Canada : Nordia call centre workers vote to unionize in Lindsay; campaign continues to sign up Peterborough workers
Employees of the Nordia call centre in Lindsay have voted 71 per cent in favour of joining the United Steelworkers union, the union announced Wednesday.
The vote means 111 employees at
the call centre are now represented by the union and now they will negotiate for their first contract.
They are the fourth group of Nordia workers to join the USW, according to the union. Employees at Nordia call centres in Kitchener, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, Que. are already members.
An organizing drive by the union is continuing at the Nordia call centre in Peterborough at Water and Simcoe streets.
Nordia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Canada, operates call centres that provide services to Bell Canada customers.
“Nordia Lindsay employees voted to join the Steelworkers after seeing what their unionized colleagues have at other sites - a productive relationship with management based on collective agreements that ensure fairness and equal treatment for everyone,” USW Ontario director Marty Warren stated in a release.
“USW members at other Nordia locations have negotiated collective agreements that recognize their contributions to the company’s success and that ensure they share in that success through fair wages, benefits and working conditions.
“Nordia Lindsay employees will now be able to negotiate their own collective agreement to address their needs and ensure fairness in their workplace.
“Our union and our new members at Nordia Lindsay are anxious to negotiate their first collective agreement to a build a stronger and more productive relationship for employees and the company.”