Earlier this week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their first new applications report for March 2025. In it was an application alleging unionbusting tactics from a non-profit organization.
Local 4731 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees filed the application with the board on 25 February 2025.
Now, technically, they never used the term “unionbusting”—at least not according to the summary the ALRB provided in their report. However, what is described does sound a lot like unionbusting.
The employer is True North Society. Based out of Strathmore, this non-profit organization provides emergency shelter, outreach services, and public education programs for individuals impacted by abuse and domestic violence.
After a unionization drive, a majority of the workers voted in favour of unionizing with Local 4731, and the ALRB awarded the workers a certificate for bargaining a little over a year ago, in February 2024.
However, the workers still don’t have their first collective agreement.
In fact, one of the workers who has played a key role in the unionization process lost her job instead.
Stephanie Schultz was a crisis intervention worker with True North Society. According to the application report, True North terminated her employment during the post-certification freeze period.
Under section 147(2) of Alberta’s Labour Relations Code, if workers serve their employer with notice to commence collective bargaining with 30 days after being certified by the ALRB, the employer can’t “alter the rates of pay, a term or condition of employment, or a right or privilege of any” worker represented by the union until 120 days after being served the notice notice to bargain.
And Local 4731 claims that Schultz lost her job during this 120-day period.
They also claim that she lost her job “because of her membership in the Union” and “because she participated in the collective bargaining process”.
The ALRB hasn’t publicized a hearing date yet for this application.
Because the ALRB doesn’t archive their new application reports, I’ve included a copy of this week’s report below, for your convenience.
