B.C. nurses plan picket lines at Vancouver General Hospital next week

British Columbia nurses are set to escalate job action next Tuesday with a planned picket line at Vancouver General Hospital, according to the B.C. Nurses' Union. The union said essential services, including emergency care, will continue during the action. The union says its members are seeking better pay and relief from issues such as unsafe staffing levels and workplace violence. Union leaders say the province is facing a serious nursing shortage and that nurses are carrying workloads that can affect both worker safety and patient care. Health Employers Association of B.C. and the union have agreed to return to negotiations next week. Provincial Health Minister Josie Osborne said bargaining should continue at the table and that essential health services will remain in place during the dispute.