Labour Injunctions & Cease and Desist Orders in Ontario
Labour Injunctions & Cease and Desist Orders in Ontario
Labour Injunctions & Cease and Desist Orders in Ontario
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[17]<br />
SCC <strong>in</strong> a Canada <strong>Labour</strong> Code case <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g Local 273, International Longshoremen’s<br />
Association et al. v. Maritime Employers’Association et al 36 (“International Longshoremen’s<br />
Association”) <strong>and</strong> has s<strong>in</strong>ce been adopted by labour boards across the country, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
OLRB. In the International Longshoremen’s Association case, the National Harbours Board<br />
Police was engag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a legal strike <strong>in</strong> Sa<strong>in</strong>t John’s. As part of the strike, the police established<br />
picket l<strong>in</strong>es at the entrance to the Port of Sa<strong>in</strong>t John’s facilities. Members of three union locals<br />
refused to cross the picket l<strong>in</strong>es <strong>and</strong> as a result shipp<strong>in</strong>g operations <strong>in</strong> the Port of Sa<strong>in</strong>t John’s<br />
were closed down. The SCC held that the local members’refusal to cross the picket l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
constituted a strike. The court found that the “common underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g”required as part of the<br />
def<strong>in</strong>ition of a strike could be <strong>in</strong>ferred where unionized employees respect another union’s picket<br />
l<strong>in</strong>e. This <strong>in</strong>ference was based on the idea that unionized workers respect picket l<strong>in</strong>es as a sign of<br />
solidarity.<br />
The OLRB relied on the reason<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the International Longshoremen’s Association case<br />
relatively recently <strong>in</strong> a request for a cease <strong>and</strong> desist order sought <strong>in</strong> Unilux Boiler Corp. <strong>and</strong><br />
Unilux V.F.C. Corp. 37 (“Unilux Boiler Corp.”). In do<strong>in</strong>g so, the Board stated:<br />
the Board does not usually have much difficulty <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
picketers, who picket a secondary work site with the result that<br />
workers at the picketed site do not work, are breach<strong>in</strong>g the Act<br />
[LRA]. The Board’s will<strong>in</strong>gness to do so arises out of the wellknown<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>ciple that trade unions respect other unions’picket<br />
l<strong>in</strong>es. The Board f<strong>in</strong>ds the ‘<strong>in</strong> concert’ aspect of the strike<br />
def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>in</strong> this trade union pr<strong>in</strong>ciple. 38<br />
36 Local 273, International Longshoremen’s Association et al. v. Maritime Employers’Association et al., [1979] 1<br />
SCR 120 [International Longshoremen’s Association].<br />
37 Unilux Boiler Corp. <strong>and</strong> Unilux V.F.C. Corp., [2005] CanLII 20765 (ON LRB) [Unilux Boiler Corp.].<br />
38 Ibid. at para 12.