The applicants sought an order confirming the assignment of hand digging and backfilling work at the base of transmission towers to members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1788.
The Labourers' International Union of North America, Local 1059, claimed the work should have been assigned to its members.
The Ontario Labour Relations Board confirmed the assignment to the IBEW, finding that the digging and backfilling functions were not severable from the other functions performed by the IBEW crew.
Assigning the work to the Labourers would result in serious inefficiencies, as the digging and backfilling constituted only a minor portion of the overall work.
A dissenting board member would have required further written submissions to clarify the description of the work.
