Aaron Doncaster was fired from his job for organizing a union. But in Alberta, workers have new protection against union-busting bosses.
Three weeks into an organizing drive at the Hilton Garden Inn, labour organizer Aaron Doncaster was feeling confident. He was working as a dishwasher at the hotel in downtown Calgary, where workers say they were dealing with safety issues on the job, disrespect from management, favouritism, and improper pay practices. But Doncaster was encouraged by his co-workers’ reaction to the idea of coming together and forming a union. He spent time convincing co-workers they had an opportunity to stand together, and signing people up for union cards. Then, three weeks into the organizing drive, he was fired.
Doncaster says the Hilton Garden Inn fired him after conducting a spot audit, which revealed a pattern of tardiness. But Doncaster believes he was fired for trying to organize a union. The Hilton did not respond to requests for comment.
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401 pursued a complaint at the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) on Doncaster’s behalf. In a decision written by Gwen J. Gray, Q.C., the labour relations board agreed: Doncaster had been fired by the Hilton for exercising his right to organize a trade union at his workplace.
The Hilton likely believed that by firing Doncaster, they could intimidate other workers and end the unionization drive. But the workers got their union when the ALRB ordered remedial certification for their workplace. In other words, because it is illegal to fire workers for organizing a union, and because the Hilton broke the law when they fired Doncaster for doing just that, Hilton workers got the union they had been fighting for.
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