Angry British Columbia rail unions
file unfair labour practice charge against
BC Rail management at Labour Relations Board

NORTH VANCOUVER -- Unions at BC Rail have filed an unfair labour practice charge against BC Rail with Canada’s Labour Relations Board (LRB) following a management attempt to break collective bargaining rules.

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) on BC Rail said the railroad deliberately violated Labour Code rules that state bargaining must take place between union representatives and management by directly sending employees information about a BC Rail contract offer.

Last year, BC Rail was found guilty of unfair labour practices by the LRB in very similar circumstances, said CTU Chairperson and UTU Canadian Alternate Vice President Bob Sharpe (L-1778, N. Vancouver, B.C.).

"I am astounded that BC Rail management hasn’t yet learned its lesson," Sharpe said. "The Labour Relations Board clearly told BC Rail that it must follow collective bargaining rules, and now they’ve gone out and violated them again."

"If they can’t bargain fairly without breaking the rules, is this any way to run a railroad?" Sharpe asked. "Our members are sick and tired of BC Rail abusing them and their unions and they are making hard bargaining even worse by committing unfair labour practices."

Sharpe said the council’s executives agreed late last week to hear a request from BC Rail management on their ideas to speed up bargaining, on a without-prejudice-and-confidential basis outside of the planned negotiating sessions.

"We went in good faith to hear what BC Rail was thinking to see if we might find a better way to reach a new contract," Sharpe said. "Instead, they have broken their word to the council and foolishly attempted to influence our members against their own unions.

"But it won’t work," Sharpe continued. "Our members will only be all the more determined to get a fair collective agreement before the current contract expires December 31, or they will take whatever action is necessary to get one afterward."

Last year, BC Rail locked out more than 1,600 workers at Christmas in a10-day dispute over management demands for major job cuts and drastic concessions. BC Rail dropped the concession demands in the collective agreement reached in early January.

For more information contact: Bob Sharpe at cell 604-220-3488 or 604-434-8075 or Bill Tieleman, West Star Communications, at cell 604-209-8775 or 604-844-7827.

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