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September 5, 2003
How BCNU counters government advertising
Many members have expressed their concern about the BC Liberal government ad currently running in newspapers across the province.
As members have pointed out, the ad is extremely misleading, and is doubtless part of the government’s pre-bargaining strategy. Here is how BCNU is responding.
Letters-to-the-editor
Immediately after the ad began running Debra McPherson began sending a letter-to-the-editor to each newspaper whenever the ad appeared to rebut the key points. The letter is available on the BCNU website www.bcnu.org.
How members can help
Members can help by phoning your local newspaper to ensure that Debra’s letter is printed. If they claim they have not received it or can’t find it, call BCNU Communications immediately.
In addition, members should send in their own letters-to-the-editor. It would be most effective to focus on your experience of health care cuts and service reductions in your community and the impact on patients, seniors, and other citizens. Call in on radio talks shows as well.
Members should also call the Ministry of Health Services and express your concern about wasting health care dollars on advertising. To be put through, call Enquiry BC 604-660-2421 in the Lower Mainland or toll free 1-800-663-7867 8 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. And contact your MLA.
BCNU Advertising
BCNU is also proceeding with plans for our own advertising campaign. Concepts will be approved next week. The ad will focus on our own message - the need for measures to ensure an adequate supply of nurses so patients can receive the care they need.
BCNU will not focus on the government’s message, because the recent experience of the United Nurses of Alberta shows that would not be an effective use of members’ money.
In Alberta the health employers ran a series of ads attacking provisions in the Alberta nurses’ contract. The union responded with ads rebutting the employers’ issues. But what the nurses had to say had little impact, because the union was hooked into the employers’ message. ( Alberta ads - 1.65Mb)
The fact is the BC Liberal government - which promised before it was elected not to use tax dollars for advertising - will always be able to outspend BCNU on advertising. When we buy ads, it must promote our issues, our messages, not fight on the government’s ground. The place for detailed rebuttals of the government’s claims is in letters to the editor or radio talk shows.
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