Canadian Labour Reporter

National Post journalists join Unifor TORONTO — Journalists at Postmedia newspaper, the Na- tional Post, which is based in Toronto, voted to join Unifor on Oct. 13. The vote was held Oct. 8 and 9 by online voting. About 40 re- porters, editors and other staff voted to join Unifor, says the union. Work will now begin on a first contract for staff at the National Post. Top issues at the paper have been consistency in pay rates and job security, says Unifor. With the National Post, Unifor now represents journalists at each of Canada's largest newspa- pers, including the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail and several Postmedia papers across Cana- da, including the Windsor Star, the London Free Press, Vancou- ver Sun and the Province, as well at the independent Winnipeg Press. Grievance filed at Parkview Place WINNIPEG — The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 2039 submit- ted a policy grievance on Oct. 9 against Parkview Place in Win- nipeg, citing concerns over un- safe working conditions. CUPE met with the employer on Oct. 14 to discuss the con- cerns of some 163 support staff, says the union. "Staff at Parkview are doing their best to support residents during this critical time, but they need help," says Shannon McAteer, CUPE's health care coordinator. "We are beyond an emergency, and staff are completely overwhelmed and frightened for themselves, their families, and the residents they care for." The grievance called on the employer to immediately pro- vide N95 masks/respirators to all staff who work on COVID-19 units at Parkview Place. Prior to yesterday, N95 masks/respira- tors were only being provided to staff following a nurse's risk as- sessment, says CUPE. As a result of CUPE's griev- ance, the employer confirmed that N95 masks/respirators will now be provided to all staff working in COVID-19 units. Parkview Place has offered an additional $2-per-hour premi- um for staff retroactive to Sept. 15 and lasting until the outbreak at Parkview Place is declared over, says CUPE. Employees almost certify despite many COVID layoffs CHEMAINUS, B.C. — Even though employees were laid off due to the coronavirus pan- demic lockdown in March, the Labour Relations Board of Brit- ish Columbia (LRB) allowed a union to define a bargaining unit in a decision made on July 30. The case, which involved the Chemainus Theatre Festival Society in Chemainus, B.C., and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada (IA- TSE), Local No. 168, involved an application made on April 6, says the union. However, the theatre laid off all staff effective June 6 and it argued that because of the pan- demic, there was no reasonable prospect of reopening before December so it cancelled the re- mainder of the 2020 season. IATSE countered and said the employees still hold a rela- tionship with the theatre and therefore should be considered as union members. "Regular employees have a suf- ficient continuing interest in the bargaining unit, but casuals do not," says Stephanie Drake, vice- chair of the board, in rendering a decision. "The employer has said it is committed to rehiring as many of its employees back as possible when the theatre reopens. Its communications indicate that the closure is temporary, and it intends to resume operations". However, because not enough overall employees voted to cer- tify after casuals and disputed employees were removed from the vote, the union's application was dismissed because of insuf- ficient "threshold support," says Drake. 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