Last summer, I wrote an article about workers employed by Dot Transportation Canada, Inc. who were trying to unionize their workplace.
These 14 or so workers still are not unionized, and one of the reasons is because the employer is unionbusting.
Or at least that is what the union is arguing.
First, the union accused the company last month of terminating the employment of one of their workers because of their involvement in the union drive.
Then, in an application submitted to the Alberta Labour Relations Board on 3 March 2026, Local 401 of the United Food and Commercial Workers accused the employer of disciplining a worker for supporting the unionization drive.
According to the application summary provided by the ALRB, this workers “had never received any written warnings or reprimands” prior to receiving “a step 1 discipline” last month. Then they proceeded to terminate that worker’s employment on 6 February.
The union argued in their application that these actions were a direct response to this worker indicating “in writing their selection of a trade union to be the bargaining agent”.
They also claimed that Dot Transportation then sent a message to other worker that if they also supported unionization, they, too, could “be subject to adverse treatment, including termination”.
Naturally, the union alleges that all these actions violate multiple sections of Alberta’s Labour Relations Code.
No employer or employers’ organization and no person acting on behalf of an employer or employers’ organization shall participate in or interfere with the representation of employees by a trade union
Labour Relations Code, 148.1.a.ii
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, has indicated in writing the person’s selection of a trade union to be the bargaining agent on the person’s behalf, or has exercised any right under this Act
Labour Relations Code, 149.1.a.i, 149.1.a.ii, and 149.1.a.viii
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
Labour Relations Code, 149.1.c
The ALRB has not yet published a hearing date or time for this application.
Because the ALRB does not archive their new application reports, I have included a copy of last week’s application below, for your convenience.
