Locals: building blocks of our union’s democracy

Every three years our union holds elections for positions on the local executives across the province. Our next round of elections will be held in the first months of 2025. 

Elections will be conducted by secret online ballot, with each member of the local getting one vote. It is important that members register their personal emails with the BCGEU member portal to ensure that you get your voting credentials.

Interested in running? Click here to download the nomination form.

This page will be updated over the next weeks and months so be sure to check back here for more info, explainers, and election content!

What’s a Local?

Your union local is made up of members that are part of the same industry group, called a component, that live and work in one geographic area. Your local is the building block of the democratic structure of the entire BCGEU. 

Locals are where members meet face to face most regularly, where convention delegates are elected, and the body that elects representatives to higher bodies like the component and your Provincial Executive. 

Components are the organizing body of your industry and represent workers doing similar work as you across the province. This meeting space becomes a valuable tool for putting pressure on employers and increasing our leverage in different sectors. Employers like workers divided so they can pit us against each other, and our components help us build power and advance our shared interests during and between collective bargaining.

What positions are available?

Each local is governed by their own bylaws and can have different roles on their executive – to find what roles will be up for election in your local go to your local's page, which is located on this page under your component. If you are not sure what component you are in - login to the member portal to check what local and component you are a part of.

You can read more about the roles and responsibilities of a local elected officer in the elections manual, or by clicking here to view the roles and responsibilities.

Start by selecting your component from this list here:

• Component 1
• Component 3
• Component 4
• Component 5
• Component 6
• Component 7
• Component 8
• Component 10
• Component 12
• Component 17
• Component 20

Being on an executive is a great way to get involved with our union and make connections with other activists from across your community and the province. It is not a ceremonial role, there’s lots of interesting work to be done.

On average local officers meet at least two times a year and up to one meeting every month. Executive members are expected to attend all local meetings and, if their role demands it, component meetings as well.

Why get involved?

A well-run local is the best protection for workers and ensures that any problems at a worksite are dealt with as smoothly as possible. In the best run locals, there is a close relationship between stewards, worksites, and the component and provincial executive as information flows between the various elected representatives of our union.

To keep doing the work of building working class power, we need to stretch out the muscles of worker democracy and engagement and that starts with your local. By getting involved and building a a strong local you will be protecting the jobs and paycheques of you and your coworkers.

How to submit a nomination?

Any member can be nominated and run for local executive, but to do so you must be a member of that local and physically conduct work in the area that you wish to run in.

Nominations for local elections are expected to open on January 29^th 2025, unless your local applies for a special exemption by January 10^th 2025.

In the run up to local elections you will receive communications from the BCGEU with more information about the process in your local.

How will I know if I have been nominated?

If you are nominated, you will receive a confirmation of your nomination from the union office. If you believe you were nominated but did not receive confirmation, you should contact your area office right away.

Will there be campaigning?

All candidates will have an equal opportunity to make their case for the role, ahead of a local-wide election for the position, and to contact members of their local during the campaign period.

Members can expect to be contacted by candidates running in the local election during this time, as all candidates will get equal access to the member list during the election.

How will the elections work?

Elections will be conducted by secret online ballot, with each member of the local getting one vote. It is important that members register their personal emails with the BCGEU member portal to ensure that you get your voting credentials.

The candidate with the most votes in the election will become a member of the local executive for a three-year term.

I do not live in the same area as my local - where should I get nominated?

To be nominated to run in the local election, you must physically conduct work in that local at least 12 days a year. If you've moved to remote work in a different area than your current local, please contact us so we can move you into the local where you now conduct work.

You'll need to do this before you are able to be nominated, so don't wait until January 29!

When you email us to change your local you'll need to enter:

- Your Member ID (found on your member card or at the bottom of any email that we send you)

- Your home (remote work) address, and city

- Your Employer

- Confirm that you work less than 12 days a year from an employer provided worksite.

CLICK HERE TO CHANGE YOUR LOCAL

I’m interested!

Want to learn more about the election process? Click here to read the BCGEU Provincial Executive Policy on local elections.