Ram is running for First Vice-President/Treasurer of OPSEU/SEFPO. It's one of two top elected positions in the union, alongside the President.

But you can't just put your name forward for the role. There's a two-step process — and understanding it changes how you think about this campaign and about these townhalls.

Step 1: Regional Election (March 2026) Ram first needs to win a seat as an Executive Board Member (EBM) in Region 5. Only delegates from Region 5 locals vote in this round. Each of OPSEU's seven regions elects three EBMs this way — so 21 regional EBMs total.

Step 2: Convention (April 2026) Once elected as an EBM, a candidate becomes eligible to run for President or First VP/Treasurer. At Convention, roughly 1,000+ delegates from across the province vote to choose those two positions — but only from among the 28 people on the Executive Board (21 regional EBMs plus 7 equity EBMs).

That's a small pool for a big job. And because the final vote is province-wide, a candidate who wants to represent all of OPSEU should probably start by hearing from all of OPSEU.

The traditional way to run for these roles is one-on-one: handshakes at conferences, private conversations with delegates, quiet asks for votes behind closed doors.

Ram's doing that relationship work too. But in November 2025, he started doing something no other candidate has done — hosting open, cross-sector townhalls called State of Our Union, where any OPSEU member can show up, listen, and speak honestly about what's working and what isn't.

These aren't campaign rallies. They're working sessions. Ram doesn't show up with a finished platform and ask people to trust him. He shows up to listen — because your reality should set the agenda, not his assumptions about what you need.

The reason is straightforward: if you want to serve 180,000 members as First VP/Treasurer, you should build your priorities from what members are actually telling you — across sectors, not in silos.

No on both counts. These calls are open to all OPSEU members — delegates, stewards, local presidents, equity leaders, retirees, and members who've never been to a union meeting in their life. You don't have to support Ram to take part. You can be undecided, skeptical, or supporting someone else entirely. You still belong in the room.

The only ask: come willing to talk honestly about what you need from your union.