Last week, I wrote an article about painters in Calgary trying to unionize.
These workers are employed by ProCoat Coatings Ltd., which provides shop and field coating services throughout Calgary and Southern Alberta.
They’re trying to organize with Local 177 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.
Well, according to this week’s new applications report (a copy of which I’ve included at the end of this article) from the Alberta Labour Relations Board, the company is allegedly trying to shut down the union efforts.
The report summarized allegations from the union that the company owner has threatened to “close the business if it became unionized” and to dismiss “all employees if they exercise their right under the code if they choose to be represented by a Union”.
To unionize a workplace in Alberta, workers must show that 40% of the workers at that workplace want to unionize. Given that just 9 workers would be represented by this proposed bargaining unit, that means they likely had at least 4 people indicate support.
It also means they’d need just one more of their fellow workers to vote in favour of unionizing, if the ALRB approves a certification vote.
No wonder this employer appears to be unionbusting.
The union filed their application on the 19th to have their allegations heard.
Local 177 claims that this development violates several sections of the provincial Labour Relations Code:
148.1.a.i & 148.1.a.ii
No employer or employers’ organization and no person acting on behalf of an employer or employers’ organization shall participate in or interfere with the formation or administration of a trade union, or the representation of employees by a trade union.
149.1.a.i
No employer or employers’ organization and no person acting on behalf of an employer or employers’ organization shall refuse to employ or to continue to employ any person or discriminate against any person in regard to employment or any term or condition of employment because the person is a member of a trade union or an applicant for membership in a trade union.
149.1.c
No employer or employers’ organization and no person acting on behalf of an employer or employers’ organization shall seek by intimidation, dismissal, threat of dismissal or any other kind of threat, by the imposition of a pecuniary or other penalty or by any other means, to compel an employee to refrain from becoming or to cease to be a member, officer or representative of a trade union.
149.1.g.iii
No employer or employers’ organization and no person acting on behalf of an employer or employers’ organization shall discriminate against a person in regard to employment or membership in a trade union or intimidate or threaten to dismiss or in any other manner coerce a person or impose a pecuniary or other penalty on a person, because the person has made an application or filed a complaint under this Act.
13 replies on “Calgary business threatens to close if workers unionize”
I guess they forgot their own values…
Our employees
Our employees ensure we offer cost effective, and quality solutions that customers expect. Pro Coat Coatings has attracted quality long term employees that have allowed successful growth since 1990. At Pro Coat Coatings we have a culture of respect for all individuals regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity where everyone is given an opportunity to learn and excel. As a company we encourage and offer financial support toward continuous learning. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a long serving workforce.
Technically, they didn’t say, “regardless of union membership” . . .
Wow, in business since 1990, that’s great, they must be doing something right.
Unfortunately union greed will bring it all crashing down.
If anyone is showing greed, it’s the owner of the business.
The age of Unions is long past. In a society where egregious abuse, child labour, worker safety etc is regulated by law and socially abhorrent, unions have become irrelevant. They serve only to reduce standards to the lowest common denominator
There will always be a place for unionized workplaces in capitalism, which places an unequal share of power on the owning class.
Mount Royal University has been union busting for decades. Whenever office workers want to unionize threats are made, people lose jobs, union reps are not allowed on campus. It would be nice to have this college under the microscope.
That’d be a downfall if they unionized. Unions aren’t needed anymore. Unions are greedy and don’t put the interest of the employees first. I hope it doesn’t happen.
Unionized workplaces will always be needed under capitalism.
I support the owners right to simply close down the business, in the same way the employees are free to go elsewhere if they think they are being treated unfairly. Unions have long outlived their original purpose and have simply become another tool to empower people to do the absolute bare minimum. Tell me when has minimum effort ever achieved greatness?
I support the workers’ right to collectively bargain.
They will close the business and all employees will be unemployed. Unions are a curse in today’s environment.
The curse is the selfish business owner.