The battle between non-unionized carpenters and the Region of Waterloo continues to heat up.
The Christian Labour Association has filed for interveners status in a local case currently before the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
In the case, the Carpenters Union is attempting to unionize two Region of Waterloo employees, who would become the first regional employees to belong to that union.
“If they’re successful, the Region of Waterloo becomes bound to a collective agreement that requires all future carpentry work that is paid for by the Region of Waterloo to be done by one particular union,” says Ian DeWaard of the Christian Labour Association.
DeWaard calls that situation an unfair monopoly that would sent construction costs – and the subsequent bills to taxpayers – skyrocketing.
Regional chair Ken Seiling says that’s the very reason the region is fighting the bid for unionization.
“We want to be fair to everybody who works here,” he tells CTV.
“We want to make sure all of our companies can bid, and we want to make sure that all the people who work in this region can also be part of those companies that bid.”
According to DeWaard, there are 23 contractors currently considered acceptable for public projects by Region of Waterloo standards. If the Carpenters Union is successful in their bid to unionize the region, DeWaard says, that number would be cut to two.
The Carpenters Union says its rates are fixed and unionization wouldn’t lead to any spikes in prices.
