Organize Your Workplace

Organize

Have you ever felt that your voice is not heard? that your employer does not appreciate you?  that safety concerns are brushed under the table? Or your pay is inadequate, then you may benefit from a Union.

Every worker has the legal right to be represented by a Union which is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ‘to freely associate with out discrimination’. When employees band together and form a Union within their workplace, they are using their collective strength to ensure they are treated fairly, paid fairly and their work site follow and adhere to local safety laws and regulations. Workers of the world are stronger when they work together.

If you and your fellow employees are not represented, but feel that you would benefit from collective action, or if you are represented by an alternative labour organization, we strongly encourage you to talk with our Organizers. Our experienced Organizers will work with you and your fellow employees to provide confidential advice and support to start an organizing drive.

It’s time to realize our power, and light Alberta’s future.

Be a part of the change and contact us today. (Provide contact link)

How to Organize your workplace

Step 1

Contact IBEW Local Union 424. All information and individuals are held in strict confidence.

Step 2

Talk with your co-workers and Local Organizer to identify common concerns and issues such as benefits, safety, or treatment. Union Organizers will do most of the workload, but the more help and information from inside the company the more successful the efforts will be.

Step 3  

Sign a Petition or Union Support Card.  Once the local organizer has gained a minimum of 40% support of the workers (excluding those in management and those who have disciplinary duties), they will file an Application for Certification with the Alberta Labour Relations Board

Step 4

Vote!

The Alberta Labour Relations Board will conduct and investigation and issue a hearing should there any disputes to the application, if there are no disputes the Board will issue a Secret Ballot Vote. For that vote to be successful a majority (50% +1) must vote in favour of forming a Union into their workplace

Note: It is illegal for your contractor to ask if you signed a Support Card, and it is illegal for both the contractor and the Union to know how you voted in the secrete ballot vote. Should a contractor violate the terms set out in the Alberta Labour Relations code, they are putting themselves at risk of Unfair Labour Practice. These rules and regulations are here to protect you and your choice to form a Union.

Open Periods

What is an Open Period?

An open period is a time that exists within every agreement that will allow other Bargaining Agents (Union) to gain support and try to unionize, this is known as raiding. Depending on n the longevity of the agreement more than one open period may exists.

If the agreement is 3 – 5 years, there will be two open periods. The first on the 11th and 12th month of the second term and the second two moths prior to expiry date of the agreement.

For agreement 2 years or less, there will be one open period two months prior to the expiry date.

However, our current government is allowing Contractors and Bargaining Agents to negotiate and put forth tentative agreement to its membership, should the membership accept the terms and conditions of the tentative agreement, this will close the open period early.

Contractor expiry dates and status:

Please contact an Organizer for more information.

Call 780-462-5076