The Concorde hotel blamed by the Administrative Labor Court

“Disturbator” and “anti-union crusade”: in full negotiations for the renewal of the collective agreement and in the middle of a lockout, the Administrative Labor Tribunal (TAT) severely blame the employer of the Concorde hotel for several “unfair practices”.

In a decision rendered on August 6, the TAT Request to the employer To no longer seek to hinder and cease to hinder the activities of the Union of Workers of the Concorde Hotel (CSN), as well as to cease to miss your duty of negotiation with diligence and good faith.

The employer’s part of the hotel establishment is, by the same fact, forced to pay $ 20,000 in punitive damage to the union.

Earlier, in May, the union and the employer in turn filed a complaint with the TAT. The two parties accused each other for missing their duty to negotiate in good faith, we can read in judgment.

Following the revision of the two complaints, the TAT Determines that the employer has contravened articles 12 and 53 of the Labor Code. Blatant contraventionsestimates the administrative judge Pierre-Étienne Morand.

According to the TATthe employer Cut the grass under the foot of the union and even goes, without informing it, until offering a bonus of engagement from 1 % to 3 % directly to employees. The court therefore ordered the management of the hotel of stop and refrain from communicating, directly or indirectly, with employees without the agreement of the union.

Interferenceaccording to the union

This judgment is a victory for the union. The employer mingled in business that doesn’t look at himaccording to President Inès Hajrovic.

There was union interference, he tried everything, he put the sticks in the wheel, he treated us with bad guys […] We had no respectshe says.

According to Ms. Hajrovic, the employer tried to supplant the union in order to convince employees to vote on the proposal of an agreement.

He sent the offers directly to employees instead of going through usshe says.

This is an additional motivation in the context, admits the president.

This is really great news. The troop is motivated. We continue to stay hereshe adds.

Mélanie Pelletier, vice-president on the condition of women at the Central Council of Quebec Chaudière-Appalaches CSNbelieves that the employer tried by all means to really weaken the union.

An employer cannot, from below, after, in full negotiation, to make offers [aux employés]she decreases.

The employer acted in a deliberate and repetitive way

The decision of TAT East fairly exceptionaljudge the strategic advisor at Ryan Public Affairs and former Quebec director of the Canadian Public Service Syndicate, Marc Ranger.

According to Mr. Ranger, It is a decision that goes far, which hits the employer’s fingers, which reminds order of.

The court noted that the employer acted in a deliberate and repetitive manner to hinder the union’s activities to intervene in the negotiation process.

The expert adds that this is a rather unusual and surprising situation. I have rarely seen a negotiation like this when it looks like the employer has become a little exasperated.

Marc Ranger recalls that, in a context of negotiation like this, only the union is responsible for representing its members in the discussions.

This does not mean that the employer cannot address his employees, but he must do it with very specific guides not to hinder the role that the union must play.

The hotel remains open

Questioned about the judgment rendered by the TATthe employer said he wanted to continue Negotiations in good faith, with the objective of coming to a realistic agreement as soon as possible.

No negotiation meeting has taken place since the start of the lockout. The next session is scheduled in two weeks, specify the officials of the establishment.

Meanwhile, the hotel remains open to customers. The management team in place ensures the maintenance of operations and is able to operate the establishment in a sustained manner, especially while the high tourist season fits at its end.

A hundred union members represented by the union of workers at the Concorde hotel (CSN) is on a lockout. Management has suspended their activities indefinitely. The two parties negotiate a new collective agreement, since the previous one has been expired since December 2024.

With the collaboration of Alexandre Painchaud and Marie-Ève Trudel