The question of union existence appears again at Laurentian Bank

Julian Arsenalt
The Canadian Press

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) focused on the concerns raised by SEPB-Quebec in a complaint sent in early January, just weeks after the union filed a recent request to withdraw the certification.

“The union stated that the employer had interfered in the process and that he had acted to encourage or persuade employees to leave their union,” the commission said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Administrative Court warned that the request for withdrawal was invalid if the allegations were proven to be substantiated.

In the wake of Wednesday’s CCRI decision, SEPB-Québec president Julie Tankrod, who is affiliated with the Federation des Traveillers du Quebec (FTQ), called it “Ground‌hog Day”.

“Our members are scared,” she explained in a telephone interview. People are being forced to sign a withdrawal request because they are afraid for their job. ”

Laurentian, the seventh largest bank in the country and the only unionized bank, declined to comment on Wednesday.

The 600 or more union members – who make up 20% of the bank’s total workforce – are mainly based in Quebec. Prior to the implementation of the transition plan, there were approximately 2,000 in 2015, resulting in branch closures and mergers and eliminations of counter services. The collective agreement on heated negotiations will expire later this year.

Filed on December 22, the withdrawal request is the third in many years. Applicant is the same: Jonathan Andre Leclerc. In February 2018, more than 60% of union members voted in favor of continuing the certification. Other requests were dismissed by the CIRB, which found that the signatures were forged.

In a complaint filed last month, SEPB-Quebec, Mr.

The document alleges that employees who refused to support a withdrawal request last fall believed it was “reasonable” that Laurentian would find out about it.

“The complaint is that the bank interfered with the association’s right, which is prohibited by the Labor Code of Canada,” Mr said.^{To me} Tankred.

She believes Laurentian no longer wants a union as more decisions are being made outside of Quebec, even though the Quebec headquarters are in Quebec. Ms. Rania Levelin, the new president and CEO who lives in Toronto and was not fluent in the French language when she was appointed in October, is a good example of this.^{To me} Tankred.

For Mark-Antonin Hennebert, Associate Professor in the Department of Human Resource Management at HEC Montreal, de-unionization programs generally reflect the mental state of some members who feel they are under-represented.

Without commenting on the intentions of Laurentian’s senior management, he said it was also a tool for some employers.

“It could be an anti-union strategy on behalf of the employers,” Hennebert said. We have seen this in some cases. It’s a strategy, I do not think it’s very classic at Laurentian. ”

The professor believes that the third phase of the de-union in three years will indicate a “desire that the group of employees should no longer be represented” and a “significant division” among employees.