Class Action Archives - BCPS Employees for Freedom Society

Vancouver Dec 1 to 12: Class Action Certification Hearing

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 23:47:37 +0000

Representative Plaintiffs

Class Action Law Suit for B.C. Public Servants and
Health Care Workers Continues in Vancouver

Victoria, BC – The certification hearing for two class action law suits launched on behalf of civil servants and health care workers harmed by the provincial COVID-19 vaccine mandates, continues December 1 to 12 in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver (800 Smithe Street). Part 1 of the certification hearing was held April 28 to May 2, 2025 in Victoria.

Jason Baldwin, a former unionized employee of the BC Public Service fired for not complying with the Province’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, filed the class action law suit as representative plaintiff on behalf of the approximately 30,000 provincial employees who are union members of the BCGEU (BC General Employees Union) or PEA (Professional Employees Association).

Terminated and former unionized B.C. health care workers Jed Ferguson and Terri Perepolkin filed a class action law suit as representative plaintiffs on behalf of the thousands of health care workers and ambulance paramedics harmed by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s COVID-19 vaccination orders.

The representative plaintiffs are members of the BCPS Employees for Freedom Society and United Health Care Workers of BC Society, respectively. Both societies were formed to support medical privacy and bodily autonomy.

“Many people think the COVID era has passed, but for people like me who lost their jobs, or homes, or whose families and friendships were torn apart by this, it’s not over,’ said Jason Baldwin. “Especially for a vaccine that was never a vaccine, and didn’t stop transmission of the virus or vaccinated people from getting sick.”

“If you support medical privacy and bodily autonomy in B.C., you must watch this case,” said Jed Ferguson. “Dr. Henry’s ill-conceived COVID-19 vaccine policy hurt many healthcare workers, and forced thousands out of their professions. At a time when health care is in crisis, the personal and public impacts are simply staggering.”

Plaintiffs for both actions have engaged Umar Sheikh of Sheikh Law in Victoria, B.C., to represent them.

For more about the class action cases BCPSEF and UHCWBC are supporting, read Certification Hearing Part 1 (April-May 2025) or visit:

• www.bcpsforfreedom.com/legalaction
• www.unitedtogether.ca

About BCPSEF

We are a diverse group of public servants standing together for medical privacy and bodily autonomy for all British Columbians. For more about us, see our About page.

We invite everyone who supports our cause to join with us to protect and advance the rights and freedoms of all British Columbians.

To become a member, please visit our membership page. To support our legal campaign, please visit our donation page.

The post Vancouver Dec 1 to 12: Class Action Certification Hearing appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

MEDIA RELEASE: COVID-19 Class Action Certification Hearing to Continue

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Fri, 23 May 2025 14:00:10 +0000

For Immediate Release: May 23, 2025

VICTORIA, BC – More time is needed to hear arguments in the certification hearing for two class action law suits launched on behalf of public servants and healthcare workers who claim they were harmed by their employers’ COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

The two law suits were filed by representative plaintiff Jason Baldwin on behalf of thousands of unionized BC Public Service employees harmed by the B.C. Government’s 2021-2023 proof of COVID-19 vaccination mandate, and by representative plaintiffs Jed Ferguson and Terri Perepolkin on behalf of thousands of health care workers and ambulance-service paramedics harmed by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s COVID-19 vaccination orders. All three plaintiffs were fired from their jobs because of the mandates, despite having exemplary service records.

The application for certification is being heard by Judge Emily Burke in BC Supreme Court and was scheduled to run from April 28 to May 1. The hearing concluded before the plaintiffs’ counsel completed oral submissions. Counsel for both the plaintiffs and defendants agree another ten days are needed to hear all arguments; arrangements are being made for new court dates to be scheduled toward the end of 2025 in either Victoria or Vancouver.

“It was fabulous to finally have our day in court, but disappointing justice takes so long,” said representative plaintiff Terri Perepolkin. “COVID-19 vaccines didn’t prevent illness or transmission, and should never have been a condition of employment.”

“Informed consent is the law,” said representative plaintiff Jason Baldwin. “The 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate caused a lot of harm. I’m just one of many public servants who want to hold our employer accountable for what they did to us.”

The representative plaintiffs for both actions have engaged Umar Sheikh of Sheikh Law to represent them.

The representative plaintiffs are members of the BCPS Employees for Freedom Society (BCPSEF) and United Health Care Workers of BC Society (UHCWBC), respectively. BCPSEF was formed to support medical privacy and bodily autonomy for civil servants and all British Columbians. UHCWBC was formed with similar objectives. Both Societies are supporting the plaintiffs by helping raise awareness and funds to cover their legal costs.

www.bcpsforfreedom.com/legalaction
www.unitedtogether.ca

The post MEDIA RELEASE: COVID-19 Class Action Certification Hearing to Continue appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

MEDIA RELEASE: Plaintiff Launches Class Action Lawsuit

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 15:00:46 +0000

For Immediate Release: November 29, 2023

VICTORIA – The BCPS Employees for Freedom Society (BCPSEF) is pleased to announce a class action lawsuit has been launched by representative plaintiff and BCPSEF member, Jason Baldwin, on behalf of all unionized employees of the B.C. Public Service over the Province of B.C.’s proof of COVID-19 vaccination mandate imposed on provincial government employees in November 2021. The plaintiff’s claim is against the Province of B.C. and British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.

The plaintiff has filed this action because the Province’s COVID-19 employee vaccine mandate, enacted by executive order of the provincial Cabinet, was contrary to public service employees’ Charter rights and violated their medical privacy and bodily autonomy.

Although the action has been launched by one plaintiff, it is being brought on behalf of all unionized employees of the BC Public Service harmed by the Province’s vaccine mandate. As such, it has the potential to assert the rights of tens of thousands of unionized public servants in British Columbia.

The action claims the Public Health Officer committed the tort of misfeasance by:

having no basis in fact to justify the information, data, and advice she provided and upon which the Province relied to develop its employee vaccination policy, and
wilfully or recklessly ignored known potential risks of adverse events associated with the COVID-19 vaccination in providing advice to the Province.

The action further claims the Province violated employees’ rights under s.2d — freedom of association — of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and that forced disclosure of private medical information violated common law and statutory privacy rights.

The plaintiff seeks compensation through an award for aggravated and punitive damages. The plaintiff has retained counsel Umar Sheikh of Sheikh Law to represent him in this matter.

Read the plaintiff’s Notice of Civil Claim filed October 30, 2023 (PDF)

The most important step in this legal battle is to ensure the class is certified. For that, the plaintiff must show the court he has the financial ability to fund the case. This is why BCPSEF is supporting this action and asking people to help raise funds for the plaintiff. If the plaintiff can’t demonstrate the ability to cover these costs, the class action will not be certified, leaving thousands of affected employees affected by the mandates with no legal options for recourse.

MEDIA RELEASE: B.C. Public Servant & Health Care Worker Class Action Lawsuits to Seek Certification Together

For Immediate Release: January 16, 2025

VICTORIA – The certification hearing for two class action lawsuits, launched on behalf of civil servants and health care workers who were affected by the provincial COVID-19 vaccine mandates, will be held April 28 to May 2, 2025 in B.C. Supreme Court.

The representative plaintiffs for the lawsuits are members of the BCPS Employees for Freedom Society (BCPSEF) and United Health Care Workers of BC Society (UHCWBC), respectively.

United We Stand

BCPS Employees for Freedom is a non-partisan public-service employee group and registered not-for-profit society seeking an amicable solution on behalf of its members with their employer. The group is a growing association of public servants from a wide range of professional backgrounds and disciplines, and includes both management and regular employees. Collectively, we have thousands of years of faithful public service behind us, and we look forward to performing many more. We are trying to resolve our current employment situation by writing and communicating with our employer, public officials and the public, and undertaking legal action only as a last resort.

Media inquiries concerning the BCPSEF’s support of this plaintiff can be directed to media@bcpsforfreedom.com

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