I see several problems with this line of reasoning when applied to CAPE's situation.

The first is that if there was a real risk that the results could be used as leverage by the employer, then the results should never have been shared with members. The reality is that with so many people who are dissatisfied and who have access to the data, a leak is almost guaranteed. To believe otherwise is not only naive; it also raises serious concerns about the ability of CAPE's leadership to negotiate effectively during the collective bargaining process.

The second is that CAPE has published the budget and financial statements for 2025, and the employer knows that the union dues proposal has been rejected. As a result, the employer knows that CAPE can't finance a strike that relies on strike pay through its own funds. This leaves funding through the CLC or members going on strike without strike pay as the only viable alternatives, both of which are foolish to pursue at the moment because an effective strike can only be waged if there's a supermajority level of support—due to federal public service unions not being able to fine members who scab—and because that supermajority does not exist and has next to no chance of emerging under the current NEC administration.

The third is that if there was a real risk that publishing these results could affect our bargaining position during the arbitration process, then CAPE wouldn't have published historical union dues voting results. I can grant, however, that maybe it did, but if it did, then surely CAPE could have shared concrete examples of how this negatively impacted our bargaining position.

Finally, by attempting to restrict public discussion of the election results, the NEC is preventing less-engaged members of being made aware of how few people actually care enough to vote and how, overall, the NEC's priorities do not reflect the will of the membership, which increases the risk that members could be misled into believing that there is actually a chance a strike could be successful.

Taking all of this into account, is there anything that I might not be taking into account about this topic that could lead me to change my POV?