Lies, Lies, and More Lies — HEU BarGAINING NEWS

Deception from Barb Nederpel and Lynn Bueckert

From the HEU Q & A:
What is happening with the 15 per cent wage rollback from 2004?
“We are working to continue the work of restoring wages rolled back in 2004 by the BC Liberals – so your pay keeps up with B.C. government workers doing similar jobs.
Under the Framework there is a roadmap for additional wage adjustments starting in the next agreement and those restored wages would be in addition to general wage increases.”
(Source: https://thisishealthcare.ca/fba-2025-qa/)

As I said before, it feels like Barb and Lynn are setting up HEU members to take a similar or a lower offer than what BCGEU members received by promising “additional wage adjustments starting in the next agreement.”

This is a straight lie and bad-faith representation because if it’s not in this agreement, it cannot be enforced in the next agreement. The next contract is a completely separate bargaining process from this contract. HEU members need to vote on the language that is actually in this contract, not on what may be offered in the next one. If you don’t get it in this contract, you cannot expect it in the next one because that is what negotiating is — and I can assure you the government will, as always, cry financial hardship when that time comes.

In my view, the scam being pushed by Barb Nederpel and Lynn Bueckert is to ram through a contract even though neither of them will be in HEU when the next contract is negotiated. Both of them will be retired with another four years of income of over $250,000, plus whatever money or benefits they receive from being directors of Community Savings Credit Union. I believe they are receiving shares and options for directing HEU and local funds to that credit union. It looks like they get around the conflict of interest by not receiving any profit right now, but those share options can be cashed in when they leave HEU.

HEU members deserve honesty, transparency, and a contract based on what is guaranteed today — not empty promises about tomorrow. Let’s vote on the real language in front of us, not on political sales pitches about the next agreement.

Corruption in HEU — Backed by the NDP

In a nutshell, this is what every member needs to see

WAGES AT THE TOP

Director: $73.74/hour
Co-Coordinator: $81.11/hour (10% above Directors)
President & Financial Secretary: $85.16/hour (5% above Coordinators)
- That’s what Barb Nederpel and Betty Valenzuela are making.
Housing: $1,850/month tax-free ($22,000/year)

PERKS ON TOP OF BASE WAGES (FOR OVER 250 HEU STAFF AND LEADERSHIP)

Clothing Allowance: $1,110 (as of Jan 2021, increasing with CPI)
Dental: 100% for basic services; 70% extended (including implants)
Extended Health: $600 vision; $3,000 hearing aids; unlimited medical coverage
Group Life Insurance: $125,000 fully paid
Early Retirement Fund: 1% of payroll to retire early without vacation/CTO
Enhanced Gender Affirmation: $10,000
Fertility Drugs: $3,000 lifetime
Education & Career Development: full support and leave
Plus per diems, overtime, travel, and more

FUTURE RAISES ALREADY LOCKED IN (250 HEU STAFF)

April 1, 2024: $1.00/hour + 6.75% (retroactive)
April 1, 2025: 4.25%
April 1, 2026: 3.00%

MEANWHILE…

Staff reps: $70.30/hour, work 50% from home, and receive a full vehicle allowance for both business and personal use.
Coordinators like Chris Dorais: $81.11/hour with only a two-year trades program.
His spouse Ruby: $70.30/hour as a staff rep after just a six-month Pharmacy Tech course.
- Together, their household earns $151.40/hour.

THE LOWEST PAID JOB OF 250 EMPLOYEES (HEU STAFF, NOT DUES-PAYING MEMBERS)

Mailroom Assistant at Head Office: $36.96/hour (~$70,000 annually).

That’s proof the system is rigged.

THE REAL PROBLEM

Let’s be clear: I am not against staff or leadership earning good wages — but only if they provide proper representation. In my case, and in the case of many others, that has not — and still does not — happen.HEU leadership represents the employer at the bargaining table against its own staff.
That is not only unethical, it’s a blatant conflict of interest.Their wages and benefits are tied to what staff receive.

In other words, they are bargaining against themselves.

You couldn’t make this stuff up.

Complaint against Barb Nederpel with Elections BC

Theft of HEU Work Hours While Campaigning for BCNDP Provincial Executive Seat

Jessie Bains bainsj@gmail.com>4:03 PM (0 minutes ago)

to premier, John.rustad.MLA, Bryan, Jeremy.Valeriote.MLA, HEU, Bar
bcc: All BC MLA's

Dear Premier Eby,I am writing to ask you and your BCNDP to stop using the Hospital Employees’ Union as your party’s ATM, where Barb Nederpel, HEU President, has spent millions of dues collected from hard-working members to elect you and keep your party in power.I have officially filed complaints against Barb Nederpel, BCNDP Provincial Executive member and perhaps a part-time HEU President, because she can’t serve two masters and I believe she serves your party first. This week Barb has been campaigning for her re-election to your party during regular working hours, where she is earning $250,000 plus annually.I suggest you stop her from running at this weekend’s NDP convention because she will do what she did at the CUPE National Convention. When she lost her CUPE Executive Board seat, she and her team ripped up papers and turned their backs on the winners. Just a heads-up on what you may face.Below is the complaint I have filed with Elections BC and, if applicable, the Commissioner of Canada Elections.

Complaint Regarding Potential Prohibited Non Monetary Contributions and Misuse of Union Resources by Barb Nederpel (President, Hospital Employees’ Union) in Support of the BC NDPJessie Bains <bainsj@gmail.com>
3:10 PM (25 minutes ago)
to investigations, HEU, BarbFormal Complaint SubmissionTo:
• Elections BC – Investigations and Enforcement
• Commissioner of Canada Elections (Elections Canada – Enforcement) (only if any federal entity is implicated)

From: Jessie Bains
Date: November 13, 2025

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Potential Prohibited Non Monetary Contributions and Misuse of Union Resources by Ms. Barb (Barbara) Nederpel (President, Hospital Employees’ Union) in Support of the BC NDP — Multiple Facebook Posts During Business Hours Over Multiple DaysDear Enforcement Officials,I submit this complaint requesting an immediate investigation into potential contraventions of election finance law arising from partisan political activity allegedly conducted by Ms. Barb (Barbara) Nederpel, President of the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU), during paid union time and/or using union resources, in support of the BC New Democratic Party (BCNDP).I make this complaint based on the attached Facebook screenshots of Ms. Nederpel’s activity and contemporaneous observations.

1) Parties and roles

• Subject: Ms. Barb (Barbara) Nederpel
o President (paid), Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU), British Columbia
o Long serving member of the BCNDP Provincial Executive; currently seeking re election as “Member at Large” and actively campaigning as part of a “Team Aman” slate• Union involved: Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU)• Political entity: BC New Democratic Party (provincial)
o If any activity touches a federal political entity, please also assess under the Canada Elections Act.

2) Core allegation: sustained partisan campaigning during business hours using union paid time and potentially union resources

This matter is not limited to a single post. The attachments demonstrate a pattern: Ms. Nederpel is actively campaigning for both her own re election and her entire “Team Aman” slate across multiple days, repeatedly during standard working hours (approximately 8:00 AM–5:00 PM PT). The posts promote:• Her candidacy for Member at Large on the BCNDP Provincial Executive; and
• Other slate/team members and their respective positions.HEU members who interacted with these posts confirmed that their own comments and Ms. Nederpel’s postings occurred during regular daytime working hours (approximately 8:00 AM–5:00 PM PT). Further, on information and belief, some activity occurred while Ms. Nederpel was:• In the HEU office; or
• At accommodation paid for by HEU (e.g., condominium lodging).Use of union funded property or assets for partisan purposes, if confirmed, would constitute a non monetary contribution under the BC Election Act.

3) Historical pattern since 2018 and potential quantum of union support

Since being elected HEU President in 2018, Ms. Nederpel has, to my understanding, continuously held dual roles (HEU President and BCNDP Executive). On information and belief, HEU resources directed toward BCNDP related efforts during this period may be substantial, potentially in the millions of dollars when considering paid staff time, facilities, communications, travel, and other support. I believe this is more than a conflict of interest; if verified, it would be one of the most serious breaches of the BC Election Act’s contribution prohibitions.I request a forensic accounting and records review to determine:• The scope and value of any HEU resources used for BCNDP partisan purposes since 2018;
• Whether such support constituted direct or indirect (in kind) contributions prohibited under the BC Election Act; and
• Whether adequate controls, recusals, and segregation of duties/resources were in place.Note: These are allegations requiring verification. I am providing the evidence available to me and requesting formal investigative steps to establish the facts and quantify any prohibited support.

4) Evidence summary from attached Facebook posts (timing and content)

Several exhibits include explicit timestamps or relative indicators corroborating business hours activity. All exhibits are Facebook screenshots.Exhibit Filename Timestamp indicator (as shown)Approx. posting time (PT)Content summary Business-hours indicator

Exhibit A -2025-11-12 at 10:12 AM posted by Barb Nederpel.png“Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 10:12 AM”10:12 AM Self promotion for BCNDP Executive (“Team Aman”)Explicit morning time

Exhibit B -2025-11-13 at 8:36 AM Posted by Barb Nederpel.png“Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 8:36 AM”8:36 AM“Team Aman” slate/organizational image; “BC NDP CONVENTION 2025” header visible Explicit morning time

Exhibit C - Barb Nederpel post 4h ago time stamped 2:43pm.jpgDevice clock 2:43; post shown as “4h” old~10:43 AM Self promotion for Member at Large with Team Aman branding Morning window

Exhibit D -Barb Nederpel promoting her TeamAman around 10:22am.jpg Device time 12:22; post shown as “2h” old~10:22 AM“Team Aman” roster/organizational slate Morning window

Exhibit E -2025-11-12 Barb promoting another candidate.jpg Device time ~2:03; Ms. Nederpel share “5 hours ago”~9:00 AM Endorsement of another BCNDP candidate (“Ronnie Nicolasora — For Regional Representative”)Morning windowF2025-11-11 Posted by Barb Nederpel.png“Posted 1 day ago” (device time 12:34)Not fixed; adjacent exhibits show weekday AM activity Self promotion with Team Aman branding Supports multi day pattern

Additional corroboration:
• HEU members who commented on these posts confirm their interactions occurred between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM PT on the relevant dates, supporting that both the initial postings and subsequent engagement occurred during business hours.

5) Legal grounds and why enforcement action is warranted

Not legal advice, but my understanding is:• BC Election Act (provincial; primary jurisdiction)
o Since 2017, organizations (including trade unions) are prohibited from making political contributions to provincial parties, constituency associations, candidates, or leadership contestants.
o “Contribution” includes non monetary contributions: goods or services of value provided without charge or at less than commercial value. This encompasses paid staff time, use of equipment/facilities, data, communications platforms, and other assets.
o The use of union funded property (e.g., offices, devices, networks, or accommodation) for partisan purposes is a thing of value.

• Canada Elections Act (federal; only if a federal entity is implicated)
o Corporations and trade unions are prohibited from making monetary or non monetary contributions to federal political entities.

Application here:• If Ms. Nederpel conducted BCNDP partisan work during paid HEU hours, or used HEU property, equipment, networks, staff assistance, or HEU funded accommodation to plan, produce, or disseminate partisan content, a non monetary benefit of value would have been provided by a union to a political party.
• Internal party executive contests and slate campaigns are partisan activities that benefit the political party; union paid time or assets supporting such activities can be prohibited contributions even outside general election periods.
• Any use of HEU member lists or internal data for partisan purposes would also raise concerns under BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).Given the sustained, multi day pattern, the seriousness and potential scale of non monetary benefits, if verified, warrant urgent enforcement attention.

6) Specific items to verify

Please verify, through compulsory process as needed:• Exact timestamps (with time zone) for each attached Facebook post (platform metadata), including posting device(s), IP addresses, and networks used.
• Whether HEU devices, accounts, networks (VPN/Wi Fi), facilities, staff assistance, or HEU funded accommodation were used to create, schedule, or disseminate the posts; or to coordinate canvassing/slate activities.
• Ms. Nederpel’s payroll/timekeeping status at the times in question; whether union paid time overlapped with partisan activity; any flex/leave claimed.
• HEU policies governing political activity by officers, and the existence/enforcement of recusals and segregation of duties/resources.
• Any broader pattern of partisan work during paid union hours or using union assets since 2018; the aggregate value of any such support.
• Whether any HEU member information was used for partisan purposes (potential PIPA implications).
• Any coordination between BCNDP officials and HEU resources.

7) Requested investigative and enforcement steps

• Obtain platform records from Facebook: post metadata, precise timestamps, device and IP logs, login history, and any page/admin roles.
• Secure HEU records: payroll/timekeeping for relevant dates; IT/device logs; VPN/Wi Fi access logs; communications/ethics policies; and metadata for campaign graphics/digital assets.
• Conduct interviews with HEU payroll, IT, and communications staff, and with BCNDP officials tied to the “Team Aman” slate.
• If prohibited contributions are substantiated, pursue appropriate administrative or prosecutorial action, including penalties, disgorgement/monetary consequences, compliance orders, and public guidance to prevent recurrence.
• Issue compliance directives requiring strict separation of union resources from partisan activities, documented recusals, and clear boundaries for elected union officials.
• Issue a records preservation directive to HEU and relevant parties to prevent spoliation of evidence.

Governance and public interest concerns warrant immediate interim action at HEU

While you do not appoint union leaders, the following risks warrant Ms. Nederpel’s immediate recusal from union duties pending investigation, or stepping aside:• Ongoing compliance risk: A sustained pattern of daytime partisan activity suggests ongoing violations.
• Fiduciary duties and conflicts: As HEU President, Ms. Nederpel must act solely in members’ best interests. Concurrent partisan leadership without robust recusals risks divided loyalties—serving two masters for personal political benefit.
• Misuse of member dues and resources: Using paid union time, equipment, facilities, or accommodation for partisan purposes diverts dues to prohibited ends and undermines trust.
• Duty of fair representation and workplace integrity: Perceived politicization chills staff operations and member confidence.
• Data/privacy exposure: Any partisan use of member data creates significant legal and reputational risk.

9) Remedies sought

• A full investigation under the BC Election Act (primary) and, if any federal component is present, the Canada Elections Act.
• If violations are confirmed, appropriate administrative or prosecutorial action and corrective measures for HEU and the BCNDP.
• Written guidance mandating strict separation of time/resources, robust recusals, documentation of personal vs. union time, and training for officers and staff.

Attachments (exhibits)

• Exhibit A: 2025-11-12 at 10:12 AM posted by Barb Nederpel.png
• Exhibit B: 2025-11-13 at 8:36 AM Posted by Barb Nederpel.png
• Exhibit C: Barb Nederpel post 4h ago time stamped 2:43pm.jpg
• Exhibit D: Barb Nederpel promoting her TeamAman around 10:22am.jpg
• Exhibit E: 2025-11-12 Barb promoting another candidate.jpg
• Exhibit F: 2025-11-11 Posted by Barb Nederpel.pngI affirm that the information above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand I may be contacted for further details and can provide original image files as needed.Sincerely,Jessie Bains
Email: bainsj@gmail.com
Phone: 604-365-3400

Silence on Equity:

Why HEU and President Barb Nederpel Has Failed Community Workers

As British Columbia marks Gender Equality Week, it’s a bitter reminder for thousands of community health workers that their fight for fairness is being ignored—not by a hostile government, but by their own union leadership.While HEU President Barb Nederpel earns $85 an hour, the predominantly female community health workforce is trapped in a second-class contract. Despite her influential position on the NDP’s provincial executive since 2017, Nederpel has remained silent on securing the same basic dignities for community health workers that their colleagues in the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) have enjoyed for decades.This isn’t an oversight. It’s a deliberate failure of leadership.
A Tale of Two Contracts: A System of Inequity
Community workers aren’t asking for special treatment; they are demanding the same security their FBA colleagues—members of the very same union—take for granted. The numbers tell a story of profound neglect:

Vacation: FBA members start with 20 days of annual vacation, earning up to 46 days after 30 years. Community health workers start with just 16 days and are capped at 36 days, even after a lifetime of service.
Pension: FBA members are guaranteed enrolment in the Municipal Pension Plan after three months. Part-time community workers face precarious hurdles, often failing to meet strict earnings thresholds that shut them out of a secure retirement.
Premiums: For weekend work, FBA members earn $2.00/hour. Community workers get only $0.50/hour. For evening shifts, the disparity is worse: $1.90/hour versus an insultingly low $0.25/hour.
Benefits: The community members' benefits trust was so chronically underfunded it needed a government bailout in 2023 just to stay afloat. This leaves weaker coverage for essentials like dental, counselling, and physiotherapy, forcing workers to pay out-of-pocket or go without.
Sick Leave: While FBA members have robust sick banks, casual community workers only recently gained access to the bare minimum of five paid sick days.

These are not minor gaps. They are systemic inequities that have been left to fester for decades, all while leadership repeats the same hollow promise: “We’ll fix it at the bargaining table.”

The Hollow Promise of “Fixing It at the Table”

Union leadership knows these inequities cannot be solved through collective bargaining. The process is a rigged game, forcing groups to compete over a fixed pool of funds where one group’s gain is another’s loss. True equity is impossible in that environment.The real solution lies in political action—and that is precisely where Barb Nederpel had the power to deliver change. As both HEU President and a senior NDP insider, she held the key to unlocking policy changes that could have ended this two-tier system.Instead, she let it rust.

A Betrayal of Political Power

Rather than using her unprecedented political access to demand justice, Nederpel has presided over a system that treats thousands of HEU members as second-class citizens. Her silence has reinforced a hierarchy that says the work of community health workers—overwhelmingly performed by women—is worth less.This was never about feasibility. It was about courage.

On Gender Equality Week, the Question Remains

When a leader earning $85 an hour, deeply embedded in the structures of power, refuses to fight for a workforce composed overwhelmingly of women, it raises a fundamental question:Whose interests are really being served?Community health workers deserve more than slogans about solidarity. They deserve leadership that uses every tool available—especially political influence—to deliver fairness.The time for hiding behind the excuse of bargaining is over.

HEU - Lending Money to Community Savings Credit Union

We Need Answers About Executive Conflict of Interest

The Provincial Executive of the Hospital Employees’ Union approved a loan to Community Savings Credit Union, where:

HEU President Barb Nederpel and
Secretary-Business Manager Lynn Bueckert

both serve as paid directors, receiving compensation for attending meetings plus other possible financial benefits.

Why This Looks Like a Conflict of Interest

How is this not a conflict of interest, considering:

Barb and Lynn make $250,000+ in salary and compensation at HEU,
while approving a loan to a credit union that pays them personally?

Here’s What We Know

HEU leadership voted to approve a loan from HEU to Community Savings Credit Union?
Barb and Lynn are paid as Community Savings directors ($395–$505 per meeting, plus possible shares and other considerations).
They’re using union money to fund an organization that pays them directly.
HEU leadership also uses and encourages locals to use Community Savings Credit Union.

Questions Every Member Should Be Asking

Did they disclose their financial interests before voting?
Did they recuse themselves from this decision?
How much of our union money is involved?
What other financial relationships exist that we don’t know about?

Why This Matters for Members

Our union dues may be funding their personal financial gain.
Executives are supposed to act solely in members’ interests, not their own.
We deserve transparency about how our money is being used.
Union resources should go toward member representation, not executive side businesses.

What We Need

Full disclosure of the loan amount and terms.
An independent investigation of this conflict.
Clear policies to prevent future conflicts of interest.
Accountability from executives who are supposed to work for us.

Final Point

When our executives profit from both sides of a transaction using union money, that’s not representation — that’s self-dealing.We pay union dues expecting our leaders to fight for us, not to use our resources for their personal benefit.I would file a complaint with the ethics commissioner. I personally filed a complaint with the BC Financial Services Authority.

Open Letter to all HEU Members RE: Framework Agreement

Separate Current Bargaining from Fixing Historical Wrongs

I ask the bargaining committee to move all discussions about fixing the historic wrongs from the 2004 rollback of 15% wages to a separate committee outside of bargaining. The focus right now needs to be on securing immediate increases based on the cost of living.

Reason being: Members have already waited 21 years — waiting another 8 is not acceptable. There is no negotiating or bargaining required to make wrongs right.

The rollback was carried out outside the CBA, so it should be addressed outside of bargaining. Since 2004, HEU has spent millions on political action to help elect the current NDP government. Yet HEU members are still being mistreated — not only by the original Gordon Campbell Liberals, but also by this so-called labour-friendly NDP government. If there is no real movement to restore the 15% rollback by the next Convention, I suggest we end all political action funding.

By combining current bargaining with historical wrongs, members are being misled into accepting a bad collective agreement.

I believe the current bargaining committee was elected to negotiate a CBA — not to fix historic wrongs. That responsibility belongs to the highly paid leadership who, since 2017, have failed to act on restoring the 15% while attending NDP fundraisers and parties at high-end hotels with NDP leadership. It’s shameful that the current Labour Minister, Jennifer Whiteside — herself a former HEU Secretary-Business Manager — has done nothing for HEU members once in a position to do so.

HEU’s framework agreement mirrors BCGEU’s, offering just 3.5% over two years. Yet BCGEU is demanding 8.5%. How Lynn Bueckert and Barb Nederpel can call this agreement “great news” is beyond comprehension.

HEU leadership is not only selling out HEU members, but also the BCGEU and other unions by going behind their backs and forcing them onto the picket line to “test the waters.” I believe HEU leadership will, under no circumstance, put this agreement to the membership until the BCGEU strike is over—waiting to see what they settle for—because of the outcry and disgust shown by HEU members when they learned from BCGEU (and not their own union) what the offer actually is.

I strongly suggest all members reject any deal under 8.5%, with a minimum of 4–5% in the first year. The compound effect of future wage increases depends on the base of that first year. When it comes to HEU bargaining, it always seems the government “has no money,” yet there is never a problem finding funds for BCNU or HSA.

Before bargaining even started, Lynn Bueckert, Secretary-Business Manager and head of the bargaining committee, received a 28% raise. Barb Nederpel, HEU President, and Betty Valenzuela, HEU Financial Secretary, received anywhere from 17% to 28%, depending on how you calculate it.

Meanwhile, last year the 250 HEU staff members (not members, but paid staff) received the following:

April 1, 2024 – $1.00 per hour, plus 6.75% (retroactive to April 1, 2024)
April 1, 2025 – 4.25%
April 1, 2026 – 3.00%

All 250 employees and the leadership were exempt from the Public Health Orders, while 60,000 members were forced to get the COVID vaccine or face termination. These same HEU leaders did not take a single grievance to full arbitration. At the same time, while long-time members were being terminated, our union leadership was running a media campaign to support foreign health care workers.

At the end of the day, HEU stopped serving its members years ago and are now serving themselves. The only way to fix this is to become active in your local and bring in new blood—because if you look at the leadership, they have been around for decades with their noses in the trough.

Every HEU staff member also receives a $1,100 annual clothing allowance, which increases with CPI.

Staff Representatives receive full vehicle allowances, even though under the HESU contract they now work from home at least 50% of the time. This generous allowance covers both business and personal use, including:

All gas expenses
Full vehicle insurance (not just the business-use portion)
Licensing costs
A $55 monthly maintenance allowance (or $100/month for hybrid vehicles)
$1,000 every three years for winter tires

All of this is in addition to their $70.32/hour wage, which is often justified as “comparable to other unions.” Yet HEU members remain among the lowest paid in the labour movement, and the community sector benefits are the worst in the healthcare system.

Now these same leaders will dispatch staff reps to covertly convince the membership that 3.5% “is not that bad,” considering the NDP government is $160 billion in debt and has supposedly “assured” Barb Nederpel and HEU leadership that members will be made whole in the next contract. When has the government ever been in good financial position? The NDP government has no plan to generate new revenue and continues to pillage the treasury. The deficit will only keep getting worse.

Here’s the truth: HEU spends $375,000 every two years on political action to keep the NDP in power, and even more beyond that. The HEU leadership is the NDP government:

Barb Nederpel was a failed NDP candidate in 2017 and sat on the BC NDP Provincial Executive in 2022 (and may still be there).
Bal Sandhu, on the HEU Provincial Executive, is married to NDP MLA Harwinder Sandhu.
Jennifer Whiteside, the current Labour Minister, was HEU Secretary-Business Manager before being elected.
Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, worked as a lawyer in the HEU legal department before being elected.

On top of this, HEU spent $470,401 of members’ funds on advertising last year to help the NDP get elected.

They are enriching themselves while telling you to settle for 3.5%—crumbs.

Please guide members to this site for updates. There you will also find resolutions and constitutional amendments we can put forward for next year’s convention. This is a work in progress.

HEU Is Not a Social Justice Union — It’s a Corrupt One

I am sick and tired of HEU defining themselves as a social justice union. Having six equity committees does not qualify an entity if the entire organization is corrupted to the core. It's great to throw money at causes to hide behind while emptying the coffers.
Personally I wouldn't even question the corruption if HEU provided support to the very members who fill these coffers.
Others may question and be envious of what staff and leadership compensation totals, and the only reason I started to peel the layers was the fact members including myself are ignored and treated like yesterday's garbage by people who came from the very same social class they did but suddenly feel entitled and will do anything to not go back to where they came from.

The examples I will continue to highlight are the leadership and staff who provided me with first hand experience of how power and position corrupt people who I didn't expect to behave in a manner where they allowed their personal feelings to override their professional obligation only because they could with impunity and arrogance.

This is my personal story and I have talked to and seen many go through the same experience.Many in this group are friends with these individuals and will consider these to be personal attacks, but they directly affected me and some others in the same manner on a professional level. Not I or other members, but they made a personal choice about what sort of representation they provided and continue to provide.

Chris Dorais and Ruby (Kandola) Dorais – The power couple of HEU with a combined annual income exceeding $400,000 with salary and compensation.

Chris – Coordinator of Public Sector Servicing and the executioner of the policies of Barb and Lynn. He completed a 2 year program in trades at Capilano College which he now likes to say is Capilano University.
Ruby – Staff Representative – Pharmacy tech program – I recruited her to join the SMH local executive.
Chris and Ruby have never forgiven me for asking a simple question of Ruby which was: How did you get a job at head office after convention when you have little to no experience in HEU or any other union?

Lynn Bueckert – Despite my 16 emails to her in 2024 over a period of several months asking for help, never responded or even acknowledged a single one of the emails. All she had to say was I hear you but I trust Chris and other reps are doing their jobs.

Chrystal Latham – Staff Representative at my local – formerly a program clerk.She took it personally when I asked her one simple question which was: Why did you settle my mileage grievance without prejudice when all the 400 members should get the same mileage paid? Chrystal's response was they didn't file a grievance, at which point I reminded her there shouldn't be a need for members to file grievances when the language is clear and she should tell the employer to pay it or file a general grievance.

Barb Nederpel – Was a care aide holding a .2 part-time position.

My first 2 Article 19's were against her.
I filed my first Article 19 against her on May 10, 2024 and on May 22nd she threatened me to drop the Article 19 or face an investigation of racism from a complaint that didn't exist at the time.
The first Article 19 against Barb was for using the HEU constitution as a buffet by picking and choosing what she likes.
So I filed a 2nd one for conflict of interest since she was not allowed to contact me due to the 1st Article 19 charge.
This was a wake up moment for me when the president feels she can do what she wants without worrying about the consequences.

Bill McMullan – The comedian who gets elected because he is very funny making jokes at convention, and by the group text we can see the jokes he makes in private are not a laughing matter.Bill sat on my Article 19 complaint for months before having Lynn assign an investigator. This delay so the staff reps and Chris could make sure I am not reinstated by the employer so these charges would die on the table once I lose membership.

Bonnie Hammermeister – I filed 2 Article 19's against her for colluding with Chrystal and my inexperienced new executive local members to deny me access to local meetings. Bonnie doesn't even sneeze without first receiving permission from Barb.

Brenda VanDe Meer – Coordinator for Public Sector Servicing + Vancouver Island.She backs up Chris Dorais when he is away. I don't believe Brenda has done a day of work for decades, living off HEU member funds and pretending to provide representation.Since my termination from PHSA on March 4, 2024 to October 2024 when Chris closed my grievance without my consent, no one from HEU ever called me or had an in-person meeting to discuss anything about my termination grievance.The only meeting was a 45 minute Zoom call with Chrystal and Brenda a few days before my ITS hearing to say the grievance belongs to the Union and they will conduct it as they see fit.

In my case HEU made a stronger case than the employer not to reinstate my employment for the benefit of the Union, not the member.

At the end of the day I was not asking any of these individuals to move mountains but just provide basic representation, but they followed the code of silence at the direction of Barb Nederpel or what I call her, the Empress with no clothes.

The only person to openly support me was Don Adlam who in reply to all said the only line I wanted to hear which was: “Perhaps this member has a concern so let's put it on the next PE agenda.”

With all due respect to those ex-Provincial Executive members in this group, none of you should ever seek office again for remaining silent at the direction of Barb Nederpel regardless of any valid excuse you may have.

Message to All HEU Members

The Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) does not exist today to represent its members. It exists to protect itself, its leadership, and its political ties. For (most) of those at the top, it’s not about accountability — it’s about careers, perks, and “elite” incomes without the skills, education, or professional ethics to back them up.

The few who speak out are punished or ignored. The many who stay silent are compliant, waiting to reap the benefits of someone else’s fight. That silence is why the leadership keeps getting away with it. There’s no roar left, only whispers — and that’s exactly how they like it.

Who Does HEU Serve?

The truth is hard but clear: HEU leadership has aligned itself with the NDP government and the BC Labour Board to shield itself from its own members.

You cannot serve two masters. So whose interests does HEU leadership really serve — the members, or themselves and the government?

HEU Leadership is the NDP Government:

Barb Nederpel – failed NDP candidate in 2017 and sat on the BC NDP Provincial Executive in 2022 (and may still be there).
Bal Sandhu – member of the HEU Provincial Executive, married to NDP MLA Harwinder Sandhu.
Jennifer Whiteside – current Labour Minister, formerly HEU Secretary-Business Manager before being elected.
Jessie Sunner – Minister of Post-Secondary Education, formerly a lawyer in HEU’s legal department.
HEU gives 100% of its Political Action Fund — roughly $375,000 every two years — exclusively to the NDP.

How is that not a profound conflict of interest?

Are there other pro-labour candidates outside the NDP who could represent working people? And what about the Green Party — are they anti-labour?

The revolving door is undeniable. HEU leadership and the NDP are not separate — they are one and the same.

The Labour Board: A Rigged System

HEU’s protection doesn’t stop with politics. The BC Labour Relations Board (BCLRB) — the only place members can file complaints — has become a shield for unions, not a safeguard for workers.

Fewer than 3% of Section 12 complaints filed by union members succeed. This staggering failure rate exposes a system structurally biased in favour of the very unions it is meant to regulate.
Nearly every BCLRB vice-chair and adjudicator has a direct union background. Many will seek future employment from those same unions. This is a textbook conflict of interest.

The “Family Firm” in Action:

Jonathan Hanvelt, Vice-Chair – 14 years at a union-side labour law firm; frequent work for the Canadian Labour Congress, Lancaster House, and the VDLC.
René-John Nicolas, Vice-Chair – formerly lawyer for the BCGEU.
Andres Barker, Vice-Chair – articled at the BCGEU Legal Department.
Gurleen Sahota, Vice-Chair – represented the Health Sciences Association of BC.
Stephanie Ann Drake, Vice-Chair – came from Victory Square Law Office LLP, a firm notorious for union-side advocacy.
Robyn Trask, Vice-Chair – served as General Counsel to the BCTF.

With this level of entrenchment, impartiality is a farce. It’s no wonder members terminated for refusing to comply with PHO mandates received no protection — the fix was already in.

This is why unions whisper among themselves and call the Labour Board “the family firm.” They don’t fear it. In many ways, they own it.

The Bottom Line

HEU leadership is not your voice. It is not your shield. It has become a political arm of the NDP, reinforced by a compromised Labour Board that exists to protect unions from their own members.

The question every HEU member must now ask is simple: Whose interests are being protected — yours, or theirs?

A Path Forward

For HEU to reclaim its purpose as a true member-driven organization, we need:

Genuine transparency in all financial and political decisions
Democratic reform that gives members meaningful input on major decisions
Independent oversight mechanisms that aren’t compromised by political connections
Clear separation between union leadership and partisan politics

The strength of any union lies in its ability to represent its members without fear or favor. When that mission becomes secondary to political alliances or institutional self-preservation, the very purpose of collective representation is undermined.

As members who fund this organization through our dues, we deserve leadership that puts our interests first — always and without exception.

Tearing Up a CBA in 2004 Was Wrong: Fix It, Don’t Bargain It

The framework agreement proposes some kind of deal for HEU members to recover, over several years, a portion of the 15% clawback imposed by the BC Liberals in 2004.

But here’s the real question: why is the 15% clawback from 2004 even part of current or future bargaining? That cut happened outside of bargaining. If it was imposed outside of bargaining, why can’t a labour-friendly government—one our union spends over $200,000 every year to support—simply restore it outside of bargaining? Governments don’t need to negotiate historical wrongs. They can just fix them.

It’s been 21 years since the 15% rollback. The majority of members impacted have either left, retired, or will be retired by the time they see any of that 15%. So how exactly is HEU leadership planning to make the members who were actually affected whole?

And let’s not forget: the NDP government, supported by this same HEU leadership, has had a majority since 2017. Why haven’t they fixed the 15% rollback? Why wasn’t it done on Day 1?

Meanwhile, the current government is $160 billion in debt today. Yet somehow we’re expected to believe that in a few years there will magically be money to share with us. The current NDP government has no vision or plan on how to get out of this financial mess in the first place. I’m no economic expert, but I don’t recall any government that projected itself out of debt and into surplus by simply promising it.

And then there’s the leadership. Barb Nederpel, Lynn Bueckert, and the rest of the HEU leadership are nothing but snake oil salesmen.

They believe they can convince 51% of members to accept this deal so they can continue draining the HEU treasury for their own benefit.

Exempted themselves from Public HeaLth Orders

HEU’s Leadership and 244 Staff were Exempt from Dr. Henry’s PUbliC Health orders

HEU President Barb Nederpel told an unvaccinated member: “The HEU policy is to support the immunization of all healthcare workers.” Yet she and the Provincial Executive—who are themselves healthcare workers—excluded themselves and all 244 staff members from the Public Health Orders. Meanwhile, 60,000 members were forced to either get vaccinated or face termination.HEU never took a single grievance to full arbitration.

HEU never advocated for lifting the PHOs, even when every other province had already done so. BC remained under PHOs 28 months longer than the rest of Canada, with PEI being the second last to lift theirs in March 2022.During this period, HEU prioritized advocacy for foreign healthcare workers while long-term members, who built the union, were being terminated. Member funds were used for a media campaign supporting foreign workers, but not a single campaign was launched to fight the PHOs.

HEU spent $470,401 on advertising to get the NDP elected—the same government responsible for the termination of HEU members.

HEU also conspired with other public sector unions and their NDP allies to prolong the PHOs, saving tens of millions for themselves while circulating money within their political circle. If the BC Liberals used duffel bags in casinos, the NDP used the blood of workers to achieve the same ends.I am unsure about BCNU and HSA, but this information has been confirmed by both former and current members of the HEU Provincial Executive.

This is the very definition of hypocrisy.

The Not-So-HEU Ethical Commissioner’s Convenient Exit

Ritu Mahil is now appointed Vice-Chair at LRB

It seems Ritu Mahil, HEU Ethics Commissioner, left her position after only 10 months of her 2-year contract. Ritu dragged on the investigation into Barb Nederpel – President, Bill McMullan – 1st Vice-President, Talitha Dekker – 2nd Vice-President, Bonnie Hammermeister – RVP Fraser Region, and other members of the Provincial Executive.
During the October 2024 HEU Convention, these individuals used a group chat to manipulate the election in real time and secure their own positions. The attached group texts—believed to have been created by Barb Nederpel herself—prove this.
Ritu Mahil, who was hired by the same individuals she was later asked to investigate, previously worked at an NDP-dominated law firm where Rachel Notley, former Premier of Alberta, also works.

That Ritu cleared all of them of wrongdoing is beyond imagination. I had already named her the Not-So-Ethical HEU Commissioner.

At the end of the day, there weren’t enough showers she could take to wipe away the yuck—or cleanse the soul—for doing the dirty work of HEU leadership.
The evidence is clear in the attached texts:

Real-time vote manipulation: “President Barb Nederpel: Everyone must vote Jovito!” and “President Barb Nederpel: I tried to tell people to switch.” This happened during a live tie-breaker.
Coordinated voting strategy: “We need to organize our team this round. Who do we vote for? All agree Ranjit and then send texts out to the group.”
Awareness of wrongdoing: “Madame Pres is it allowed to tell somebody to vote for a certain candidate here while voting? Yesssssss.” Campaigning in the voting hall is strictly prohibited.
Identity-politics manipulation: “Okay, for people who are messaging who to vote for, please let me know ethnic diversity.” Diversity was used as a political tool, not genuine equity.
Acknowledgment of improper influence: “I’m with the other commenter about not appropriate for either Barb or Louella to interfere or influence regional elections due to their position.”

The chats also reveal racism and dangerous attitudes. Leadership used diversity as a checkbox for votes while ignoring real concerns about racism. In one exchange, Bill McMullan used foul language: “No to Maria. Ever.” Certi replied, “Maria got in already.” Bill responded, “F** me.”* Certi then added, “The racial game is up front.” Bill answered, “Of course it is.” To which Certi said, “I’m Filipino but I don’t believe in that shit.” This exchange involved Jovito Espinoza (Certi) – Disabilities DVP.
The Ethics Commissioner overseeing Vancouver City Council found that Ken Sim and his party breached ethics guidelines by using a group chat for city business. What happened at HEU was worse. Their group chat wasn’t just for back-channeling—it was used to tamper with elections while members were voting. That isn’t just unethical; it’s fraud.
Read the texts for yourself under the Election Tampering tab—don’t just take my word for it. The proof is in their own words: tampering, racism, and misconduct in the middle of voting. And yet, despite all this, Ritu Mahil signed off on a clean slate for the very people who appointed her.
HEU has not one but six equity groups, which have proven themselves to be useless when they can’t even educate the leadership.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment #1

Election of HEU President by All Members

This is the most consequential constitutional amendment coming to the next HEU Convention — one that could change everything. I honestly can’t think of a single valid reason why any delegate wouldn’t support it… oh shit, I just thought of one: the current president, Barb Nederpel, who will have completed her 9th year with an iron fist by the next convention. I would ask the members to go one step further by adding that this amendment become effective immediately, and that the election of the President be delayed by 40 days to allow for a proper electronic vote to be conducted.

I keep bringing up HEU President Barb Nederpel because, of all the union leaders in BC, she is in the top four most responsible for keeping the Public Health Orders in place for four years. She sits on the BCNDP Provincial Executive Committee and directs more money to the BCNDP than all other unions combined. But of course — somehow — that’s not considered a conflict of interest.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment

Submitted by: [Insert Local Name]
Article: 6
Section: A
Subject: Election of HEU President by All Members

HEU Will:Amend the Constitution to change the process of electing the President of the Hospital Employees’ Union from a delegate-based vote at Convention to a direct vote by all members in good standing through a secure, accessible voting system.

Because:The President is the most senior elected officer in the Union, with a salary and total compensation package of approximately $250,000–$300,000 annually. It is undemocratic and inequitable that this position is elected by a small number of delegates at Convention, rather than the full membership who fund the position through union dues.

This current model creates a system where only approximately 1% of the membership decides who becomes President. A direct election would ensure all members have a voice in choosing their highest representative, and it would enhance engagement, transparency, and accountability.

Additionally, the current structure significantly favours the incumbent. The sitting President benefits from two years of fully paid travel, access to staff, and opportunities to visit Locals — which, while officially part of the job, also function as indirect campaigning. Challengers are limited to campaigning during the few days of Convention, which creates a significant imbalance and discourages participation.

There is also concern that internal political considerations may influence which members are selected as Convention delegates, and who receives access to key opportunities such as BCFED representation, CUPE National delegation, education, and special events. This further concentrates political power and discourages new leadership voices.

By moving to a system where all members can vote for the President, the Union would align with democratic principles and follow the example of the other two largest health care unions in British Columbia:

The Health Sciences Association (HSA), which transitioned to a one-member, one-vote system under Article 9, Section 3 of its Constitution; and
The BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU), whose Constitution (Article 5.01) provides for a province-wide vote of all members for the office of President every three years.

These unions have recognized that broad democratic participation strengthens legitimacy, improves accountability, and increases engagement among the membership. If HSA and BCNU members can elect their Presidents directly, there is no reason HEU members — who fund the largest public sector union in BC — should be denied the same right.

The new language would read:

Article 6 – Section A (Amended):
The President of the Hospital Employees’ Union shall be elected by a majority vote of all members in good standing, through a secure, accessible voting process administered by the Union.

The Union shall ensure equal access to campaigning and communication tools for all presidential candidates. Voting shall occur at least sixty (60) days prior to the start of Convention. The election shall be overseen by an independent elections officer, and results shall be certified and published to all members.

COMMITTEE
☐ Non-Concurrence ☐ Concurrence CONVENTION
☐ Non-Concurrence ☐ Concurrence

HEU Membership Feedback

"I received a response through the website from a shop steward at a care home in Langley. She told me the members she represents have given up on HEU. Their staff rep lives in Harrison Hot Springs, is impossible to get a hold of, and insists on emails instead of phone calls. Every issue gets brushed off with the same line: “The employer has the right to manage."

Her excuse? She has too many job sites to cover."

"We have the same problem at RJH Victoria. I went to the last meeting via zoom and again they can't meet quorum Why? Because no one has Any Faith in our Union. They are Done with never getting any help. There's talk of walking away from the Union and joining another (if that's possible?) it's not good in Victoria and getting worse. "

SOLUTION:

It's time HEU stops wasting money on political action and starts using those resources to actually serve its members.

Advocating for Transparency & Accountability