Update: Resisting Civeo’s Attempt to Contract Flip

April 26, 2023

It’s been a busy week!

Wednesday, UFCW 401 was at the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALBR) to speak about our Unfair Labour Practice against Civeo for trying to “contract-flip” the employees at Civeo Wapasu Lodge. The ALRB rejected the worker’s appeal to hear their case before the June 8, 2023, contact termination; immediately following that decision, the union applied for a stay to stop the Civeo actions. 

Contract-flipping is when a portion of a workplace made up of unionized workers has their contract ended and replaced with a contract from another non-unionized company. This practice is used by employers to suppress costs by switching service providers every few years. It forces employees to reapply for their jobs and often start at the bottom of the wage scale. Contract-flipping is not fair to workers.

To accomplish this, Civeo has presented you with what is obviously a poison pill. Accept a $7 an-hour rollback, representing nearly a 20% wage reduction, a claw-back of promised benefits and policies that would reduce your guarantee of hours, an absurd demand to make for people who are flying in from all around the province of Alberta for camp work. 

Or

Be laid off and try to get employment with a renamed version of Civeo, without a union contract, drastically decreasing wages and benefits.

This is a breach of your union contract.

Last weekend, UFCW 401 members attending the Alberta Federation of Labour’s (AFL) convention took to the streets to protest Civeo’s actions. First, with an information picket in front of Imperial Oils Calgary office, and then a few hours later at the AFL’s “Workers Demand Better” rally where your co-workers Angela Fiddler and Matt Gilks spoke on behalf of you and your co-workers.

Matt and Angela’s speech was impactful and reminded everyone, including the public, government, and Imperial Oil, that your Collective Agreement is not the only contract Civeo is willing to violate.

Check out Matt and Angela’s speeches here.

Please share this video on social media; make sure to tag Civeo and Imperial Oil in your post to help keep pressure on them to reverse their decision. 

Linked here are three letters to Imperial Oil, Premier Smith and Minister Jean, inviting them to meet with you and intervene on your behalf. 

Stay tuned, as we will enact more actions in the coming week.

Posted on: April 28,2023