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More than a year after the B.C. NDP changed its rules so unions could no longer buy bulk memberships, the number of card-carrying New Democrats has dropped by more than half.
But NDP officials say they're not worried that memberships have fallen to about 14,000 from 30,000 before the last provincial election in May 2005.
It's a normal situation, they say, with the next election more than two years away.
"Traditionally, membership numbers hit a high point in the pre-election period and fall off after," NDP provincial secretary Laura Nicholls told CBC News.
When the party changed its rules in November 2005, Leader Carole James predicted the move would make the NDP more inclusive and encourage more British Columbians to sign up as individuals.
Although that hasn't happened yet, James maintains that the party continues to have a "strong relationship with labour."
Bill Tieleman, who worked as an adviser for former NDP premier Glen Clark and the B.C. Federation of Labour, said some union leaders weren't happy with the change in membership rules.
However, he said, when it comes to election time, the labour movement will still support the party.
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