Brick and Allied Craft Union of Canada, Local 1 v. Bramkal Contractors Inc.
0266-00-R Brick and Allied Craft Union of Canada, Local 1 (formerly known as International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Local 1), Applicant v. Bramkal Contractors Inc., Responding Party.
BEFORE: David A. McKee, Vice‑Chair, and Board Members J. G. Knight and G. McMenemy.
DECISION OF THE BOARD; April 27, 2000
1This is an application for certification filed under the construction industry provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (the "Act").
2As noted by the responding party, the status of “Brick and Allied Craft Union of Canada, Local 1” is not settled, and is the subject of litigation in another proceeding before this Board. This will have to be resolved before a certificate can issue in this file. However, International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers, Local 1 has been found to be 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 April 12, 1978, the designated employee bargaining agency is the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen and The Ontario Provincial Conference of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen. This application will proceed on this basis, although no final finding of status is made herein.
3The responding party has filed a response. This response does raise the issue of whether the work performed by employees on the application date is work in the construction industry. Clearly, that issue may have a serious impact on this application and will be dealt with by the Board at the appropriate time. However, that issue, significant as it is, does not cause the Board to delay holding the vote or to 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 Board further finds, pursuant to section 158(1) of the Act, that all bricklayers, bricklayers’ apprentices, stonemasons and stonemasons’ 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 bricklayers, bricklayers’ apprentices, stonemasons and stonemasons’ apprentices in the employ of the responding party in all other sectors of the construction industry in the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth, the City of Burlington, that portion of the geographic Township of Beverly annexed by North Dumfries Township and that portion of the Town of Milton within the geographic Townships of Nassagaweya and Nelson, 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 bricklayers, bricklayers’ apprentices, stonemasons and stonemasons’ apprentices in the employ of Bramkal Contractors Inc. in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector of the construction industry in the Province of Ontario and all bricklayers, bricklayers’ apprentices, stonemasons and stonemasons’ apprentices in the employ of Bramkal Contractors Inc. in all other sectors of the construction industry in the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth, the City of Burlington, that portion of the geographic Township of Beverly annexed by North Dumfries Township and that portion of the Town of Milton within the geographic Townships of Nassagaweya and Nelson, save and except non-working foremen and persons above the rank of non‑working foreman.
8The vote will be held on May 2, 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 Bramkal Contractors Inc. and at work in the voting constituency on April 20, 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.
“David A. McKee”
for the Board