Poly Party Raid Fails

DATE: February 08, 2011

Langley, BC—In a scathing decision rendered by Vice Chair Topalian, the BC Labour Relations Board dismissed an application for certification by a poly party of the Operating Engineers and the Labourers. The two US-based unions attempted to raid CLAC members at Pedre Contractors, a long time Local 68 signatory company.

The poly party signed up a handful of workers believing there were only 28 employees in the bargaining unit, but when the employee list was produced, it showed close to 80 CLAC members. Embarrassed, the unions tried to withdraw their application, but the board flatly rejected their arguments and rendered their application invalid due to their failure to sign up 50 percent of the employees in the bargaining unit needed to conduct a vote. The unions are barred from attempting a further raid for 22 months.

“We’re pleased to see that the poly party came nowhere near to signing up the majority of Pedre members, who have been a part of Local 68 for many years,” says Krista Drost, BC construction coordinator. “It was a waste of time for everyone tying up resources at the labour board with a frivolous raid. We look forward to serving the membership at Pedre for years to come, especially now in the midst of hard negotiations.”

To read the decision please click here.