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One Union, One Voice: Strengthening and Supporting Our Nurses
February 24, 2025
The Registered Nurses’ Union of Newfoundland and Labrador (RNUNL) produced the “One Union, One Voice” video series as part of its 50th anniversary celebration in 2024. Officially unveiled during the RNUNL Biennial Convention, the series highlights the union’s continued commitment to improving the lives and careers of nurses throughout the province. Its purpose is clear: to help members connect with their union, understand the resources and support available, and see how union involvement can strengthen and protect their careers.
Yvette Coffey, RNUNL President, introduces the series by reflecting on the union’s accomplishments over the past five decades. Before unionization in 1974, nurses endured poor wages, minimal benefits, and limited control over their work schedules. Since then, RNUNL has worked tirelessly to negotiate better wages, improve working conditions, and advocate for critical policies that benefit both nurses and patients. Today, these achievements continue to drive initiatives like advocating for safe staffing levels and workplace safety measures.
The series features the stories of three nurses at various stages of their careers. Dana King, who has been a registered nurse for 23 years, highlights the union’s role in expanding nurses’ scope of practice and ensuring safer work environments through collaborative professional practice committees. “The union’s involvement in my career is so integrated into my practice and experience,” Dana says. “I couldn’t visualize my career without the union being involved.”
Raylyn Strangemore, with 21 years of experience, emphasizes the union’s responsiveness to member needs, especially in advocating for improved security measures in remote hospitals. She acknowledges the union’s role in negotiating competitive salaries and addressing the rise in workplace violence. For Raylyn, moments of gratitude from patients and families reinforce the importance of the work nurses do and the support they receive from the union.
Taylor Smith, a nurse since 2022, shares how the union welcomed her to the profession by providing a member handbook and connecting her to key resources. Taylor reflects on how the union negotiates fair contracts and holds employers accountable. She also highlights the sense of community and family that the union fosters among members. “At the end of the day, there is a sense of connection, and it’s good to have that support in your back pocket,” Taylor remarks.
Together, these stories illustrate the core message of the “One Union, One Voice” series: the RNUNL is not just an organization—it is a community that provides essential protection, advocacy, and solidarity for nurses. As Yvette Coffey concludes, “Through the Registered Nurses’ Union, we are all together. There is strength in numbers, and at the end of the day, we have each other’s back.”
The RNUNL looks forward to continuing this legacy of support and advocacy for the next 50 years and beyond.