The Unifor union filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) on Tuesday, as Bell allegedly tried to undermine the bargaining power of workers by sending demands for scabs.
“The company should work with us to negotiate a fair deal that takes into account the current environment rather than adopting inflammatory, union-busting tactics,” Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer Lana Payne said in a statement.
According to the latter, Canadians need “anti-scab legislation” to end the behavior of Bell which seeks to “weaken the position of workers”.
Union members want a salary increase, the maintenance of telecommuting and an enforceable employment floor in the bargaining unit.
According to Unifor, which also notified the Government of Canada, Bell executives have asked staff to continue working, despite a potential labor dispute.
Remember that on June 21, Bell office workers voted in favor of a strike. It affects 4,200 employees who work in Quebec and Ontario.
“It is not surprising to see Bell adopting these hostile tactics in the midst of a period of reflection after decades marked by massive job erosion and frequent recourse to subcontracting, indicated the Quebec director of Unifor, Daniel Cloutier. These tactics show how much Bell executives fear that workers will finally say enough is enough! The workers want to negotiate and Bell will not be able to break our solidarity.”
