The battle for the hearts and minds of the public in Vancouver's civic strike is being fought to a draw, according to the results of a poll conducted last week on behalf of the city.

But according to the union, the city didn't disclose that finding, and instead told the public only that there is overwhelming support for its last offer to workers.

CUPE members protested at Vancouer City Hall on Aug. 10, saying they want a better offer from the city before they will end the prolonged civic strike.
(CBC)

And now, CUPE B.C. president Barry O'Neil is accusing the city of burying results that show support for striking civic workers.

"If you are going to release the results of a poll, then you release the results," he said Tuesday night. "To pick and choose what you might release … I'm sure there are more questions that need to be asked."

The City of Vancouver released partial results of the $9,000 poll it commissioned Ipsos-Reid to conduct last week, saying there's overwhelming public support for its last offer to workers.

But in the wake of that release, Kyle Braid, who conducted the poll, told CBC News the public's view of the city's latest offer wasn't the only thing he asked.

Braid said he wanted to know who was winning the overall battle for public support and the result was an even draw.

'It shows that support is clearly split.' — Kyle Braid, Ipsos-Reid pollster

"Basically, [I asked] how the public is feeling about support. And it shows that support is clearly split," he said Tuesday night.

Tom Timm, the city's manager of engineering services, said the city was simply emphasizing the most important poll results.

"This is the entire pole result," Timm said. "That the significant findings of the poll are the ones that were in fact released last week."

Only 20 per cent of those polled said the strike had affected them in any significant way, the poll shows.

Selectively releasing poll results is dangerous because it can signal a lack of transparency, said Evi Mustel, a Vancouver pollster with the Mustel Group.

"You certainly have to be careful because you don't want to, as I advise my clients, you don't want to give the impression that you are only releasing the favourable results and you are not releasing the results that aren't as favourable," she said.

The Vancouver civic strike is now in its fifth week. No negotiations are planned for any of three striking union locals, representing 1,800 outside workers, 3,500 inside workers as well as 800 library staff.