Most local carpenters may never again be able to work on Region of Waterloo projects.
The Ontario Labour Relations Board has ruled that the region is a construction employer, meaning it has to use one specific union for all future projects.
Some in the industry say that could put thousands of local carpenters out of the running for regional projects.
“It’s an incredible shrinking work opportunity – not just for our members, but for any worker that’s affected who’s not a member of that particular union,” says Ian Dewaard of the Christian Labour Association of Canada.
The case began with two region employees who fixed a broken toilet handle, a bus station sign and a shed that had fallen into disrepair.
Regional chair Ken Seiling describes his reaction to the OLRB decision as “not surprised, but disappointed,” and says the issue is somewhat Ontario-specific.
“Most other provinces across Canada make exemptions for municipalities and other public bodies, so this would not be happening,” he tells CTV News.
Seiling says he wants to see provincial labour laws changed to exempt municipalities from the construction employer terminology.
At Queen’s Park, Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris proposed a bill that would overhaul construction tendering rules for municipalities last fall, but it went down to defeat.
Exactly which union will be given the go-ahead to work on the region’s projects won’t be known until the OLRB makes that determination later this year.
The Carpenters Union did not immediately return a request for comment.
