03/09/10—Workplace Democracy Prevails
Cambridge, ON—The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) decided to honour the wishes of 24 employees working at Anne Hathaway Residence in Stratford. The employees had participated in an OLRB-supervised vote on February 9, 2010, and by a margin of 86 percent had decided to leave their current union in order to join Grand River Valley Health Care Employees Union Local 305. Since 2002, the employees had been represented by OFHCW Local 1100 of the Labourers' International Union (LIUNA).
LIUNA had attempted to block the employees request to switch unions, but the labour board dismissed the challenges yesterday after it became clear that LIUNA’s allegations were unfounded and designed only to interfere with the employees’ decision to join CLAC. The OLRB decision will result in an immediate transfer of bargaining rights from LIUNA to CLAC.
“We’re happy to see the labour board dismiss LIUNA’s attempt to hold these employees hostage,” says Colin deRaaf, CLAC Ontario representative. “Every Canadian worker has the right to belong to a union of his or her choosing. The employees here have opted to be part of a union that will provide real labour relations expertise and worker advocacy.”
Anne Hathaway is one of Stratford’s largest retirement homes and provides care and residence to approximately 60 residents. Negotiations for a new collective agreement will likely begin later this month.