The B.C. Labour Relations Board has ruled that Civeo Corporation, an industrial camp operator unduly influenced workers against Unite Here Local 40 which represents hospitality and hotel workers.
Local 40 advised Civeo that they were intending to visit and organize their non-union camp employees in June 2021. The union accused Civeo of denying Local 40 access to its camps and then picking the B.C. Regional Council of Carpenters to negotiate a contract, which in turn took away the workers rights to choose their own union.
In an Oct. 12 decision, the B.C. Labour Board agreed with Local 40 in that Civeo did interfere and as a result ordered the agreement between Civeo and B.C. Regional Council of Carpenters contract cancelled.
Civeo must allow Local 40 into 7 Mile, 9A and P2 Lodges on the GasLink pipeline route and the Trans Mountain Merritt Camp to speak to employees about joining a union.
“This labour board’s decision is a victory for all camp and construction workers that they should be able to choose their own union without employers picking a union for them,” said Robert Demand, executive director at Unite Here Local 40 and an executive board member of the BC Building Trades.
Local 40 already represents workers at Sitka Lodge in Kitimat, along with other camp workers supporting LNG in Kitimat.