3337-99-R United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 2486, Applicant v. Venture North Construction Ltd., Responding Party.
BEFORE: Anthony Brown, Vice‑Chair, and Board Members G. Pickell and G. McMenemy.
DECISION OF THE BOARD; February 17, 2000
1This is an application for certification filed under the construction industry provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (the "Act").
2The Board finds that the applicant is a trade union within the meaning of sections 1(1) and 126 of the Act and is an affiliated bargaining agent of a designated employee bargaining agency. Pursuant to the designation issued by the Minister under section 153(1) of the Act on June 23, 1997, the designated employee bargaining agency is the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and the Ontario Provincial Council of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
3The responding party filed a timely response on February 16, 2000. In its response, the responding party has given notice under section 8.1 of the Act. The Board has recently held, however, that section 8.1 of the Act does not apply to an application for certification in the construction industry (see Bayview-Wellington Construction Inc. and/or Baywiew-Wellington Homes Inc. Board File 4395-98-R, November 10, 1999) and therefore the Board will not seal the ballot box.
4It appears to the Board on an examination of only the information provided in the application and the information and membership evidence filed by the applicant (see section 8(3) of the Act), that not less than forty per cent of the individuals in the bargaining unit proposed in the application for certification were members of the union at the time the application was made.
5The Board finds that this is an application for certification within the meaning of section 128 of the Act and is an application made pursuant to section 158(1) of the Act which provides that:
An application for certification as bargaining agent which relates to the industrial, commercial and institutional sector of the construction industry referred to in the definition of "sector" in section 126 shall be brought by either,
(a) an employee bargaining agency; or
(b) one or more affiliated bargaining agents of the employee bargaining agency,
on behalf of all affiliated bargaining agents of the employee bargaining agency and the unit of employees shall include all employees who would be bound by a provincial agreement together with all other employees in at least one appropriate geographic area unless bargaining rights for such geographic area have already been acquired under subsection (2) or by voluntary recognition.
6The responding party disagrees with the applicant’s proposed bargaining unit. Nevertheless the Board finds the bargaining unit proposed by the applicant to be appropriate. The Board further finds, pursuant to section 158(1) of the Act, that all carpenters and carpenters apprentices in the employ of the responding party in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector of the construction industry in the Province of Ontario and all carpenters and carpenters apprentices in the employ of the responding party in all other sectors of the construction industry in the Township of Merritt, save and except non-working foremen and persons above the rank of non‑working foreman, constitute a unit of employees of the responding party appropriate for collective bargaining.
7Having regard to the Board's finding as to the appropriate bargaining unit, the Board directs that a representation vote be taken of the individuals in the following voting constituency:
all carpenters and carpenters apprentices in the employ of Venture North Construction Ltd. in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector of the construction industry in the Province of Ontario and all carpenters and carpenters apprentices in the employ of Venture North Construction Ltd. in all other sectors of the construction industry in the Township of Merritt, save and except non-working foremen and persons above the rank of non‑working foreman.
8The vote will be held on February 21, 2000. Vote arrangements are set out on the attached "Notice of Vote and of Meeting".
9The responding party is directed to post copies of the application for certification, the “Notice to Employees of Application for Certification”, this decision and the "Notice of Vote and of Meeting" in a location or locations where they are most likely to come to the attention of those individuals who are eligible to vote.
10All individuals who were employed by Venture North Construction Ltd. and at work in the voting constituency on February 14, 2000 are eligible to vote.
11Voters will be asked to indicate whether or not they wish to be represented by the applicant in their employment relations with the responding party.
12Any party or person who wishes to make representations to the Board about any issue relating to the application for certification which remains in dispute, other than status disputes, must file a detailed statement of representations and all material facts upon which they rely with the Board and deliver it to the other parties, so that it is received within five days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays on which the Board is closed) of the date on which the vote is taken. Representations with respect to any status dispute must be made in accordance with the directions provided in Information Bulletin No. 9: Status Disputes in Certification Applications in the Construction Industry.
13This matter is referred to the Registrar.
“Anthony Brown”
for the Board