Update: Civeo Continues to Act Shady 

We were back at the Alberta Labour Relation board on Tuesdays, fighting to stop Civeo from firing their hard-working employees to increase profits. It was the second day of a hearing to address UFCW’s application for interim relief. These hearings have been a struggle to get Civeo to participate meaningfully. 

“On the first day, Civeo spent the morning coming to an agreement with the union position on-site access, a position given to them the week before,” said UFCW Local 401 Executive Director Chris O’Halloran. “They knew what the union position was, we told them what we would agree to, and they still wasted half a day coming to grips with it.”

Civeo unusual legal approach continued on the second day of the hearing, when they moved to dismiss the union application before the union had finished putting forward its case and after only two witnesses.

“The timing of Civeo’s application is just another example of their shady approach to labour relations; they admitted to planning to make their application but provided no notice,” continued O’Halloran.

Let’s review a few of the more absurd points and actions by Civeo and Buffalo Catering lawyers made to justify their actions:

• Civeo‘s lawyer argued that the workers at Wapasu should not have expected the company to honour the contract they negotiated and signed and that the union had misrepresented the company’s offer if that was their expectation.
• Followed by Buffalo Catering’s lawyer arguing that they would honour the contract and that the Labour Board did not have to worry about them violating the contract.
• Both lawyers continue to say they are separate companies but retreat to one room together to get instruction from their clients.

We hope the Labour Relation Board sees these actions from Civeo for what they are, a stall tactic. They did not want the union to put forward the evidence of hardship that their action caused.

We will continue to push for fair and just accountability for the workers at Wapasu. The Labour Relations Board has indicated they will rule on Civeo‘s application by Tuesday.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Chris O’Halloran at 587-999-6448 or cohalloran@ufcw401.ab.ca or Clayton Heriot at 780-742-4257 or cherriot@ufcw401.ab.ca.

Posted on: May 18,2023