UFCW appeals LRB decision on Lomans MOU
UFCW Local 1518 has asked the BC Labour Relations Board to reconsider a decision to reject UFCW Local 1518's claim that a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1995 gives the union the right to cancel its 10 year collective agreement with Loman Distribution and take strike action.
Workers at Lomans warehouse in Langley BC are about to be laid off permanently in September when food retailer Overwaitea Food Group takes its business to another distribution company.
A clause in the MOU gave the union the right to unilaterally cancel the collective agreement if the company failed to provide certain information about its service contract with its only customer, OFG, and to register its lease on the warehouse. The company never made good on those commitments.
In a decision issued June 21st the LRB rejected the union's arguments based on, among other things, the union's delay in bringing the company's non-compliance forward until several years after the fact.
Last week, Local 1518 notified the LRB that it was asking for reconsideration of the decision. In a letter to the LRB, lawyers for the union state that the LRB erred in applying the law. The union has asked for expedited proceedings in view of the impending closure of the warehouse on September 28th.