Last week, I wrote an article about fire alarm technicians in Calgary who are trying to unionize.
The workers employed by Viking Fire Protection Inc., a Québec-based company with operations in Alberta, including one in Calgary.
They are trying to unionize with Local 496 of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, also knowns as just UA.
Four days before their hearing scheduled with the Alberta Labour Relations Board, Local 496 filed another application accusing Viking Fire Protection of unionbusting.
Technically, they never used the word unionbusting; however, what the ALRB described in last week’s new applications report sure sounds like unionbusting.
According to the report, Local 496 claims that Viking Fire Protection held a meeting on 9 July 2025 with the workers regarding the unionization drive and “made statements” that seemed to be “intended to mislead or misinform employees” regarding unionization.
They also alleged that these statements “amounted to threats, undue pressure, influence and coercion” in an effort to convince the workers “to refrain from becoming” members of Local 496.
The union argues that these statements violate section 148.1.a.2 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,
as well as section 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
The labour board has scheduled another hearing. It has been set up for tomorrow morning.
Because the ALRB does not archive their new application reports, I have included a copy of last week’s report below.
