Union members will stage a rally in Nanaimo on Saturday to protest government using legislation to end a legal strike by ambulance paramedics.

A rally at Diana Krall Plaza is the latest in a series of rotating protests aimed at embarrassing government over what union officials say is their interference with collective bargaining.

Several hundred members of CUPE, the union representing ambulance paramedics, and supporters are expected to gather to send government the message it misstepped in legislating paramedics back to work Nov. 7. Legislation the Liberal government passed that day ended a seven-month strike by giving paramedics a 3% pay increase.

Paramedics were still counting ballots from a vote on the provincial government's latest contract offer at the time.

The Nanaimo rally is the third in a series of rotating demonstrations that started in Abbotsford on Thursday.

It moves to Courtenay today and union officials vow they will continue around the province and build momentum as the Olympics near. Organized labour wants to shine the international glare of media attention on what it considers an infringement by government on hard-fought labour rights.

Union leaders are stopping short of threatening any action that would directly interfere with the Olympics but they say they'll use the international media to get their message out.

"You're going to see, starting (Thursday), right through the Olympics, rotating rallies and large groups of people expressing their displeasure around Bill 21," said John Hosie, Island-North regional vice-president, CUPE Local 873.

"This will carry on until there is a resolve, or they rethink their choice."

A provincial advertising campaign is planned, with public information booths and more rallies as the Olympics draw near. With 200,000 public sector union contracts running out in 2010, many see the legislated settlement as a threat to collective bargaining.

"We think this could be a precursor to how government plans to deal with those negotiations as well and that is very significant," said Heather Inglis, CUPE's Fight Bill 21 Campaign organizer. Comparisons are being drawn between this Bill 21 and Bill 29, legislation used against B.C. health-care workers, which was eventually shot down by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Canadian Union of Public Employees members expect wide support Saturday. The legislation has struck a chord both inside and outside the labour union.

"People are frustrated," said Barry O'Neill, provincial CUPE president. "Of course the labour movement is very concerned, both nationally and internationally, (but) I think people are thinking: 'Is this what we really expected of our elected government?'"

The rally begins at noon Saturday.

DBellaart@nanaimodailynews.com