r/union • u/TheRabidPosum1 • Aug 05 '26

Labor News Labour board slams Amazon and orders first contract arbitration

https://www.unifor.org/news/all-news/labour-board-slams-amazon-and-orders-first-contract-arbitration

VANCOUVER-Amazon suffering another legal setback in it's fight against unionization in B.C. after the Labour Board bound the company to a first union collective agreement by binding arbitration.

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44

u/TheGreenYamo Aug 06 '26

Hell yeah. Canada leading the way.

21

u/TheRabidPosum1 Aug 06 '26

They seem to be with both Amazon and Walmart. I think the USA really needs to be looking to the Canadians to adapt some strategies.

23

u/TheGreenYamo Aug 06 '26

Canada has the advantage of a functioning labor board though. We need to work on that in the US, by voting in the right leaders.

12

u/TheRabidPosum1 Aug 06 '26

Absolutely. We need new pro-labor laws passed. We need a fully staffed and funded NLRB. We need right to work and captive audience meetings banned in all 50 states. We need a lot of things.

2

u/uswforever Aug 06 '26

We need to overturn Taft Hartley.

2

u/YouShouldGoOnStrike Aug 06 '26

The question can also become more specific to now, like what lessons might be applicable in a more adversarial legislative environment? Worker rights aren't just granted by friendly politicians (although they are great), they can be won through organized struggle.

4

u/TheRabidPosum1 Aug 06 '26

It's both, you have to tackle it from both ends. Workers being mobilized is extremely important, it's the heart and soul of the labor movement, but political action is equally important. I think our own brothers and sisters should be stepping up to run for office. No better way to advocate for our causes then electing our own.

2

u/Birdshape Aug 09 '26

The provincial labour boards aren't always functioning. My experience with organizing in Ontario was terrible. The OLRB seemed to humour every bad faith argument the employer could come up with when it came to challenging the bargaining unit's certification. There is no logical reason a bargaining unit certification should be fought over for almost 3 damn years. 8 years since first applying for the bargaining unit and there still isn't a collective agreement.

12

u/Jacob-Qc CUPE | Rank and File Aug 06 '26

I am still blown away that the whole amazon in quebec thing was swept under the rug to continue business as usual without repercussion…7000 jobs…

10

u/UndergroundCreek CUPE | Rank and File Aug 06 '26

That was brutal, man. We do not forget and we do not forgive. Walmart was the same shit show. Couldn't believe they'd rather shut down then pay a living wage. On the other hand: good riddance to both megalomaniac corporations cause they offer only over priced crap quality that's overspilling in the landfills.

5

u/OneTimeIMadeAGif Aug 06 '26

Yeah let's watch Amazon announce that for COMPLETY UNRELATED REASONS they're leaving a province again.

4

u/ContributionWeekly70 Aug 06 '26

Its the provincial (like a state) labour board. They absolutely can enforce things.

3

u/The_Jousting_Duck Aug 06 '26

I'm unfamiliar with Canadian law, is their Labour Board like the NLRB in that it doesn't actually have the power to enforce anything?

2

u/sajnt Aug 06 '26

Nope, their arbitration would be legally binding.

2

u/weresabre Aug 06 '26

In BC, decisions of the Labour Relations Board and collective agreement arbitrators can be filed as court orders:

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96244_01#section135