Group of licensed practical nurses applies to reclassify role — but unions are pushing back

A small group of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) has applied to formally reclassify their role to direct nursing care with the Alberta Labour Relations Board — a move that's received a mixed response from the unions that represent them.

The five-member grassroots group has been fighting for LPNs to be recognized as more than assistants since 2022.

They say the designation change would put them alongside registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses and would better represent the work they do today.

"The goal is to just be recognized for what we do," said Quintin Martin, a Calgary member of the group known as LPNs for Change.

"We provide direct nursing care … we just want to be classified with other nurses in the province and we want to follow suit with the other provinces in this country that have done the same."

LPNs in Alberta are currently classified as auxiliary nurses like health-care aides — a group that helps nurses take care of patients.

Their role was created during the Second World War (under the title "certified nursing aides") as a desperate measure to help with a nursing shortage. But while their education, scope of work and title has changed since then, the classification hasn't been updated.

"I think we've made a little bit of history in the province. This is the furthest LPNs have gone to become classified as direct nursing. So it's a positive step either way this goes," said Martin.

Request to dismiss the case

The Alberta Labour Relations Board invited stakeholders to respond to the group's application.

In a written response to the board on May 31, legal counsel for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) — which represents most LPNs in the province — asked the labour board to dismiss the case.

"It is the union's position that the application is improper, without merit and bound to fail," the AUPE said.

"Furthermore, it is notable that the applicants here are only five LPNs.… It would be problematic to permit five individuals to upset long-established and stable bargaining units."

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the United Steelworkers Union (USW) adopted AUPE's position and requested that the application be dismissed.

"We are examining the application, we are having discussions with members who may be impacted and we hope to have more to say about this," said Lou Arab, communications representative with CUPE.

Comment was also requested from the AUPE and USW but they did not respond by publication time.

Support from United Nurses of Alberta

The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), which represents a small number of LPNs working in privately run nursing homes in Alberta, is the one union that supports the group's initiative.

"It's pretty obvious that LPNs are performing direct nursing care, and I think anybody that's been in a hospital lately would have to agree with that," said David Harrigan, director of labour relations with UNA. 

Harrigan says the Alberta Health Services website even categorizes LPNs as part of the professional nursing team.

"We know that there's units where LPNs and RNs will sometimes switch shifts," said Harrigan. "For the most part, I think the duties and responsibilities are very, very similar."

In their responses, Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health said they're remaining neutral and requested that the labour board expedite the process so it's done by November — enough time to prepare to bargain for the next union contract.

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta said it has no position on this matter.

Next meeting on July 4

The members of LPNs for Change say they're "concerned" about the negative response they received from the unions, but still, they remain optimistic moving forward. 

"They don't want to lose members, is what we're assuming," said Ginny Wong, another group member.

The group submitted a response to the dismissal requests, including the names of 850 Alberta LPNs who are in support of the change. They also created an online petition, which has nearly 2,500 signatures.

"They're trying to make it seem like there's not enough of us to make a difference, but there's actually thousands," said Wong.

She says if their application is approved, since such a large number of people would be moving to a different bargaining unit, there will likely be a vote on which union will represent the workers.

All parties will meet with the Alberta Labour Relations Board virtually on July 4 to schedule a hearing date. At that hearing, the labour board will decide whether the case will be dismissed.