Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions


The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions is a trade union centre in Canada. The CFNU is a federation of provincial unions representing nurses, nurse practitioners, student nurses, and various allied health care workers. It advocates on a national level for issues related to nurses, patient care, the health care system, and working conditions. As of 2023, the CNFU represents nearly 250,000 nurses and student nurses across Canada, who are members of the nine provincial nurses unions and Canadian Nursing Students’ Association.
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Affiliations

The CFNU is a founding member of Global Nurses United and collaborates with the International Council of Nurses. It is a member of the Canadian Health Coalition and the Canadian Labour Congress, and sits on the CLC's executive committee.

Membership

The CFNU represents almost 250,000 unionized registered nurses, licensed or registered practical nurses, nurse practitioners, nursing students and a range of allied health care professionals. Membership is through the CFNU's member organizations, which include nine provincial nurses’ unions, as well as one nursing students’ union. Each organization holds a seat on the CFNU's national executive board, helping to shape the positions and priorities of the national umbrella group.
Members organizations:

History

In Winnipeg on International Workers’ Day, May 1, 1981, the National Federation of Nurses Unions was formed to represent unionized nurses at the national level. More than 300 delegates from every nurses’ union in Canada voted unanimously to form the organization. NFNU was later renamed to Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions in 1999 to represent Canadian nurses internationally.
CFNU established its full-time office in Ottawa in September 1987.
The Founding member organizations were:
  • Manitoba Organization of Nurses’ Associations
  • New Brunswick Nurses Union
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses’ Union
  • Prince Edward Island Provincial Collective Bargaining Committee
  • Saskatchewan Union of Nurses
CFNU Presidents:
Note: the CFNU no longer elects vice-presidents.
Secretary-Treasurers:
  • Jill Jones
  • Dorothy Bragg
  • Debra McPherson
  • Pauline Worsfold
  • Angela Preocanin

Timeline of CFNU and Canadian nurses unions

1973 – Ontario Nurses’ Association was founded
1974 – Newfoundland Nurses Union founded
1974 – Saskatchewan Union of Nurses founded
1975 – Manitoba Organization of Nurses’ Associations was founded
1976 – Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union founded
1977 – United Nurses of Alberta founded
1978 – New Brunswick Nurses Union founded
1981 – British Columbia Nurses’ Union founded
1981 – National Federation of Nurses Unions founded by Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Manitoba and Saskatchewan
1981 – NSNU joins NFNU
1982 – NFNU joins the Canadian Health Coalition
1985 – Staff Nurses’ Association of Alberta joins NFNU
1987 – NFNU opens a full-time office in Ottawa and president becomes full-time position
1987 – Prince Edward Island Nurses’ Union founded
1987 – Fédération des Infirmières et Infirmiers du Québec founded, in 2006 renamed Fédération Interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec
1992 – BCNU joins NFNU
1998 – NFNU joins the Canadian Labour Congress
1999 – United Nurses of Alberta joins CFNU, after merging with SNAA
1999 – National Federation of Nurses Unions renamed to Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
2000 – ONA joins CFNU
2007 – The Canadian Nursing Students’ Association joins CFNU as associate member
2011 – BCNU leaves CFNU and CLC
2013 – Global Nurses United is formed with CFNU as a founding member
2019 – All CFNU Member Organizations affiliated with their provincial federations of labour
2022 – BCNU begins process to re-join CFNU
2023 - BCNU rejoins CFNU

Positions and advocacy

The CFNU, along with its member organizations, have championed a wide range of issues and causes, most often related to health care and nurses’ working conditions. It advocates for strong federal leadership in health care. The CFNU works with parliamentarians, provincial premiers and health ministers, union members, other organizations and the public to raise awareness and drive policy. The CFNU typically hosts annual policy events, including at the Council of the Federation premiers’ summits, and provincial health ministers’ summits. It has been recognized as a highly effecting lobbying force.
The CFNU conducts ongoing research on its key priority issues, typically releasing several policy and research reports each year.
Notable advocacy work includes:
  • Improving health human resources planning
  • Implementing a national, universal pharmacare program
  • Eliminating workplace violence in health care
  • Transforming Canada's long-term care system
  • Supporting mental health for health care workers, and addressing root causes of stress
  • Ensuring proper protections for health care workers
  • COVID vaccine promotion for all Canadians
  • Adequate federal health care funding
The CFNU also advocates for climate action, universal child care, justice and equity for Indigenous peoples, human rights and equitable access to health care for all, fair wages and retirement security for all workers, and other issues.