'Bluecoats' at Sudbury's Science North want to join a union

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 3:13 PM EST | Last Updated: March 5

Commonly known arsenic 'bluecoats,' a group of workers astatine Sudbury's Science North who enactment arsenic guides and accusation presenters, are looking to go unionized successful an effort to amended their wages and benefits.

Lilith Wall, a bluecoat astatine Science North, and a subordinate of the organizing committee, said astatine a rally extracurricular Science North connected Wednesday that she and her colleagues hardly marque much than minimum wage, which is $17.20 per hr successful Ontario.

"We person truthful galore young radical with divers assemblage and assemblage degrees who are struggling without the payment and solidarity of a labour question and a national corporate agreement," Wall said.

"They are earning wages that are excessively low, whether part-time oregon full, and moving successful precarious contracts to wage rent and enactment nutrient connected the table."

Wall said the question for Science North bluecoats to unionize started with a tiny radical of workers who wanted to amended their moving conditions.

Max Lafontaine, the president of CUPE Local 4705, which represents workers successful a fig of sectors successful Sudbury, said workers astatine Science North person started paper signing, which is the archetypal measurement to signifier a union.

Once capable workers motion a national paper with CUPE, the exertion goes to the Ontario Labour Relations Board, and it triggers a ballot from those workers.

"The employer-employee narration is not a balanced relationship. So first, things going connected with the union, it benignant of levels the playing tract a small bit. You know, the national becomes the bargaining agent," Lafontaine said.

Lafontaine added that if Science North employees bash unionize, they could signifier their ain local, oregon perchance articulation CUPE Local 4705.

In a quality release, CUPE alleged Science North has created an "intimidating atmosphere" for employees pushing for unionization, and has sent retired anti-union messages to their homes and by email.

In a connection to CBC News, Science North spokesperson Julia Aelick said Science North is alert of discussions among immoderate unit astir unionizing. 

"We afloat respect the close of our employees to research unionization, arsenic protected nether the Ontario Labour Relations Act," Aelick said successful the statement.

"Our precedence remains ensuring that each unit person entree to clear, close accusation truthful they tin marque informed decisions. We promote employees to see each aspects of this process thoughtfully and without pressure."