Dispute brewing amid Tim Hortons union drive in Canora, Sask.
Unfair labour practice application filed against union
A bid to unionize workers at a Tim Hortons franchise in Canora, Sask., is underway and an unfair labour practice complaint has been filed.
The coffee and doughnut store shares a building with a pharmacy on the town's Main Street and the workers are employed by Amenity Health Care.
The union is Workers United Canada Council.
Amenity alleges that "certain supporters" of the union organizing drive "restrained, intimidated, threatened and/or coerced employees of Amenity".
The union, meanwhile, has argued before the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board that there's a power imbalance between employees seeking to have the benefit of unionization and the employer's ability to impact workers' economic welfare.
The union asked the board to summarily dismiss the complaints, but in a recent decision, the board declined to do that.
That sets the stage for further arguments between the union and Amenity about the complaints.
The larger question of whether the union is certified to represent the doughnut shop workers will be settled separately.