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Edmonton housing worker targetted for union activity

The worker’s union claims that Civida has disproportionately surveilled and disciplined her for being a union rep.

Last week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their fourth new applications report of June 2026.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees filed one of the applications listed in this report on 16 June 2026 on behalf of a worker employed by Civida.

Previously known as Capital Region Housing, Civida is among the largest housing management bodies in Alberta, overseeing more than 5,300 homes in Edmonton.

The 100 or so AUPE members they employ include administrative support, asset managers, communications workers, clerks, analysts, occupational health and safety coordinators, IT workers, and procurement workers.

According to the summary that the ALRB provided regarding this application, AUPE is accusing Civida of unionbusting; although they never used the term itself.

AUPE alleges that Civida has been targeting one of these workers, subjecting her to “a disproportionately high level of surveillance”, including investigating private conversations she had with another union member who had been looking for support.

They also claim that Civida has unnecessarily disciplined this worker “due to her union activity” in an effort to silence her “voice as a union activist and representative”.

These actions, AUPE argues, are done intentionally to “discouraging her and other representatives from exercising their lawful rights and creating a chilling effect in the workplace”.

In their application, AUPE asserts that these actions violate several 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 formation or administration of a trade union, or the representation of employees by a trade union

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 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 or has exercised any right under this Act

Labour Relations Code, 149.1.a.i & 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

Because the ALRB does not archive their new application reports, I have included a copy of last week’s report below for your convenience.

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By Kim Siever

Kim Siever is an independent queer journalist based in Lethbridge, Alberta, and writes daily news articles, focusing on politics and labour.

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