Nominations Committee Statement: Provincial Bargaining and Campaigning

The BCNU Nominations Committee supports BCNU positions and efforts in Nurses’ Bargaining Association provincial contract negotiations. This includes supporting elected leaders and members as they engage the collective power of the membership on bargaining issues.

Candidates in the 2026 BCNU elections find themselves in a challenging position due to the elections overlapping with provincial bargaining. Member outreach is critical to collective bargaining, yet candidates are prohibited from campaigning at any union event not organized for the purpose of campaigning.

The Committee therefore directs candidates to refrain from initiating discussions about their candidacy or campaign at any union event not organized for the purpose of campaigning.

The Committee further recognizes that even where a candidate does not initiate a discussion, they may be questioned about their campaign. In this scenario, the Committee strongly suggests candidates utilize the following statement and practice:

I can confirm I am running in the upcoming general election. However, my invariable practice is to strictly refrain from campaigning at any union event not organized for campaigning purposes. My reason for this is to keep the focus on provincial bargaining initiatives and to avoid breaching election-related rules prohibiting campaigning at union events not organized for campaigning purposes. I am available to discuss my election platform with you outside this event.