Logging company accused of unionbusting

Last week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their second new applications report of March 2024. In it was an application accusing an employer of unionbusting.

Local 1-207 of the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, otherwise known as United Steelworkers, filed the application on 18 March.

The union represents around 130 workers employed in the Drayton Valley area by Weyerhaeuser, a Seattle-based corporation that specializing in timberland ownership and management, wood products, real estate, and energy.

According to Local 1-207’s application, Weyerhaeuser terminated the employment of one of their workers at their Grande Prairie facility recently. This worker was a known union supporter and recently signed a petition card.

Local 1-207 is convinced that the the layoff was directly related to the worker’s support of the union and was done to warn “other employees of what the employer will do to vocal supporters” and that it was “designed to interfere with the representation of employees by the union”.

The workers are currently in contract negotiations with Weyerhaeuser. Their most recent collective agreement expired last March, over a year ago. Negotiations are in mediation, at least according to the most recent bargaining update published by Alberta Jobs, Economy and Trade.

The union is asking for the ALRB “to issue an order directing [Weyerhauser] to provide remedies” in response to their actions.

Because the ALRB doesn’t archive their new application reports, I’m including a copy of last week’s report below.