Ontario Court Sides with IU Calls BACU Evidence “Self-Serving”
March - April 2003
On April 24, the Superior
Court of Justice of Ontario, Divisional Court ruled in
favor of the International Union in a case brought by the
OPC/BACU leadership. After a two-hour hearing, the Court
announced its decision from the bench, in which it described
the OPC/BACU evidence as “self-serving.” The
OPC/BACU had sought to overturn a 2001 decision of the
Ontario Labour Relations Board, which found that those
who had been members of the International would continue
to be IU members, set the dues rate that they would pay
to the IU, and required the OPC to provide the International
with the current addresses of all members. This judicial
review upholds the OLRB decision and requires the OPC/BACU
to pay the fees for the lawyers who represented the International
as well as BAC Locals 6, 7 and 25 of Ontario, amounting
to more than $60,000, in addition to the fees for their
own lawyers. While IU President John J. Flynn was pleased
with the result, he said, “This conflict has gone
on far too long. It would be much better if the leaders
of the OPC and their locals sat down with the IU and settled
their differences, so they could stop wasting dues money
on lawyers and use it for the members instead.”
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