Last week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board released their second new applications report for May 2024. In it was an application for union certification.
Local 2404 of Pile Drivers, Divers, Bridge, Dock, and Wharf Builders filed the application on 6 May 2024 on behalf of all workers engaged in diving operations with Canada Pump and Power Corp.
Technically, Local 2404 filed 5 applications. Each of them was similar, except for how they described the workers they were trying to organize.
- All employees engaged in diving operations except office, clerical employees
- All maintenance employees engaged in diving operations
- All employees except office, clerical and those employed in construction or pump work
- All maintenance divers and dive team employees
- All maintenance employees
Canada Pump and Power is based out of Fort Saskatchewan. Their workers provide a wide range of industrial marine services, with a specific focus in managing industrial pods, rivers, and lakes.
Their diving team provide underwater construction, welding, cutting, dredging, searching, and inspection services.
The ALRB has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow. The employer will have an opportunity then to argue why they think these workers shouldn’t be able to join this union.
If the ALRB approves this application, the next step would be to organize a board-supervised certification vote. During that time, all 11 workers affected by this application will have a chance to vote to unionize.
If a majority of the workers vote in favour of unionizing, then their next step will be to form a bargaining committee and begin negotiating their first contract with Canada Pump and Power.
Local 2404 also filed a 6th application that day, but this one wasn’t for union certification: it accused Canada Pump and Power of unionbusting.
Specifically, the union claims that Canada Pump and Power terminated the employment of 3 of their workers “who had participated in the union’s organizing campaign”. They also report that the employer “has refused to employ” these 3 workers.
The union further alleges that these 3 terminations “interfered with the the respresentation” of the workers by the union and that it was purposefully done “to compel employees to refrain from becoming members of the union”.
Because the ALRB doesn’t archive their new applications reports, I’ve included a copy of last week’s report below.
