Canadian Labour Congress head accuses Unifor of union raiding

Dias denies decision to leave CLC linked to signing up disgruntled hotel workers

The head of the Canadian Labour Congress is accusing Unifor of raiding another union for members after it severed ties with the national lobby group for the country’s labour movement.

Unite Here Local 75, which represents hundreds of hotel workers in Toronto and Mississauga, Ont., announced Thursday night it is seeking to leave its U.S.-based parent union and join Unifor.

The move came a day after Canada’s largest private sector union split from the CLC over concerns including what it says are some U.S.-based unions stifling workers’ rights to change the group representing them.

“Since the disaffiliation, they are now involved in raiding Unite Here in Toronto,” CLC president Hassan Yussuff said.

It’s against the rules for affiliates to solicit the members of another affiliate to join their union, he explained.

“But, if you leave the congress, then, of course, you’re free to go and solicit any members that they wish to join their union.”

However, Unifor president Jerry Dias insists Unifor’s decision to leave the CLC was not about boosting its membership and denied the accusation that he was raiding another union.

“I have zero interest in raiding any unions,” he said.

Dias said the CLC rules that give disgruntled unionized workers an avenue to choose different representation don’t work, particularly because U.S.-based unions that are also part of the CLC don’t want them to be effective.

Among the CLC’s 65 members, there are 33 international unions.

While unionization rates have fallen in Canada, the drop in the United States has been even larger.

For U.S. organizations, there’s financial incentive to keep Canadians in their unions, said Dias, considering 28 states have socalled right-to-work laws that make union dues unenforceable.

“Canada is a major cash cow,” he said. “So there is one heck of a push amongst the U.S.-based unions to ensure that their members can never leave their union.”