Subaru Calgary workers file for unionization

Earlier this week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their final new applications report for September 2024. In it was a new application for union certification.

Local 1722 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers filed the application on 24 September 2024 on behalf of workers employed at Subaru Calgary.

The employer is one of two Subaru dealers in Calgary and are a member of the Olympic Auto Group, an automotive and recreation dealer group based out of Vancouver that represents several dealerships throughout Western Canada.

According to the new application report, Local 1722’s application is for just the automotive service technicians—including apprentices—who work at Subaru Calgary.

There were 11 such workers employed there as of when the application was filed.

If the unionization efforts are successful, this will be the first Calgary workplace organized by Local 1722, which had been focusing on Edmonton.

The ALRB has scheduled a hearing for next Wednesday (9 August) regarding this application. During this hearing, representatives from Subaru Calgary will have a chance to argue why the workers shouldn’t be able to unionize with Local 1722.

Should the ALRB approve the application, they will conduct a certification vote, which will give the nearly dozen workers the opportunity to democratically choose whether to join IAMAW.

Assuming a majority of the workers vote in favour of unionizing, their next step after the certification vote will be to organize a bargaining committee to begin negotiating their first collective agreement with Subaru Calgary.

Because the ALRB doesn’t archive their new application reports, I’ve included this week’s report below for your convenience.