There’s Much More to Be Done

Since October of 2002, I have been proud to represent the members of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union. In April, I was officially acclaimed in my 9th term as president of this great organization. Ten other NSNU members were either acclaimed or elected to your Board of Directors to serve a two-year term.

If you know my story, you know that my personal concerns about childcare and workplace issues first drew me to union activism. I was a young mom working in Truro, struggling to balance proverbial shift work and childcare conflicts. Our local, along with CUPE, opened a daycare for hospital staff in the area.

From that point on, I was intrigued by what we could accomplish as a collective. I, like my other union friends, was a squeaky wheel, looking out for coworkers, our rights and our safety. I wanted a say in what I was paid, collective bargaining, and how my future investments, like pensions and benefits, would be managed and dispersed. I wanted to understand how unions worked – specifically the Nurses’ Union – given how much influence NSNU had on improving my work life and my financial assets.

Since those early beginnings, I’ve worked with countless nurses who were strong, vocal healthcare and union advocates, and some who worked quietly behind the scenes. What I have learned through my years of experience on local executives and boards, is that not all union activists come with bullhorns and placards. Union activism is about knowing what your union offers, how it functions, and why it’s important to participate, in some small way or all in. 

I wish to thank all members who ran for positions on the board and those who were acclaimed. Your commitment to the NSNU is greatly appreciated. The contributions of all activists have tremendous value. We are making decisions and inroads that impact all nurses.

There is much more work to be done. The pandemic has made evident the changes required to keep healthcare workers safe; to allow us to practice with confidence. Among my goals is an assurance that our staffing levels are adequate to provide relief for nurses and a system that is stretched to capacity. Recruitment and retention efforts must be reinvigorated, not just in rural and remote areas of the province, but also in our urban centres and long-term care.

Our acute care bargaining team will be going to the table soon, equipped with knowledge and information stemming from our COVID-19 experience. In addition, your feedback from the bargaining survey is vital in helping us determine priorities. I highly recommend that you take 15-20 minutes to complete the questionnaire. It is imperative that we negotiate an agreement that addresses your concerns and provides fair compensation.

I will continue to lobby government and your employers, imparting that nurses continue to give their all, in good times and in bad. Even though I’m approaching the twenty-year mark at the union, my enthusiasm and energy has not waned. I am always eager to take your calls, answer your email, speak with media and politicians, and promote the many contributions nurses make in our communities.

I thank you for allowing me the honour of being your president and promise to continue to keep up the good fight on your behalf.

Janet Hazelton