VANCOUVER, British Columbia—With the provincial government considering a move to enable workers
to unionize by card check, a coalition of 13 business groups are urging it to continue requiring a vote by secret ballot. British Columbia Premier John Horgan, a member of the left-liberal New Democratic Party, who announced a review of the province’s labor code in February, has endorsed allowing card check so workers could unionize more easily. The coalition, which includes the B.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Independent Contractors Business Association, argues that card check will weaken employers’ rights and democracy in the workplace. ICBA president Chris Gardner told Globalnews.ca that it would enable workers to bully other employees into signing cards and deny management the right to say, “Here’s why we think not joining a union is advantageous to you and to the company.” Card check prevents employers from intimidating workers, responded B.C. Federation of Labour president Irene Lanzinger. “Now, you sign up a majority of workers and then there’s 10 days before a vote. And we have seen massive employer interference into organizing,” she said. The business groups also want to end government-enforced project labor agreements. Read more
