speakers, education sessionsand the entertainment from start to finishwere phenomenal. In two years’ time, NBNUwill host CFNU in Fredericton. United Nursesof Alberta set the bar high, but we have asmuch talent and uniqueness to pull off afirst-class convention, so ideas and planninghave already begun. The theme for thisconference was “Speak Up!”, so if you haveany ideas, be sure to pass them on.At the time of writing this report, our lastboard meeting I attended was on June 28.All board members arrived the eveningbefore so that we could observe Paula andMatt conduct a telephone town hall meetingwith the Extra-Mural nurses regardinggovernment’s proposed change ofmanagement by Medavie. There have been numerous firsts for me,such as writing this report and I look forwardto many more firsts with all of you. We arefortunate to have such strong leadership inour board members, our staff, our localrepresentatives and members. I am a proudregistered nurse and I am proud to berepresenting you all.In Solidarity,Kathy LeBlanc, BN, RN


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Kathy LeBlanc Ronda McCready

Valerie Levesque, Grand Falls local president and Kathy LeBlanc at the 2017 NBFL Biennial Convention in Moncton.

NURSE MANAGERS AND NURSESUPERVISORS BY CATHY WALL This past year has been a very busy yetexciting time. As the Unit Representative forNurse Managers and Supervisors, it hasbeen a privilege to represent NBNU and themembership at local, provincial and nationalevents. Being a voice for registered nurses atthe board level has allowed your issues andconcerns to be heard. Having such a diversegroup of registered nurses to work with hasbeen an honour.

NURSE MANAGER WORKLOADCOMMITTEE

Both working groups continue to ensurethat workload issues remain at the forefront.Vitalité’s working group has collectivelyidentified similar issues to those flagged bythe Horizon working group. We look forwardto next steps. We continue to wait for a formal responsefrom Horizon regarding the issuespresented to them by NBNU. We have seensome small successes within Horizon, whichincludes the creation of new nurse managerpositions, assistance with training new staffas well as positive outcomes from theProfessional Practice Committees. Thesesmall steps forward demonstrate that the

dedication of local and provincial leadershipdoes make a positive change.I continue to urge members to take theirissues and concerns to the ProfessionalPractice Committees and follow the formalsteps as outlined in the CollectiveAgreement to make changes within ourwork environments.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

On March 8, I had the pleasure of attendingthe International Women’s Day luncheon inFredericton, which was hosted by NBNU inpartnership with the NBFL’s Women’sCommittee. Approximately 100 women anda few men gathered for the sold-out event.Barb Byers, former Canadian LabourCongress Secretary-Treasurer was thekeynote speaker. Barb shared herexperiences in the labour movement and allthe positive changes that have been madeby women. She also shared with us storiesabout some of her “femtors.” Herinspirational leadership has indeed madeher a “femtor” to us all.

LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

I assisted in presenting at the Leadership inAction sessions held in February at provincialoffice. It was a well attended two days wherenew NBNU local leadership members cametogether to learn more about the Union, therole and responsibilities of the Board ofDirectors and local executives, union financesand grievances. It was exciting to see somany new activists learning and sharing

their experiences.

CONVENTIONS

This past year I attended the CanadianLabour Congress (CLC) Triennial Conventionheld in Toronto from May 8-12. More than3000 labor activists were in attendance. Ahighlight for me was marching in the“Together… for a Fair Future” rally. I also attended the NB Federation of Labour(NBFL) Biennial Convention and the CFNUbiennial convention in Calgary. Beingamong such diverse local and nationalactivists was truly inspiring and having theopportunity to participate at multiple levelsof labour is an incredible experience. To hearother labour unions speak with so muchpassion on issues such as pay equity,domestic violence, pharmacare, violence inthe workplace and many other issues, madeit clear that we are all united on the bestoutcomes for our members and allCanadians. I am also pleased to share that Iwas elected as a member of the NBFLWomen’s Committee during their biennialand look forward to participating on thiscommittee for a two-year term.It has been with passion and determinationthat I have represented the Nurse Managersand Supervisors. It is with that same passionand determination that I will continue tostand up and speak out to make sure yourvoices are heard. In Solidarity, Cathy Wall, RN


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NURSES, PART III - HOSPITALSBY NORBERT ROBICHAUDSo far, 2017 has been a busy year, but it isimportant to remember that 2018 is justaround the corner. Why is that important?Because 2018 is the year our CollectiveAgreement expires (in December). In spring 2018, we will hold elections tochoose four nurses to serve on the nextnegotiating committee which will consist ofnine people in all:• Kathy LeBlanc and myself, Hospital Unit

Representative and Co-Chair• four people elected from Part III

(Hospitals and Community Care)Bargaining Unit

• Paula Doucet, President of NBNU• Matt Hiltz, Executive Director and Chief

Negotiator • one Labour Relations Officer

2018 will be a busy year, but especially, itwill be a year that will re-energize us! The chronic shortage of nurses in hospitalsettings continues to reach critical levels,and summer vacations make the situationeven more difficult. Numerous hours ofovertime, double shifts, and heavyworkloads certainly do not help thesituation. Burnout, stress, and a high rate of

absenteeism are only some of theconsequences resulting from hospitalworking conditions and they are of greatconcern to us. We owe it to ourselves to be innovative, toseek out new ideas and new ways ofapproaching the problems. We have toimprove working conditions, for example, byhaving a safe nurse/patient ratio. The aging population of the province has atwo-fold impact on unionized nurses: • Increasing number of patients with

diminished autonomy• Increasing number of nurses retiring or

approaching retirement ageHospitals are slow to adjust to this newreality. They are overflowing and registerednurses are becoming exhausted. In order toensure quality services, we must, above all,take care of our nurses.Nurses' jobs must be protected!Since our last Annual General Meeting(October 2016), I have been able to attendseveral meetings and conventions. All ofthem were excellent opportunities to meetnurses, but also other union members andworkers from across Canada. During the first week of May 2017, I had thechance to attend the Canadian LabourCongress (CLC) Triennial Convention. Itseems hard to believe, since I have beenactive in my Union for more than 30 years,but I have never taken part in a CLC meetingbefore this year! It is hard to put into wordsthe regret I now feel for not having attendedearlier in my career. As nurses, we are wellaware of the issues and challenges withinhealthcare. However, being in the sameroom with thousands of workersrepresenting various sectors of labour, wasan eye-opening experience. We don’t oftenget the opportunity to hear about thechallenges that other Unions are facing. Along the same lines, I attended theBiennial Convention of the New BrunswickFederation of Labour (NBFL) for the firsttime, on May 29-30, 2017.

Both of these new experiences (CLC andNBFL) were very, very enriching, both on theprofessional level as a union representativeand on a personal level. It is valuable to giveourselves a chance to open our eyes andminds to other realities outside our work asunionized nurses. These meetings allow us tolearn other strategies, to acquire newknowledge and to share our own experiences. I sincerely encourage any of our memberswho have the opportunity to attend andparticipate in CLC or NBFL events. During the first week of June, we were inCalgary for the Canadian Federation ofNurses Unions Biennial Convention (June 4-9). This was another great week of meetings,discussions, debates, and training sessions. Even when your Board of Directors travelsoutside of New Brunswick, we still maketime to meet and discuss business. Your Board of Directors met regularly at theprovincial office in Fredericton throughoutthe past year: December 5-6, 2016; January25-26, 2017; April 3-6, 2017 (ExecutiveCouncil); June 27-28, 2017; August 14-16,2017. As well, your Board of Directors held severalmeetings via conference calls (almost everymonth) to consult and move forward onseveral important items. I will list a fewbelow:• the potential consolidation of the Extra-

Mural Program under management byMedavie

• workplace violence campaign• RN/LPN/RA ratio in nursing homes

I look forward to meeting with many of youat the Annual General Meeting in October. In Solidarity, Norbert Robichaud, RN


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Norbert Robichaud Cathy Wall

The Board of Directors with Barb Byers at the International Women's Day luncheon on March 8, 2017.


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INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPSThe following are just some examples ofsome of the past year’s undertakings toenhance and improve in what we do:• New Service Excellence department

under the direction of Cathy Bentutilizing a five-year client experienceimprovement roadmap.

• New Issues Resolution Office for ourclients who disagree with a claimdecision or are not satisfied with theservice they received.

• Hiring of a new Chief Medical Officer,Dr. Paul Atkinson, who will overseeclinical standards, treatment protocols,and practice guidelines for therehabilitation of injured workers.

• Launch of a new app providing accessto our Guide to OH&S legislation on amobile device.

• Safety leadership pilot with eight NBemployers to help them strengthentheir safety culture and reduceworkplace injuries.

• Held stakeholder consultation sessionsin Fredericton and Bathurst in order forthe entire Board of Directors and seniormanagement team to meet face-to-facewith representatives of workers andemployers for the purpose of sharinginformation and seeking feedback.

In closing, we have many challenges ahead,but I remain steadfastly committed to thevigorous pursuit of safe workplaces for NewBrunswickers, as well as a rehabilitation andcompensation system that meets the needsof our injured workers.Respectfully,Maureen Wallace, RN

WORKSAFENB ANNUALREPORT

BY MAUREEN WALLACE

INTRODUCTION I am into my eighth year as a worker representative on the WorkSafeNB Board of Directors.WorkSafeNB is a crown corporation whose priority is the prevention of workplace injuries andoccupational disease. When these do occur, WorkSafeNB provides comprehensiverehabilitation services and compensation benefits. My report will provide a summary pertaining to all workplaces in New Brunswick, but I wouldlike to use this valuable space in NBNU’s Parasol to highlight an area of particular concern toNBNU members, the healthcare sector, including nursing home employees as well asemployees of Horizon, Vitalité, and Facilicorp.It is important to compare the results pertaining to the healthcare industry to the province’soverall results. The information in the following graphs should be considered as estimates,computed solely for high level comparison purposes.

FREQUENCY & DURATION

All Accident Frequency

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Province 3.24 3.18 3.11 3.03 3.05 2.86 3.00Hospitals 5.49 5.69 4.40 4.00 4.44 4.19 4.49Nursing Homes 5.58 5.95 5.90 5.79 5.54 6.00 6.58

Duration

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Province 54.8 51.8 53.1 51.5 51.2 54.1 57.2Hospitals 70.5 58.5 71.2 64.1 59.3 60.7 78.4Nursing Homes 65.0 62.1 66.0 55.5 47.6 36.2 45.5

HOSPITAL INDUSTRY CLAIM COST The increase in frequency and duration for losttime claims overall is of great concern, but it isparticularly disturbing in the healthcaresector, where the rates are highest. Many ofthe trends we see in NB are mirrored in otherprovinces and Workers Compensation Boardsthroughout the country are working hard toaddress these trends. People who spend theirwork lives caring for others need to be betterprotected from injury, plain and simple. In2016, $12.11 million dollars was spent inhospital industry claim payments in NB. Thatclearly means far too many healthcareworkers are being injured on the job and thatis simply unacceptable. The human toll ismost alarming as is the financial impact on ahealthcare system that is struggling to meetthe rising costs of care.

WORK-RELATED FATALITIESThere were ten fatalities as a result ofaccidents occurring in 2016 and eight moredeaths resulted from injuries or occupationaldiseases incurred before 2016. To quoteStuart MacLean, WCB Nova Scotia’s Presidentand CEO, “The only acceptable number forfatalities is zero. These deaths are starkreminders that our work must continue.” Allfatalities are extensively investigated andreviewed with ensuing recommendations.


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Maureen Wallace

17M16M15M14M13M12M11M10M

9M8M7M6M5M4M3M2M1M0M 2010

Paym

ents

2011 2012 2013

Pay Year

Claim Period: Current Year Prior Year

2014 2015 2016

$2.82M$7.03M

$3.01M$6.68M

$2.85M$7.00M

$3.65M$8.05M

$3.29M$9.02M

$3.37M$9.98M

$4.82M$12.11M

HOSPITAL INDUSTRY CLAIM PAYMENTS

Youth attending the 17th Blair Doucet Summer Camp hosted by the NB Federation of Labour in Moncton.

RESOLUTIONSTO BE VOTED ON AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

RESOLUTION #1 - INCREASETHE FREQUENCY OF MEETINGSOF THE COMMITTEE TOAPPROVE AND DISPERSEMONIES FOR EDUCATIONALASSISTANCE TO MEMBERSSubmitted by: Joe Carr and CathyDavies

WHEREAS the executive of NBNU has voiced their desire to have more members applying foreducational assistance;WHEREAS NBNU consistently sends unused monies back to the government, increasing therisk that our allotment may be decreased in the future;WHEREAS having the educational committee meet only twice per year results in a significantbarrier to individuals who may have to carry the balance of money used for up to six monthsbefore being reimbursed;BE IT RESOLVED that the educational committee begin to meet quarterly to approve anddistribute educational assistance monies, and that the provincial office communicates thischange to its members to encourage them to apply.

RESOLUTION #2 - SENIORSCARESubmitted by: NBNU Board ofDirectors

WHEREAS the New Brunswick healthcare system is fractured, occurring in silos with severaldepartments and branches of government as well as multiple third parties managing eachservice;WHEREAS the provincial government has initiated the Home First strategy, focused onproviding services to seniors with supports to remain in their homes longer, without additionalinvestment of resources to the system;WHEREAS the combined impact of a fractured system and limited resources being stretchedacross increasing services is leading to lengthening wait times and reduced quality of servicesto seniors receiving long term care;BE IT RESOLVED that NBNU lobby the provincial government to create a more fully integrated,publicly funded and managed healthcare system to ensure better coordination,communication and collaboration between all sectors avoiding costly human and financialcomplications;BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NBNU, in collaboration with CFNU and other affiliates, lobbythe federal government to establish a national plan for safe seniors’ care which ties healthcarefunding to legislated standards of care, safe levels of care hours and phasing out of private for-profit providers.

RESOLUTION #3 - SAFE ATHOME, SAFE AT WORKSubmitted by: NBNU Board ofDirectors

WHEREAS according to Statistics Canada’s annual report, Family Violence in Canada: AStatistical Profile 2015, NB has the highest rate of police-reported intimate partner violence(IPV) victims in the Atlantic provinces;WHEREAS in more than half of these cases, domestic violence follows victims to work and,sadly, 8.5 per cent of domestic violence (DV) victims have lost their jobs because of this;


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ANNUAL MEETING OPERATIONS COMMITTEEREPORT

BY JOHN MACDONALDThe Annual Meeting Operations Committeemet via conference call on July 11, 2017.Participating were myself, Barbara Duplessisand Violet Budd. Also present were NancyArseneau, as ex-officio representative of theBoard of Directors, Matt Hiltz, ExecutiveDirector, and Sarah Bonnar, ExecutiveAssistant. As of the deadline, we had receivedfour proposed constitutional changes, sevenresolutions and two nominations for theposition of Vice-President and onenomination for 2nd Vice-President. The AnnualMeeting Operations Committee announcesNancy Arseneau, acclaimed to the position of2nd Vice-President.Each constitutional change and resolution isreviewed by the Annual Meeting OperationsCommittee to ensure that the intent of thesubmitter is as clear as possible for all

members of the union. In addition, eachsubmission must be checked forcompleteness, ensuring that if it impacts theNBNU constitution or by-laws that alleffected articles are identified. This oftenrequires several conversations between thesubmitter and the Annual Ops Committee toclarify things. Rarely, this might also involverecommending a submission be withdrawnso that the submitter may ensure allimpacted articles are included. Ultimately itis the decision of the submitter to withdrawor continue with the submission, not theAnnual Meeting Operations Committee. Please remember that emergency resolutionscan be submitted at the Annual GeneralMeeting, and the deadline for submission willbe announced at that time. The committeewould also ask all members attending the

Annual General Meeting to review theMinimum Requirements Policy. Finally,during the Annual General Meeting there isalways a need for scrutineers and sergeants-at-arms. No less than five scrutineers arerequired and sufficient sergeants-at-arms toguard all exits from the meeting room. Thesevolunteers must be non-voting delegates. Iwould encourage any non-voting delegatesfrom each bargaining unit to considervolunteering for these essential duties whenthe time comes. It is important that eachbargaining unit is represented, so pleaseencourage your observers to participate.With thanks and solidarity from the AnnualMeeting Operations Committee,John MacDonald, RNChair, Annual Meeting OperationsCommittee


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SPEAKER’SSPOTLIGHT

TIM HAGUE SR.

Tim Hague Sr. overcame the odds when hewent from a diagnosis of Parkinson’sdisease to winning season #1 of TheAmazing Race Canada. Now, as aninternationally sought-after speaker, heshares with his audiences the lessonslearned from having run and won thisamazing race with Parkinson’s. Tim was formally diagnosed withParkinson’s in February 2011. Two yearslater he and his son, Tim Jr., were selectedfrom over ten thousand applicants to beone of nine teams to run the race. Aftercoming in last twice and nearly beingeliminated the Tims not only survived butwent on to produce an epic comeback frombehind victory. Tim’s keynote draws on this

experience while weaving a tale offailure and success that moves hisaudience.

A masterful story teller, Tim interlaceshumour and wit with sadness and despair.He guides his listeners on a journey ofdiscovery by unpacking what it means toLive Your Best. He explores the themes of: • Simplicity: the art of focusing your life

in a chaotic world. • Contentment: that often-illusive gift

of peacefully accepting what your bestproduces. And,

• Perseverance: the iron will tocontinue on even when there is noevidence that you will ever besuccessful.

Tim’s message of Live Your Best empowershis listeners to meet life’s challenges andaccomplish more than they ever thoughtthey could.

Tim Hague Sr., winner of The Amazing Race Canada, season #1 and a registered nurse.


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WHEREAS the province of Manitoba has already passed legislation (spring 2016) to giveworkers the right to apply for flexible work arrangements and special leave for domesticviolence;WHEREAS nurses’ workplaces are open to the public, with little security. Violence of manykinds is an everyday occurrence;BE IT RESOLVED that NBNU will work with affiliates to lobby and negotiate for paid leave ofabsence for use by nurses who are victims of domestic violence;BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NBNU will advocate for improved employer policies, trainingand awareness, with respect to domestic violence as it impacts the workplace.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NBNU will ensure the views of Indigenous Peoples arereflected in future policy and advocacy efforts;BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that NBNU, through partnering with CFNU and the CanadianIndigenous Nurses Association, bring a strong nursing voice to the Truth and ReconciliationCommission of Canada actions.

RESOLUTION #4 - TRUTH ANDRECONCILIATIONSubmitted by: NBNU Board ofDirectors

WHEREAS Indigenous Peoples suffer many of the worst health disparities of any demographicin Canada;WHEREAS in 2016, Canada announced its full support to adopt the United NationsDeclaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;WHEREAS the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, released in2015, developed seven recommendations as Indigenous-led pathways to eliminate healthdisparities of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, which include:• For the federal, provincial, territorial and Aboriginal government to revise policies that

currently widen health disparities and implement the healthcare rights of Aboriginalpeoples as identified in international law, constitutional law, and under the Treaties;

• For the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal peoples, to establishmeasurable goals to identify and close gaps in health outcomes;

• For the federal government to address and resolve jurisdictional disputes and ambiguitywith respect to providing healthcare services for Indigenous Peoples;

• For the federal government to provide sustainable funding for Aboriginal healing centresto treat the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wounds caused by residential schooltrauma;

• For those who affect change within Canada’s healthcare system to recognize the value ofAboriginal healing practices and collaborate with Aboriginal Healers and Elders whenrequested by patients;

• For all levels of government to increase the number of Aboriginal health professionalsand provide cultural competency training for all health professionals; and

• To require all nursing and medical schools/education institutions to provide education onAboriginal health issues.

WHEREAS New Brunswick has 15 First Nations and is home to 22,620 Aboriginal peoples(Statistics Canada, 2012);WHEREAS in 2011, the NB government adopted a Duty to Consult Policy stating, “TheGovernment of New Brunswick will consult with First Nations before an action or decision istaken that may adversely impact Aboriginal and treaty rights”;BE IT RESOLVED that NBNU will promote advocacy efforts to support the health and well-being of First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities in New Brunswick;

RESOLUTION #5 -PRIVATIZATIONSubmitted by: NBNU Board ofDirectors

WHEREAS an erosion of public healthcare services is occurring in New Brunswick, withnursing homes being built as public-private-partnership (P3), private blood services, Medavieassuming management of Extra-Mural, private diagnostics and more;WHEREAS in the US, where the majority (53 per cent) of healthcare services are fundedprivately, health spending per capita is almost twice of that in Canada;WHEREAS administrative costs in US hospitals are more than double of those in Canada andthe US government had amongst the highest healthcare costs, spending 17.1 per cent of theirGDP (2013);WHEREAS a 2010 synthesis of international evidence found little evidence that privatedelivery is inherently more efficient. It supported the finding that private providers tend tochoose the type of services that can be run most profitably;WHEREAS private providers also tend to ‘cherry-pick’ healthier patients, leaving sicker patientsto the public system. They may choose to opt out of the follow-up medical care required forprocedures which can be time consuming and less financially rewarding;BE IT RESOLVED that NBNU continue to inform its members and the public about the harmsof P3s and contracting out of services as well as the implications it has on our publichealthcare system, encouraging them to use the CFNU Speak Up app;BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NBNU continue to lobby the government and oppositionmembers on the harm of privatization, partnering with community allies, NB Federation ofLabour, Canadian Labour Congress and CFNU.

RESOLUTION #6 - MENTALHEALTHSubmitted by: NBNU Board ofDirectors

WHEREAS one in five Canadians will deal with mental health issues during their life andstigma surrounding mental health persists;WHEREAS it has been identified that mental health services in New Brunswick to be increasedwith a strategic plan in our province;WHEREAS in 2014, only 65 per cent of New Brunswickers rated their mental or emotionalhealth as very good or excellent;BE IT RESOLVED that NBNU explore opportunities to educate its members and the public toerase stigma around mental health issues;BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NBNU lobby all levels of government to provide strongermental health and addictions strategies to improve access to quality community mental healthand addiction services within New Brunswick and across Canada.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAW CHANGES ARTICLE 6 - LOCALCONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWSArticle: 6.01: Proposed changes: Locals ofthe Union shall be governed in accordancewith a Constitution and By-Laws. Each localmay either create a local Constitution andBy-Laws or adopt the Constitution and By-Laws of NBNU. All local Constitution and By-Laws shall be in conformity with theConstitution and By-Laws of the NewBrunswick Nurses Union. In the absence of alocal Constitution and By-Laws, or in theevent of a conflict, the Constitution and By-Laws of NBNU shall prevail.Submitted by: NBNU Board of Directors

ARTICLE 11 - ELECTION OFOFFICERSArticle: 11.02: Election of members to thepositions of President, Vice-President, 2ndVice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, subject toother provisions of these by-laws, shall be bymajority vote of the accredited delegatesvoting at an Annual General Meeting of theUnion. Voting shall be by secret ballot.

Proposed changes: Election of members tothe positions of President, Vice President, 2ndVice President, Secretary-Treasurer, subject toother provisions of these by-laws, shall be bymajority vote of the membership.INTENTION: Social media hasrevolutionized the reach of the averageperson to accessibility of information. In 2017, NANB provided electronic andtelephone voting to all members for theelection of the President-Elect.Submitted by:Murray Moores andJacqueline Plume

ARTICLE 11 - ELECTION OFOFFICERSArticle: 11.03: Proposed changes: Voting ofthe membership will be made accessible byNBNU by electronic and telephone access.11.03 The election to each office shall becompleted before any subsequent electiontakes place.

INTENTION:Memberships, whether they besocial, religious, or union-oriented, are in adrastic state of decline due to lack of interestand/or participation by their members.The general membership of NBNU deservesthe opportunity to cast their vote in theelection for President, Vice-President, 2ndVice-President and Secretary-Treasurer ofNBNU.Submitted by:Murray Moores andJacqueline Plume

ARTICLE 24 - COMMITTEES OFTHE UNIONArticle: 24.05: Proposed changes: The StaffRelations Committee shall consist ofmembers in accordance with Article 13, aswell as, those additional members who maybe appointed by the Board of Directors.Submitted by: NBNU Board of Directors


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SCHOLARSHIPSThe following scholarships are currentlyavailable through NBNU:• NBNU Nursing Scholarship (2nd and 3rd

Year Students)• NBNU Family Scholarship • NBNU Post-Secondary Scholarships• CFNU Scholarship

The total amount of scholarship moneyhanded out yearly is $10,000. All NBNUscholarship applications are due onSeptember 30th of each year. To find out how to apply, go towww.nbnu.ca/scholarships-bursaries.

BURSARIESEach year, NBNU awards bursaries tograduating BN students who havedemonstrated nursing leadershipthroughout their nursing studies at each ofthe seven campuses.Recipients of the NBNU $800 bursaries forfourth year nursing students at the Universityof New Brunswick are: Charlotte Chiassonand Emily Jackson, UNB Fredericton campus;Candance Kaitlyn Assadpour and MoniqueMazzerole, UNBSJ campus; Elizabeth King-Crossman and Jessica Worrall, Monctoncampus; Hillary MacCallum and AshleySimpkins, Bathurst campus. Recipients of the NBNU $800 bursaries forfourth year nursing students at l’Universitéde Moncton are: Marielle Cormier andIsabelle Boudreau, Moncton campus;Kristine Daigle and Monica Picard,Edmundston campus; Marie Lisa Collin andKevin Robichaud, Bathurst campus.

NBFL AND CLC SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES NBNU members and their children are also eligible for somescholarships and bursaries as an affiliate of the NBFL and CLC.Below is a list which can also be accessed on the NBNU website. James A. Whitebone Memorial, NBFL: Two $500 scholarshipsare for first year attendance at any university in the Atlanticprovince or first year attendance in a two-year program of theNew Brunswick Community College, excepting where thedesired academic program is not available in the region.Deadline is June 30th of each year. Tim McCarthy, NBFL: Two $500 bursaries open to any personregardless of union membership pursuing post secondaryeducation full-time or enrolled in high school at the grade 12level. Deadline is June 30th of each year.NBFL Solidarity Bursaries, NBFL: Two $500 bursaries open toany person regardless of union membership pursuing postsecondary education full-time or enrolled in high school at thegrade 12 level. Deadline is June 30th of each year.J. Harold Stafford Humanitarian Award, NBFL: Local unionmembers and labour councils affiliated with the NBFLundertaking labour history projects, labour libraries, Day ofMourning monuments, etc., as well retraining programs due toplant downsizing or closures. Deadline is June 30th of each year.Dermot Kingston Lifelong Learning Award, NBFL: Eligible forconsideration are NBFL affiliates, as well as provincial andcommunity organizations undertaking or sponsoring, partially orfully, literacy projects and workplace related training activitiesincluding union developed programs. Deadline is June 30th ofeach year.CLC/UWCC Post-Secondary Scholarship, CLC: $2,500 tosupport a young activist who is starting their first year of full-time post-secondary study in September 2018. Applicants mustbe 30 or under as of September 1, 2018 and enrolled forSeptember 2018 to enter their first year of full-time study at aCanadian public post-secondary institution (leading to a degree)or college program (leading to a diploma or certificate); does nothave any prior post-secondary studies and; currently enrolled ornot more than two years out of secondary school.


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RESOLUTION #7 - NATIONALPHARMACARE PROGRAMSubmitted by: NBNU Board ofDirectors

WHEREAS a national pharmacare program is one of the missing links in our healthcaresystem and it creates inequities in society when only one in ten Canadians cannot afford theirprescription medications;WHEREAS all provinces and territories struggle to find the necessary healthcare services intheir communities, and we know that collectively we have wasted more that $17 million a dayby not having a national pharmacare program that is based on a scientific, evidence-basedformulary and bulk buying;WHEREAS we know that these wasted public dollars ($17 million a day) could be better spentin home care, seniors’ care, and by increasing mental health services and Indigenous healthservices (CFNU, Down the Drain, 2016);WHEREAS the Canadian Labour Congress has made pharmacare a priority issue for allCanadians, by launching a national campaign this year to increase pressure on government tocreate a universal public prescription drug program in our country;BE IT RESOLVED that NBNU, in collaboration with CFNU, CLC and other affiliates, continue to callfor a national public prescription drug program for all those living in Canada as a key priority.

Isabelle Boudreau

Hillary MacCallum

Kristine Daigle

Charlotte Chiasson

Ashley Simpkins

SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES


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ACTIVISTS IN ACTIONNB NURSES UNION I OCTOBER 2017 I STAND UP – SPEAK OUT!

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5. SPEAKING FOR YOUR PROFESSION

One of the most important reasons to be involved with NBNU is the opportunity to speak forregistered nurses and nurse practitioners. Your experiences are unique and valuable, but theyoften go unheard outside of your inner circle. Engaging with the Union allows you to takewhat you know and use it to influence outcomes and, ultimately, improve work life for yourselfand your colleagues.

6. BEING INFORMED ABOUT ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOU

Nursing and labour groups across Canada do research and prepare reports on all kinds ofissues that affect you as a front-line healthcare worker. They use this information to lobby thegovernment, fight detrimental legislation and promote positive changes. Reading up on thework being done by the Union and allied groups can help inform your decisions as you go tothe election polls. You never know, it might even inspire you to take an active role in seekingpositive changes in your workplace and community.

7. REPRESENT YOUR UNION AND YOUR PROFESSION

Have you ever seen an NBNU commercial or newspaper advertisement and wondered whoour fabulous actors and models are? Fun fact: they’re all members. NBNU loves to showcasereal nurses in all of our materials, and we encourage anyone who is interested in being a partof a photo or video shoot to get in touch with us. If you would like to be part of our futurecampaigns, contact Leanne Lagsiar, Communications Specialist at [email protected].

8. BEING A PART OF THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

When nurses choose their careers, it’s rarely with an eye toward activism, but one of the greatprivileges of being part of a public-sector union is the opportunity to connect with others as amember of the labour movement. There are perks to being involved with organizations like the Canadian Federation of NursesUnions (CFNU), the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), or the New Brunswick Federation ofLabour (NBFL). NBNU activists attend conventions around the country, take part in rallies, andforge wonderful bonds with people from diverse backgrounds all in the name of improvingthe lives of working perople. The experiences that come with being a member of the labourmovement cannot be replicated, and are worth taking advantage of.

9. OPENING YOURSELF UP TO NEW EXPERIENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

NBNU members have many incredible opportunities to try new things, meet new people andenjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Through our connections with CFNU and other labourgroups, members have travelled nationally and internationally for conferences, and some haveeven gone on volunteering trips partially financed by the CFNU Solidarity Fund. Even if you don’t have the travel bug, you can still attend local events, take advantage ofuniform discounts and apply for scholarships and bursaries that are set aside for NBNUmembers and their children.


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9 REASONS TO BECOME AN NBNU ACTIVIST“WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” You may ask yourself this question when thinking about taking a more active role in your union. There are many benefits to becoming an NBNUactivist. We’ve pulled together just a few reasons why you might consider getting involved, if you’re not already:


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1. HAVING YOUR VOICE HEARD IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

One of the core reasons why registered nurses become active in the Union is so their voicescan be heard at the bargaining table. If you attend local meetings, or take the time to fill out abargaining survey, you are helping to inform the Union as they prepare to go to the table. In negotiations, the Union-appointed negotiator is joined by a provincial negotiatingcommittee of members who have been elected by their colleagues to represent them. If youhave ever wanted to be involved in determining your own contract, being engaged with theUnion is how you do it.

2. FINDING YOUR NICHE WITHIN THE UNION

There is a lot more to union life than just signing your contract on the dotted line. Nurses aremulti-talented, well informed and have a lot to offer, which is why NBNU invites members tojoin various committees.Members hold executive roles within their locals, they help plan the AGM and events, theyhelp choose scholarship and bursary recipients, and so much more. There is something foreveryone at NBNU.

3. ADVOCATING FOR YOUR PATIENTS

Few know what patients, clients and residents need more than the registered nurses andnurse practitioners who take care of them daily. Advocating for those in your care is one of themost important parts of your job. The position of the Union on issues related to patient care comes from our membership –those who speak to us directly or share their thoughts at local meetings. Members often findthat one voice isn’t enough to change the way things are in healthcare – but the voices of6,900 registered nurses together is difficult to ignore.

4. JOINING A COMMUNITY OF NURSE ACTIVISTS

There are so many wonderful people to meet who understand your experiences as a nurse.Many friendships have been forged between members from Edmundston to Sackville andeverywhere in between, as members come together for meetings, events and rallies.


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LOCAL OFFICES HELD • Vice-President and Grievance Officer

(2011-Present) • Secretary (2005-2010) • Vice-President and Grievance Officer

(2001-2004) • Nursing Professional Practice

Committee Co-chair

WORK EXPERIENCE • Staff Nurse Emergency Department

(2010-Present)• Temporary Labour Relations Officer

(2015)• Staff Nurse Cardiac Catheterization lab

(2006-2010)• Staff Nurse Emergency Department

(2001-2006)• Staff Nurse Cardiac Services

(2000-2001)• Graduate of UNBSJ BN program (2000)

OTHER ACTIVITIES • 2016 CNA Conference • Volunteer with Lancaster Minor Hockey

and Lancaster Minor Softball• CLC Triennial Convention

(2008-2014)• CFNU Biennial Convention

(2003-2017)• Nurses Eastern Labour School

(2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)I am honored to accept this nomination forthe 1st Vice-President of the New BrunswickNurses Union.My sixteen years of experience with my localhas given me great knowledge of currentnursing issues.Having a solid understanding of theCollective Agreement, dedication,experience, and leadership skills, I believewill aid in the progression of a solidfoundation for the future of NBNU.My mandate is to voice the concerns andissues of the entire membership in aprofessional, and equitable manner.I am committed to NBNU and wouldwelcome the opportunity to serve as 1st Vice-President.In Solidarity, Catherine Little, RN

Catherine Little, Saint John Regional Hospital

CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT

UNION PARTICIPATION -PROVINCIAL OFFICES HELD • 1st Vice-President (2016 – Present)• Trustee in Training – CBE SRP Board of

Trustees• Unit Representative for Part III

Community Care (3 terms)• Member of the Part III Negotiating

Committee (2008, 2010 and 2015)• Member of the Part I (CSN) Negotiating

Committee (1998, 2002 and 2005) • Former member of the Ad-hoc

Committee on the Structure of theNegotiating Committee

LOCAL OFFICES HELD • President, Beauséjour Community

Health Local (1999-2016) • President, Richibucto Local, Part I

(1995-1999) • Vice-President, Richibucto Local, Part I

(1994)• Actively involved in Union activities

with NBNU (1992-present)

WORK EXPERIENCE • PH Communicable Diseases and

Immunization • HIV/STBBI testing program (community

and correctional settings) Zone 1(1998-2016)

• Sexual Health Center, Moncton (1997-1998)

• Public Health Nurse, Richibucto andMoncton (1993-present)

• Acting Coordinator Hemophiliac Clinic,Moncton Hospital (1990-1991; 1992-1993)

• Registered Nurse, Oncology/MedicalUnit, Moncton Hospital (1987-1993)

• Registered Nurse, Stella-Maris-de-KentHospital (1987)

OTHER ACTIVITIES • Governor General Canadian Leadership

Conference participant (2015)• Glenna Rowsell Award Recipient (2009)• Foundation of Trust Management

Standards (FTMS) Course and Certificateof Achievement (2012)

• Board of Directors - AIDS NB (2000-2008)

Having held the position as your 1st Vice-President since the fall of 2016, I stronglybelieve that experience at the provinciallevel and the local level is a pre-requirementto fulfill the 1st Vice-Presidentresponsibilities. I have been involved withNBNU for the past 25 years; as your current1st Vice-President, as the past Part IIICommunity Care Representative (for 3terms), as President for the BeauséjourCommunity Health Local from 1995 to2016, and I have also been on six differentnegotiating committees. I feel that this experience combined with my30 years of nursing experience in thehospital and community sectors gives methe knowledge and abilities to hold the 1stVP position. It is my hope that you will giveme the opportunity and privilege tocontinue to work with and for you, to helpNBNU continue to protect our members’rights and to continue to grow and prosper. Together Stronger!Maria Richard, RN

Maria Richard, Beauséjour Community Health, Moncton

CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION1ST VICE-PRESIDENT


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CANADA’S NURSES APPLAUD CLC FORJOINING OUR FIGHT FOR UNIVERSALPHARMACAREOver the last decade, Canada’s nurses havebeen making the case for filling Canada’sprescription and making universalpharmacare a reality for all people living inCanada. The New Brunswick Nurses Union’sleadership and our members have played akey role in these critical discussions withpolitical decision makers, and in helping usget to the strong position we are in today tomake universal pharmacare happen. TheCFNU is pleased to share we will now gainthe support and backing of the CanadianLabour Congress (CLC) and the nearly 3.3million workers that Canada’s unionsrepresent.In May, over 3,000 came together in Torontofor the 2017 CLC Convention and delegatesheard from members in favour of the Reportof the Economic and Social PolicyResolutions Committee which includedhealthcare and pharmacare. CFNU President,Linda Silas, spoke in favour of the resolution,once again citing irrefutable facts like the

3.5 million Canadians who do not have theprescription drug coverage they need, andthe fact that many Canadians are faced withchoosing between feeding their family,paying their rent, or filling their medicallynecessary prescriptions. The delegation resolved to campaign for anational, universal, single-payer and publicprescription drug plan for everyone living inCanada. “We could not be happier to have theenthusiastic support of the Canadian LabourCongress join us in our fight for universalpharmacare,” said CFNU President, LindaSilas. “We have always enjoyed a strongrelationship with our labour affiliates andallies, and to put forward a resolution onbehalf of nearly 200,000 unionized nursesin Canada and feel the support of ourfriends and allies on the floor was extremelymotivating as we continue this critical work.”Canada’s nurses have been presenting

evidence-based research on the need for auniversal pharmacare plan for years. Mostrecently, making the case for filling theprescription to parliamentarians at both the2016 and 2017 CFNU hosted ParliamentaryBreakfasts and at the 2016 Council of theFederation (COF) breakfast briefings withCanada’s premiers. In December, the CFNUreleased a new report to premiers titled:Down the Drain: How Canada Has Wasted$62 Billion Health Care Dollars withoutPharmacare, where noted economist HughMackenzie calculates the disturbing amountCanada has wasted over the past 10 years bynot implementing national pharmacare. Thisreport can be found on NBNU’s websiteunder Education >Research.“In 2017, as we celebrate Canada 150 andreflect back on and celebrate all that wehave accomplished – we must also take timeto pause and think long and hard about ourfuture and the next 150 years,” said Silas. “Anational universal pharmacare plan is themissing piece of our publicly fundedhealthcare system. By working together withCanada’s unions to accomplish this victory, itwould certainly be something to celebratefor the next 150 years.”The Canadian Labour Congress hascommitted to work with affiliated unions,provincial and territorial federations oflabour, district councils and allied groups toprotect, strengthen and expand universalpublic healthcare, and to campaign for anational single-payer public prescriptiondrug plan. Labour’s prescription for a #FairFuture wasthe theme for Labor Day to mark the CLC’scampaign launch for a full nationalpharmacare program.

Linda Silas, CFNU President standing up and speaking out for a universal pharmacare plan.

ELECTE

D BY A

CCLAMA

TION

UNION PARTICIPATION -PROVINCIAL OFFICES HELD• 2nd Vice-President and member of the

NBNU Board of Directors (2011-present)

• 2nd Vice-President NB Federation ofLabour (2017-present)

• Co-chair of NB Health Coalition,Member of NB Common Front forSocial Justice and NB Coalition for PayEquity (2011-present)

• Member of the Nurses, Part IIINegotiating Committee (2011-2013, 2015-present)

• Acting Vice-President, Women’s Issues,NB Federation of Labour (2016-2017)

LOCAL OFFICES HELD• Vice-President, Local 81-Bathurst Public

Health and Community Mental Health(2016-present)

• President, Local 81-Bathurst PublicHealth and Community Mental Health(2008-2016)

• Actively involved in Union activitieswith NBNU since 2000

• Co-chair Professional PracticeCommittee

• Participation in local union activitiessuch as Labor Day parade, Day ofMourning, rallies, etc.

WORK EXPERIENCE• Graduated in 1984 – Université de

Moncton• Currently, public health communicable

disease and sexual health coordinatorfor zone 6

• Staff nurse: Psychiatry (Campbellton);ER (Revelstoke, B.C.), Nephrology(Ottawa); High-riskmaternity/nursery/labour and deliveryroom (Ottawa)

• Educator: University of New Brunswick-Bathurst Campus (maternal and childhealth, community health and clinicalinstructor); University of Ottawa (clinicalinstructor)

• Community health nursing: PublicHealth (Néguac, Miramichi andBathurst)

• Program manager: CommunicableDisease - Early Childhood Initiatives

OTHER ACTIVITIES• Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions -

Biennial Convention• Canadian Labour Congress• NB Federation of Labour Convention

and Mid-Term Conference• Canadian Health Coalition Conference

and lobby day in Ottawa• Eastern Labour School• Canadian Governor General Leadership

Conference (2012)

• Public Health: past member, Board ofDirectors, Canadian Public HealthAssociation, NB-PEI branch

• NANB Treasurer, Bathurst chapter• Past Treasurer, Bathurst Regional

Debriefing Committee • Participation in NB Health Council• Volunteer work such as Jeux d’Acadie,

Fundraising/organizing activities (Heartand Stroke, Cancer, Regional Milk fundfor schools)

• Past president of Bathurst HealthyCommunity Network (responsible forseveral community initiatives andpublic policy changes), Regional FamilyViolence and Health Forums, Women’sissues, etc.

I would be honoured to continue torepresent NBNU and registered nursesacross the province as your 2nd Vice-President. I bring leadership, confidence,integrity, experience, and linguistic skillsthat are valuable assets for a 2nd Vice-President in achieving NBNU’s vision,objectives and priority actions. I hope to be re-elected so I can continue toparticipate in advocacy and lobbyingactivities to influence decisions and/or bringsocial, political, economic or environmentalchanges. I remain committed to creatingnew partnerships between NBNU and itsaffiliated labour, community and socialnetworks such as the NB Common Front forSocial Justice, the NB Coalition for PayEquity and the NB Health Coalition. Thank you for your support.In Solidarity, Nancy Arseneau, RN

Nancy Arseneau, Bathurst Public/Mental Health

CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION2ND VICE-PRESIDENT

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONIndex to Financial StatementsYear Ended December 31, 2016

Page

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Statement of Financial Position 39

Statement of Operations 40

Statement of Changes in Fund Balances 42

Statement of Cash Flows 43

Notes to Financial Statements 45

Marketable Securities (Schedule 1) 47

Spacek Armstrong & Norrad


37

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNION

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSYEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016


36

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONStatement of Financial PositionDecember 31, 2016

General FundRestricted

Funds Total Total2016 2016 2016 2015

ASSETSCURRENT

Cash $ 271,535 $ 7,871 $ 279,406 $ 176,070Marketable securities

(schedule 1) 1,123,780 5,014,173 6,137,953 6,234,184Dues receivable 433,026 - 433,026 321,985Interest receivable 83,331 - 83,331 77,624Accounts receivable from

employees 893 - 893 300Prepaid expenses 36,249 - 36,249 26,115Due from fund (Note 8) 6,453 - 6,453 -

1,955,267 5,022,044 6,977,311 6,836,278

CAPITAL ASSETS (Net) (Note 5) 1,656,723 - 1,656,723 1,754,514

$ 3,611,990 $ 5,022,044 $ 8,634,034 $ 8,590,792

LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCESCURRENT

Accounts payable $ 576,945 $ - $ 576,945 $ 543,115Due to fund (Note 8) - 6,453 6,453 -

576,945 6,453 583,398 543,115

FUND BALANCES 3,035,045 5,015,591 8,050,636 8,047,677

$ 3,611,990 $ 5,022,044 $ 8,634,034 $ 8,590,792

COMMITMENTS (Note 7)

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

_____________________________ Director

_____________________________ Director

See notes to financial statements



39

Spacek Armstrong & NorradCHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT

To the Members of New Brunswick Nurses Union

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of New Brunswick Nurses Union, whichcomprise the statement of financial position as at December 31, 2016 and the statements of operations,changes in fund balances and cash flows for the year then ended, and a summary of significantaccounting policies and other explanatory information.

Management's Responsibility for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements inaccordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations, and for such internalcontrol as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements thatare free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditor's Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. Weconducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Thosestandards require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtainreasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures inthe financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor's judgment, including theassessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud orerror. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity'spreparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that areappropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectivenessof the entity's internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accountingpolicies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well asevaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis forour audit opinion.

Opinion

In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position ofNew Brunswick Nurses Union as at December 31, 2016 and the results of its operations and its cashflows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profitorganizations.

Fredericton, New BrunswickJune 22, 2017 CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

203 - 100 Woodside Lane ~ Fredericton NB ~ E3C 2R9 ~ PHONE (506) 458-1554 ~ FAX (506) 457-2385


38

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONStatement of Operations (continued)Year Ended December 31, 2016

General Fund General FundRestricted

FundsRestricted

Funds2016 2015 2016 2015

UNION ACTIVITIESDues refunds to locals 389,183 383,325 - -

Committee expensesSalaries - members 471,853 517,053 - -Travel, meals andaccommodations 438,829 457,717 - -Meeting accommodations 1,824 1,333 - -Speakers and registration 96,615 56,254 - -Translation 72,158 61,023 - -Employee benefits 67,816 74,739 - -

Hearing expenses 22,388 34,775 - -Public relations and

promotions 459,170 391,712 - -General printing 69,322 84,044 - -CFNU / NBFL dues 264,467 250,664 - -General translation 23,943 28,558 - -Scholarships 20,000 19,800 - -Memorials and gifts 2,092 2,311 - -Educational assistance - - 30,346 23,119General expenses - - 26 98TOTAL UNION ACTIVITIES 2,399,660 2,363,308 30,372 23,217

4,722,554 4,699,098 30,372 23,217

EXCESS (DEFICIENCY) OFREVENUES OVEREXPENSES $ 3,380 $ 28,247 $ (421) $ 6,347




41

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONStatement of OperationsYear Ended December 31, 2016


FundsRestricted

Funds2016 2015 2016 2015

REVENUESMembership dues $ 4,583,858 $ 4,568,177 $ - $ -Investment income (Note 6) 142,076 159,168 - -Contributions from nursing homes - - 29,951 29,564

4,725,934 4,727,345 29,951 29,564

EXPENSES

GENERAL &ADMINISTRATIVESalaries - labour relations 682,769 637,182 - -Salaries - office staff 649,377 620,178 - -Salaries - overtime 20,168 59,536 - -Employee benefits 264,689 259,268 - -Employee recruitment 1,257 12,251 - -Staff professional

development 20,743 17,503 - -Travel 85,265 83,859 - -Car allowance 37,000 33,980 - -Office supplies and expenses 62,878 63,521 - -Library 13,540 14,033 - -Postage 57,303 102,283 - -Insurance 20,269 19,147 - -Interest and bank charges 3,381 2,685 - -Communications 95,639 119,264 - -Professional fees 33,738 28,039 - -Photocopier leases and

expenses 14,724 10,846 - -Electricity 20,287 21,883 - -Property taxes and water 59,804 58,798 - -Building repairs and

maintenance 55,970 51,852 - -Amortization 124,093 119,682 - -TOTAL GENERAL & ADMIN. 2,322,894 2,335,790 - -

(continues)




40

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONStatement of Cash FlowsYear Ended December 31, 2016

General FundRestricted

Funds Total Total2016 2016 2016 2015

OPERATING ACTIVITIESExcess (deficiency) Of

Revenues Over Expenses $ 3,380 $ (421) $ 2,959 $ 34,594Item not affecting cash:

Amortization of capitalassets 124,093 - 124,093 119,682

127,473 (421) 127,052 154,276

Changes in non-cash working capital:Dues receivable (111,041) - (111,041) 1,967Accounts receivable from

employees (593) - (593) 2,767Interest receivable (5,707) - (5,707) (5,356)Accounts payable 33,831 - 33,831 49,951Prepaid expenses (10,136) - (10,136) 12,875

(93,646) - (93,646) 62,204

Cash flow from operatingactivities 33,827 (421) 33,406 216,480

INVESTING ACTIVITIESPurchase of capital assets (26,301) - (26,301) (38,396)Marketable securities 96,020 211 96,231 (247,166)

Cash flow from (used by)investing activities 69,719 211 69,930 (285,562)

FINANCING ACTIVITYAdvances to/from funds (6,453) 6,453 - -

OTHER CASH FLOW ITEMSInterfund transfers 11,882 (11,882) - -

INCREASE (DECREASE) INCASH FLOW 108,975 (5,639) 103,336 (69,082)

Cash - beginning of year 162,560 13,510 176,070 245,152

CASH - END OF YEAR $ 271,535 $ 7,871 $ 279,406 $ 176,070




43

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONStatement of Changes in Fund BalancesYear Ended December 31, 2016


FundRestricted

Fund2016 2015 2016 2015

FUND BALANCES -BEGINNING OF YEAR $ 3,019,783 $ 2,856,175 $ 5,027,894 $ 5,156,908

Excess (deficiency) of revenuesover expenses 3,380 28,247 (421) 6,347

Interfund transfers 11,882 135,361 (11,882) (135,361)

FUND BALANCES - END OFYEAR $ 3,035,045 $ 3,019,783 $ 5,015,591 $ 5,027,894




42

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONNotes to Financial StatementsYear Ended December 31, 2016

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Capital assets

Capital assets are stated at cost or deemed cost less accumulated amortization. Capital assets areamortized over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis at the following rates andmethods:

Land N/ABuildings 4% straight-line methodFurniture and fixtures 10% straight-line methodComputer equipment 25% straight-line methodComputer software 50% straight-line method

Revenue recognition

New Brunswick Nurses Union follows the restricted fund method of accounting for revenue.

Union membership dues are recognized as revenue of the General Fund in the year received orreceivable if the amount to be received can be reasonably estimated and collection is reasonablyassured.

Contributions from nursing homes are recognized as revenue of the Nursing Home EducationalLeave fund.

Investment income is recognized as revenue of the General Fund when earned.

Marketable Securities

Marketable securities, which consist primarily of interest bearing instruments, are carried atamortized cost.

4. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The organization's financial instruments comprise marketable securities and normal workingcapital items. Unless otherwise stated, management believes that the fair value of all these itemseither approximates their carrying value, or cannot be determined because of uncertainty over thetiming of related cash flows.

Unless otherwise noted, it is management’s opinion that the organization has no material financialexposure due to members and other debtors failing to pay amounts owed (credit risk), or changes incommodity prices, interest rates or other market-set prices. The investments in marketablesecurities present the major source of risk, primarily credit risk and interest rate risk. Theorganization has adopted a conservative investment policy with diversified holdings of high qualityinvestment instruments.



45


1. PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION

The New Brunswick Nurses Union is recognized as a duly constituted labour organization exemptfrom taxation under paragraph 149(1)k of the Income Tax Act. The Union was established toadvance the economic and social welfare of its members and potential members. The Union assistsin the settlement of disputes between its members and their employers and works to attain the goalsset out in Article 2 of the union constitution.

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The financial statements were prepared in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations (ASNFPO).

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Fund accounting

New Brunswick Nurses Union follows the restricted fund method of accounting for contributions.

The General Fund accounts for the organization's program delivery and administrative activities.This fund reports unrestricted resources and restricted operating grants.

The Membership Defence Fund reports only internally restricted resources that are to be used tofund special union activities as required.

The Nursing Homes Educational Leave Fund reports on externally restricted resources used, at thedirection of the Educational leave committee, to fund approved professional development programsapplied for by members employed at Nursing Homes.

Measurement uncertainty

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect thereported amount of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date ofthe financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the period.Such estimates are periodically reviewed and any adjustments necessary are reported in earnings inthe period in which they become known. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Financial instruments policy

Financial instruments are recorded at fair value when acquired or issued. In subsequent periods,financial assets with actively traded markets are reported at fair value, with any unrealized gainsand losses reported in income. All other financial instruments are reported at amortized cost, andtested for impairment at each reporting date. Transaction costs on the acquisition, sale, or issue offinancial instruments are expensed when incurred.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash includes cash and cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are investments in treasury bills andare valued at cost plus accrued interest. The carrying amounts approximate fair value because theyhave maturities at the date of purchase of less than ninety days.

(continues)



44

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONMarketable Securities (Schedule 1)As at December 31, 2016

2016 2016Carrying Value Fair Value

GENERAL FUNDOmista Credit Union

2.00% term deposit, due June 2017 $ 60,456 $ 60,9382.00% bond, due October 2018 100,000 100,449Credit Union shares 55 55

BMO Nesbitt Burns2.90% HSBC bond, due January 2017 250,000 250,0902.90% Scotiabank bond, callable August 2017 200,000 201,560

Scotiabank0.50% cashable GIC, due November 2017 22,793 22,7940.55% cashable GIC, due October 2017 100,000 100,112

Scotia McLeod1.88% Concentra Financial GIC, due March 2019 250,000 250,0001.65% HSBC GIC, due August 2018 139,825 139,825

Unamortized Premiums and DiscountsUnamortized premiums and discounts 651 -

TOTAL GENERAL FUND MARKETABLE SECURITIES $ 1,123,780 $ 1,125,823

(continues)




47


5. CAPITAL ASSETS

2016 2015Accumulated Net book Net book

Cost amortization value value

Land $ 281,722 $ - $ 281,722 $ 281,722Buildings 1,967,940 724,730 1,243,210 1,322,806Furniture and fixtures 294,316 200,006 94,310 116,698Computer equipment 144,721 113,349 31,372 32,057Computer software 66,636 60,527 6,109 1,231

$ 2,755,335 $ 1,098,612 $ 1,656,723 $ 1,754,514

6. INVESTMENT INCOME

2016 2015

General Fund $ 142,076 $ 159,168

7. COMMITMENTS

The union is obligated to make payments on various office equipment leases. The minimumlease payments due in each of the next 5 years are as follows:

Lease payment schedule:

2017 $ 13,1732018 13,1732019 13,1732020 472

$ 39,991

8. DUE TO (FROM) FUNDS

Interfund loans generally result from accruals of income to be transferred from one fund to another.As soon as the income is received, the loans are paid. These interfund balances are non-interestbearing and recorded as current amounts. At year end, the balances were $6,453.

9. CONTINGENT LIABILITY

A lawsuit has been filed against the Union in respect of legislated changes to the member pensionplan. It is the Board's opinion that the lawsuit is without merit. As such, no accrual has been madefor any contingent liability arising from the lawsuit.



46

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONMarketable Securities (continued) (Schedule 1)As at December 31, 2016

RESTRICTED FUNDSOmista Credit Union

1.25% term deposit, due December 2017 229,809 236,4953.00% term deposit, due May 2017 206,016 209,725Omista Credit Union shares 5 5

BMO Nesbitt Burns2.50% National Bank of Canada bond, callable April 2017 300,000 301,3501.90% Canadian Western Bank GIC, due July 2020 100,000 100,0002.62% Canadian Western Bank GIC, due June 2019 165,065 176,3341.77% Canadian Western Bank GIC, due March 2018 326,858 326,8582.15% Canadian Western Bank GIC, due June 2019 240,000 247,9761.86% Canadian Western Bank GIC, due December 2020 515,000 515,0001.44% Canadian Western Bank GIC, due February 2017 350,222 350,2222.00% Home Trust Company GIC, due July 2020 100,000 100,0001.85% National Bank GIC, due March 2019 350,000 350,000

Scotia McLeod2.01% Concentra Financial GIC, due September 2018 383,475 383,4751.95% Concentra Financial GIC, due July 2020 261,500 261,5002.15% Concentra Financial GIC, due March 2017 420,000 420,0002.55% Pacific and Western Bank GIC, due July 2017 268,239 268,2392.90% Bank of Nova Scotia GIC, due October 2018 250,000 250,0002.45% HSBC Bank Canada GIC, due April 2018 350,000 350,000

Scotiabank0.55% cashable GIC, due October 2017 190,000 190,2120.50% cashable GIC, due February 2018 5,234 5,278

Unamortized Premiums and DiscountsUnamortized premiums and discounts 2,750 -

TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS MARKETABLE SECURITIES 5,014,173 5,042,669

GRAND TOTAL $ 6,137,953 $ 6,168,492




48

The Finance Committee met on June 21 and22, at the provincial office for NBNU.Members of the committee are: ShelleyDuggan, Secretary-Treasurer, Amy Dally,Margo Jones, Margie Ellis and Debbie Gill,Director of Operations; ex-officio members:

Paula Doucet, President, and Matt Hiltz,Executive Director. Peter Spacek of the accounting firm Spacek,Norrad, and Associates, met with thecommittee to review the audited statementsfor the year ending 2016.The committee also prepared the budget for2018 which is printed in the Parasol.The committee made the followingrecommendations for the 2018 budget:• That all expense policies be strictly

adhered to, especially travel. • That NBNU budget for 20 members to

attend the CLC Workers’ Summit inNova Scotia, willing to offer “Train theTrainer” (domestic violence) courseexclusively to registered nurses.

• Increase Finance Committee meetingsto three days instead of two days.

• Increase the public relations budget by$150,000.

• That $60,000 is budgeted forbargaining research, as all three

Collective Agreements expire at the endof 2018.

• Increase Part III labour management tofour days.

• Increase the President’saccommodation budget, due to anincrease in condo fees, effectiveSeptember 2017.

• The Finance Committee recommends tothe Board of Directors to allow a transferof funds from the General FundInvestments to the operating fund topresent a balanced budget.

• That the exemption to the automaticdues increase be continued in 2018(union dues have not increased since2011).

I would like to thank the committeemembers for their commitment andcontinued support.In Solidarity,Shelley Duggan, RN


49

Shelley Duggan, Secretary-Treasurer

NBNU Finance Committee. From left to right: Matt Hiltz, Margo Jones, Amy Dalley, Shelley Duggan, Margie Ellis, Debbie Gill and Paula Doucet.

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORTBY SHELLEY DUGGAN

GENERAL FUNDEXPENSES 2018

PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET

NOTES TO BUDGETREVENUEMembership Dues – Based on 1.025% ofClass A Step G annual salary.Investment Income – Interest earned ontotal investment portfolio.

EXPENDITURES – GENERAL ANDADMINISTRATIVESalaries – This amount includes salaries for15 full-time staff including the president. Overtime – For all bargaining employees.Overtime must be approved by theexecutive director or the director ofoperations.Employee Benefits – Includes employer’scontributions to CPP, employmentInsurance, CBE Pension Plan, group healthplan and other negotiated benefits.Staff Professional Development – Includesworkshops, seminars and educational leave.Car Allowance – For executive director andLRO staff as per collective agreements andfor the president as per policy manual.Office Supplies – Includes stationery, paperand other office supplies.Postage/Shipping – Includes mailingequipment lease expense, all courier feesand postage expenses.

Depreciation Expense – Capital assets areamortized at the following rates: building4%; paving 10%; furniture and equipment10%; computer hardware 25%; computersoftware 50%. Building Repairs and Maintenance –Includes snow removal, lawn care, janitorialservices and general maintenance.Library – Includes cost of newspapers,magazines, labour law books and annualweb-based research subscriptions.Insurance & Bonding – Includes fireinsurance on property and liability insurancefor directors and officers. Communications – Includes telephoneexpenses, website management andmaintenance.Professional Fees – Auditor’s fees and otherprofessional services.

EXPENDITURES – UNIONACTIVITIESDues Refunds to Locals – Provincial officerebates the locals $5.00 per member permonth.Members’ Salaries – Salary replacementcosts for members attending NBNUmeetings.

Meeting Accommodations – Cost ofrenting conference rooms as well as cost ofproviding coffee breaks.Simultaneous Translation – Cost ofequipment rental and translation services.Public Relations and Promotions –350,000 for PR campaigns, 60,000 forbargaining research and $50,000 to supportvarious affiliations such as: the provincial ornational Health Coalition, NB Common Frontfor Social Justice, NB Coalition for Pay Equityand other initiatives approved by the Boardof Directors or by motion at the annualgeneral meeting.Membership Motivation – Includes cost ofpromotional items such as registered nursepins, Union/AGM promotional items andfunding to locals for national nursing weekrecognition. Printing – Printing of booklets, brochures,contracts, quarterly newsletters and Parasol.Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions –Dues are $2.25 per member per month. Thisamount includes the CLC affiliation fee. NB Federation of Labour Dues – Dues are$1.15 per member per month.Hearing Expenses – Includes legal costs,medical assessments and arbitrators’ costs.General Translation – Cost of writtentranslation of information sent to members.


51


50

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONOPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2018

REVENUE 2018 BUDGET 2017 BUDGETMembership dues 4,583,021 4,568,148Investment income 140,636 143,600TOTAL REVENUE 4,723,657 4,711,748

EXPENDITURESGeneral & Administrative

Salaries 1,310,776 1,287,814Staff overtime 18,372 56,679Employee benefits 276,937 300,403Staff professional development 33,000 33,000Travel 87,000 95,000Car allowance 40,800 36,000Office supplies & expenses 26,000 30,000Service contract/IT support 35,000 33,000Depreciation 119,000 119,000Library 14,000 14,000Postage/shipping 70,200 71,400Bank charges 3,500 3,000Insurance & bonding 20,500 20,000Communications 105,000 115,000Professional fees 20,000 15,000Photocopier lease and expenses 11,000 11,000Utilities 21,300 22,200Property taxes 61,900 59,500Presidents accomodations 14,000 12,000Building repairs & maintenance 46,000 43,000Employee recruitment expenses 3,000 6,000Casual temporary staffing 3,000 3,000Internship pilot project 20,000 25,000Total General & Administrative 2,360,285 2,410,996

UNION ACTIVITIESDues refunds to locals 388,260 387,000

Member Expenses:Annual Meeting 430,104 392,079Executive Council 270,471 256,631Board of Directors 93,349 101,338Eastern Labour School 254,401 - CLC Worker's Summit 2018 56,455 - Bargaining & Labour Management 30,957 22,171Member Education (Leadership in Action) 74,125 85,182Finance, JCMC, Ann Mtg Ops., Arbitration 27,887 38,033Nurses: Part III / Nursing Homes Education 32,914 32,992CLC Convention - 27,800NBFL Convention - 14,629CFNU Biennium 186,778

Public Relations & Promotions 460,000 250,000Legal expense assistance plan 5,000 1,000Local assistance fund 1,000 1,000Membership motivation 60,000 60,000Printing 42,000 59,000Canadian Federation dues 174,717 174,150N B Federation of Labour Dues 89,300 89,010Hearing expenses 30,000 35,000Scholarships 20,800 20,800General translation 28,000 30,000Memorials & gifts 2,500 2,500Total Union Activities 2,572,140 2,267,093Total Expenditures 4,932,425 4,678,089

(208,868) 33,659Transfer from Investments 200,000 - Excess of Revenue (Expenditure) For Year (8,868) 33,659

36%Salaries & Benefits

5% National Affiliations10% Public Relations & PromoCharities & Solidarity 1%

General & Administraton 12%

Committee Expenses 28%

Dues Refunds to Locals 8%


53

NEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNIONINVESTMENT SCHEDULE – JULY 31, 2017

MATURITY INTEREST PRINCIPALTERM DATE RATE INVESTED

INVESTMENTS - GENERAL FUNDBMO Nesbitt Burns GIC Scotiabank Bond #270-0097211 56 months 31-Aug-17 2.47% $ 200,000 BMO Nesbitt Burns Cdn Western Bank GIC #270-0097211 2 years 18-Jan-19 1.55% $ 250,000 Omista Credit Union Non-Redeemable TD #61545-45-2 1 year 15-Jun-18 1.35% $ 60,456 Omista Credit Union Bond Beater #61545-43-2 1 year 10-Oct-18 2.00% $ 100,000 Scotia Bank Cashable GIC 184678 1 year 23-Nov-17 0.50% $ 22,793 Scotia McLeod Concentra Fin. GIC #270-0060516 3 years 14-Mar-19 1.88% $ 250,000 ScotiaMcLeod HSBC GIC #270-0060516 3 years 27-Aug-18 1.65% $ 139,825 Scotia Bank Cashable GIC 36340343 1 year 19-Oct-17 0.55% $ 100,000 Total General Fund Investments $ 1,123,074 INVESTMENTS - MEMBERSHIP DEFENCE FUND Scotia McLeod Concentra Fin. GIC #270-0060516 1 year 4-Sep-18 2.01% $ 383,475 BMO Nesbitt Burns Cdn Western Bank GIC #270-0097211 5 years 13-Jun-19 2.62% $ 165,065 BMO Nesbitt Burns Cdn Western Bank GIC #270-0097211 2 year 9-Mar-18 1.77% $ 326,858 BMO Nesbitt Burns Cdn Western Bank GIC #270-0097211 5 years 19-Jun-19 2.15% $ 240,000 Scotiabank GIC 36340343 2 years 7-Mar-19 2.80% $ 350,000 ScotiaMcLeod Concentra Fin. GIC #270-0060516 4 years 15-Jul-20 1.95% $ 261,500 BMO Nesbitt Burns Cdn Western Bank GIC #270-0097211 4 years 13-Jul-20 1.90% $ 100,000 BMO Nesbitt Burns Home Trust Co. GIC #270-0097211 4 years 13-Jul-20 2.00% $ 100,000 BMO Nesbitt Burns Cdn Western Bank GIC #270-0097211 4 years 16-Dec-20 1.86% $ 515,000 BMO Nesbitt Burns Nat Bnk Canada GIC #270-0097211 3 years 11-Mar-19 1.85% $ 350,000 ScotiaMcLeod CIBC GIC #270-0060516 3 years 16-Mar-20 1.60% $ 420,000 ScotiaMcLeod Royal Bank - GIC #270-0060516 2 years 18-Jul-19 1.40% $ 278,000 Omista Credit Union Term Deposit #61545-41-2 1 year 1-Dec-17 1.25% $ 229,809 Scotiabank Non Redeemable GIC 36340343 3 years 16-May-20 1.85% $ 206,000 BMO Nesbitt Burns Royal Bank bond #270-0097211 4 years 18-Apr-21 2.12% $ 285,000 ScotiaMcLeod BNS GIC #270-0060516 5 years 23-Oct-18 2.90% $ 250,000 ScotiaMcLeod HSBC Bank Canada #270-0060516 5 years 5-Apr-18 2.45% $ 350,000 Scotia Bank Cashable GIC 36340343 1 year 1-Jun-18 1.10% $ 190,599 Total Membership Defence Fund Investments $ 5,001,306 INVESTMENTS -NURSING HOME EDUCATIONAL LEAVE FUNDScotia Bank Cashable GIC 36340343 1 year 28-Feb-18 0.50% $ 5,234


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NBNU ACRONYMS EXPLAINEDBS Bachelor of Science BN Bachelor of Nursing CBE Certain Bargaining Employees SharedRisk Plan CLC Canadian Labour Congress CFNU Canadian Federation of NursesUnions CNA Canadian Nurses Association CUPE Canadian Union of Public EmployeesDON Director of Nursing EMP Extra Mural Program FTE Full-time Equivalent GGCLC Governor General’s CanadianLeadership ConferenceGNU Global Nurses United ICN International Council of Nurses ILO International Labour Organization

IRA Industrial Relations ActLPN Licensed Practical Nurse LRO Labour Relations Officer MNUManitoba Nurses’ UnionNANB Nurses Association of New Brunswick NBFL New Brunswick Federation of Labour NBANH New Brunswick Association ofNursing Homes NBNU New Brunswick Nurses Union NBPSPP New Brunswick Public ServicePension Plan NBU New Brunswick Union NEB National Executive Board NCLEX-RN® National Council LicensureExamination for Registered Nurses NHS National Health Service NP Nurse Practitioner

NRC Nursing Resource Collaborative NSNU Nova Scotia Nurses’ UnionONA Ontario Nurses’ AssociationPEINU Prince Edward Island Nurses’ UnionPCW Personal Care WorkerPPC Professional Practice Committee PSLRA Public Service Labour Relations ActRCN Royal College of Nursing RHA Regional Health AuthorityRN Registered Nurse RNUNL Registered Nurses’ UnionNewfoundland & LabradorSUN Saskatchewan Nurses’ UnionUNA United Nurses’ of AlbertaVPSC Vestcor Pension Services Corporation WSRWork Situation Report

Paula Doucet (far right) joins Kat Lanteigne (center) and other union and healthcare advocates at a press conference for Bloodwatch.org in Ottawa.

WWW.NBNU.CANEW BRUNSWICK NURSES UNION

STAND UP

– SPEA

K OUT!

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