- Laurentian Bank (LB) received an application from an employee to revoke the COPE – Local 434 accreditation
- This is the third time this employee has tried to de-unionize
- The executive director of SEPB-Quebec said he’s confident the new request won’t hold up during the tribunal process
- A Canada Industrial Relations Board Officer has been designated to supervise the next steps of this motion
- Laurentian Bank is trading in the grey at C$31.18 per share
Laurentian Bank (LB) has received an application from an employee to revoke the accreditation covering all of the bank’s unionized employees.
Pierrick Choinière-Lapointe, the executive director of SEPB-Quebec, a union which represents the bank’s employees, said a person well known to the union is trying again to go through the decertification process. This is the third time this employee has tried to de-unionize.
“In 2018, there was a decision from the tribunal saying that this person filed a request for certification with falsified signatures,” Choinière-Lapointe said.
The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) 2018 investigation found that “several employees were stating that they never signed the statements purporting to be in their names.”
Choinière-Lapointe said he’s not sure why this employee is filing to de-unionize, but said in the past, it had to do with the employee supporting Laurentian Bank’s ex CEO, François Desjardins who retired in June.
The relationship between the company and its union under Desjardins’ leadership was rocky. The union filed several complaints with the Canadian Industrial Relations Board alleging unfair labour practices by the bank.
Choinière-Lapointe said he’s confident the new request won’t hold up during the tribunal process because the union is on good terms with its members.
Local 434 employees work mainly in the Quebec bank branches and corporate offices in Montreal.
According to applicable legislation, a CIRB Officer has been designated to supervise the next steps of this motion.
The Market Herald contacted Laurentian Bank but did not hear back in time before publication.
Laurentian Bank Financial Group has more than 2,900 employees. The Bank has $44.2 billion in balance sheet assets and $27.8 billion in assets under administration.
Laurentian Bank is trading in the grey at C$31.18 per share.