Dispute over B.C. Nurses Union election to be considered by labour board

May 29, 2017 | 12:53 PM

VANCOUVER — A battle over the leadership of the BC Nurses Union is heading to the province’s labour relations board.

Will Offley was hoping to unseat incumbent Gayle Duteil, but says his candidacy was terminated, along with those of two other people running on the same BC Nurses Vote For Change platform.

Offley says the labour relations board is to hear their complaint on Tuesday.

He’s hoping the board will rule he and fellow candidates Sharon Sharp and Mary Jean Lyth, should be returned to the ballot and that the union must hold elections as planned.

Duteil, along with the union’s vice-president and treasurer, were acclaimed after the Vote For Change slate was dropped, because of what the acting executive director said was campaign misconduct.

Umar Sheikh said the three violated agreements not to publish false statements in their campaign literature.

The alleged misconduct included Vote For Change criticizing policies that provide executive officers with high salaries, travel and car allowances and other perks, Offley says in a news release.

The union’s executive officer elections were slated from May 23 to June 2 until the Vote For Change candidates were banned.

The release says elections for regional officers are underway with several BC Nurses Vote For Change candidates still running.

The Canadian Press