Unifor Council 4000 Support Unifor 103 Members at Ontario Northland
November 14, 2015
Unifor Local 103 members at the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) were locked out by the ONTC and the Ontario Government on November 11, 2015 - Remembrance Day. Contract negotiations have been ongoing since 2013 for 195 of the 350 Local 103 members at the ONTC who work in the remanufacturing and repair division of the Company employed as train and bus mechanics.
The ONTC, which is headquartered in North Bay, is an Agency of the Province of Ontario that provides transportation services to Northeastern Ontario, including the Ontario Northland Railway (freight and passenger rail transport) and Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services (inter-city bus and parcel transport).
Unifor Local 103 President Andy Mitchell spoke of how disrespectful it was for Ontario Northland and the Province to lockout workers on Remembrance Day. “It is not the best day to pick a fight,” said Mitchell. “Remembrance Day is to respect what was done and accomplished in the past for our Veterans and those that perished. So for the employer to do this is shameful.”
There was some vindication for the Local following their complaint made to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), who subsequently agreed with the Union and ruled that the lockout by the ONTC was illegal. Members have not lost any pay thus far, and despite the CIRB ruling, a lockout may still occur providing it is done in accordance the terms of the Labour Code.
Unifor National Rail Director Brian Steven said, “Ontario Northland's strategically aggressive approach was exposed for what it was, they had every intention of locking out our members and to do it in an underhanded way."
The ONTC, which is headquartered in North Bay, is an Agency of the Province of Ontario that provides transportation services to Northeastern Ontario, including the Ontario Northland Railway (freight and passenger rail transport) and Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services (inter-city bus and parcel transport).
Unifor Local 103 President Andy Mitchell spoke of how disrespectful it was for Ontario Northland and the Province to lockout workers on Remembrance Day. “It is not the best day to pick a fight,” said Mitchell. “Remembrance Day is to respect what was done and accomplished in the past for our Veterans and those that perished. So for the employer to do this is shameful.”
There was some vindication for the Local following their complaint made to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), who subsequently agreed with the Union and ruled that the lockout by the ONTC was illegal. Members have not lost any pay thus far, and despite the CIRB ruling, a lockout may still occur providing it is done in accordance the terms of the Labour Code.
Unifor National Rail Director Brian Steven said, “Ontario Northland's strategically aggressive approach was exposed for what it was, they had every intention of locking out our members and to do it in an underhanded way."
Click here to read the media release issued by Local 103 yesterday. (PDF)
Unifor Council 4000 President Barry Kennedy sent the following letter of support to the Unifor Local 103 membership and their bargaining committee on behalf of Council 4000 and our five Regional Local Unions across Canada > Read it here! (PDF) |