United Nurses celebrate successful 35th annual general meeting

Canadian Federation of Nurses President Linda Silas and Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan urged Alberta nurses to stand together to defend public health care and union rights in Canada at the 35th annual general meeting of the United Nurses of Alberta last week.

The more than 700 delegates to the three-day AGM, which ran from Oct. 23 to 25, also heard long-term care researchers Diana Gibson of Edmonton and Tamara Daly of Toronto’s York University call for nurses to push back against creeping privatization in the health care system

Another speaker, former Nova Scotia nurse manager Barb Fry, shared valuable advice on creating healthy and productive work environments.

UNA’s annual general meetings provide an opportunity for activist nurses from all parts of Alberta to meet, hear from and query dynamic speakers, discuss the future of their union and the health care system, and elect their Executive Officers and District Representatives.

Heather Smith and Karen Craik were acclaimed to new two-year term as president and secretary-treasurer of the United Nurses of Alberta. Serving as District Representatives to the Executive Board are Roxann Dreger, Susan Gallivan, Terri Barr, Teresa Caldwell, Jennifer Castro, Susan Coleman, Christina Doktor, Jenna Knight, Karen Kuprys, Keith Lang, Dianne McInroy, Sandra Zack, Wanda Zimmerman, Marie Aitken, Kathy Bouwmeester, Marie Corns, JoAnne Rhodes, Daphne Wallace, Cameron Westhead, Maxine Braun, and John Terry.

United Nurses of Alberta, which was founded in 1977, now represents more than 25,000 Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses, student nurses and allied workers throughout Alberta. 30