Head of B.C. nurses' union announces resignation

The president of the B.C. Nurses' Union, Christine Sorensen, has resigned.

The organization announced Sorensen's departure, effective immediately, in a brief statement issued Monday on its website, citing “personal reasons” for her resignation.

“The B.C. Nurses' Union thanks Christine Sorensen for her years of dedication and service to the BCNU,” the statement read.

“Christine Sorensen has resigned as President of the BCNU for personal reasons and to pursue other opportunities.”

Sorensen was elected vice-president in 2012, 2014 and 2017 before serving as acting president and later appointed president in 2018.

She replaced the union's beleaguered president, Gayle Duteil, who faced several allegations about improper conduct.

Sorensen's departure comes amid the COVID-19

Sorensen has resigned as President of the BCNU for personal reasons and to pursue other opportunities.

pandemic that has stretched B.C.'s health-care system and comes following the province's recent announcement of a vaccine mandate for all health-care workers.

“In response to the government's announcement ... BCNU expressed its support for vaccination while raising concerns that consequences to this order could contribute to the severe nurse shortage in this province,” the organization said in a Sept. 15 statement. “BCNU strongly supports vaccination and evidence-based decision-making.

“At a time when the union is imploring with health employers to improve staffing levels across this province, we are concerned that the mandatory nature of the vaccination strategy will force members to leave, further exacerbating a staffing shortage that is increasingly unmanageable.”