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HEU members are raising funds to support a legal challenge to the ratification vote on the recent Tentative Agreement (TA) with the Province of British Columbia.
This challenge is not about opposing bargaining for the sake of it. It is about defending the integrity of our union’s democratic process.
On January 7, 2026, legal counsel acting for HEU members sent a formal demand letter to HEU leadership requiring that the ratification process be immediately suspended until the vote can be independently validated and full transparency provided.
That demand has been ignored.
Why We Are Challenging the Vote
The ratification outcome is being challenged due to serious and unresolved irregularities, including:
1. Vote Results Changed Without Explanation
Initial results showed that 107 of 161 locals (66.45%) voted YES — below the required two-thirds threshold.
Three days later, leadership announced the result had changed to 108 locals voting YES, without explaining:
which local changed,
when it changed, or
why it changed.
Even the bargaining committee has not been provided with Simply Voting records confirming the revised result. Provincial Executive members have been directed not to respond to member questions, and all numbers have come from individuals with a direct interest in ratification.
2. Multiple Voting and Ballot Irregularities
The HEU Constitution does not allow members to vote more than once on the same Tentative Agreement.
Yet evidence shows:
some members voted more than once,
some eligible members did not receive all ballots they were allegedly entitled to,
at least one ballot was cast in a local where the voter had not worked for more than five years,
members were never informed in advance that multiple ballots might be permitted.
3. Unclear Which Locals Were Counted
There are serious questions about which locals were included in the final tally:
locals that were closed for nearly two years and later merged appear inconsistently counted,
the list of voting locals does not align with the collective agreement.
Given how close the vote was, even a small number of invalid ballots could have changed the outcome.
4. Voting Software and Oversight Concerns
HEU used Simply Voting, but members have not been provided with:
independent audit reports,
verification or integrity reports, or
disclosure of who had administrative access to the system.
There was no independent third-party oversight of the vote.
5. Transparency and Accountability Failures
For nearly a month after the vote, members’ requests for basic information have gone unanswered.
As of today — 28 days later — HEU leadership has refused to provide the disclosure needed to verify the result.
Why We Need Your Support
Legal action is the only remaining avenue to protect members’ voting rights and ensure the result reflects the true will of the membership.
All funds raised will be used exclusively for legal costs, including:
court filings and applications,
legal analysis and representation, and
disclosure motions to obtain voting records, audit data, and system documentation.
Estimated legal costs: $20,000.
This Is Bigger Than One Agreement
This challenge is about democracy, transparency, and accountability in our union.
If vote results can be changed without explanation, ballots cast without oversight, and members denied information — then every future vote is at risk.
If you believe the NO vote won, and that members deserve a fair, transparent process, please donate and share this campaign.
Together, we can stop the steal and defend union democracy.
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Stay informed. Join the HEU BC Facebook group for updates on the legal challenge and open discussion:
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