B.C. hospital workers’ union elects first woman as president

KAMLOOPS – The Hospital Employees' Union has named their new president and made history at the same time.

The Hospital Employees' Union, which represents more than 49,000 members in public, private and not-for-profit health sectors, named Barb Nederpel of Kamloops as the union's new president yesterday, Nov. 7.

Nederpel is the first woman to be elected president of the union, according to a Hospital Employees' Union media release.

Nederpel is a health records clerk at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and currently serves as the president of the Kamloops and District Labour Council.

“I have to acknowledge the history that we’re making today,” Nederpel says in the release. “It’s not my victory. I stand on the shoulder of giants. We all do. And I give thanks to those who came before me.”

Nederpel has been a member with the union for more than a decade and has served as a regional vice-president since November 2012.

Congratulations to Kamloop's Barb Nederpel elected this morning by #heu18 delegates as HEU's president. Barb is the first women elected as prez of the 49,000 member health care union. Solidarity! #bcunion #bcpoli #bchealth pic.twitter.com/1urJZUmwXW

— HEU (@HospEmpUnion) November 7, 2018

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