The Ontario Labour Relations Board will hear charges of unfair labour practices against Dominion Motors filed by IAM Local 1120. Local 1120 members have been locked out of their jobs at the auto dealership since February 13, 2012.
“This employer waited until just before closing on Friday, February 10 to post the lock-out notice, when he thought everyone had left for the day,” said IAM Directing Business Representative Rob Thompson. Bargaining broke off February 3 with the union refusing to sign any memorandum of understanding that did not contain language addressing contracting out. The clause is a key obstacle in the negotiations.
“The original agreement would run from March 1, 2011 until February 28, 2014,” explained Thompson. “Now the employer wants the agreement to run from March 1, 2012 to February 2015 and refuses to pay employees any retroactive pay for the year they have been without a contract. This is totally unacceptable.”
The lock-out affects 22 members including mechanics, parts department personnel, body men, painters, clean up staff and general labourers.
The IAMAW represents workers at 11 auto dealerships in Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.
