anti-union practices at Frite Alors

Dated 12 September 2016, workers Frite Alors of Rachel no longer have the right to resort to former colleagues to be replaced, decided boss Jean branch Jurdant. This common practice was often allowed to chain workers to be replaced without having to overload their colleagues. We collected about Felix Vincent Ardea, a former colleague who performed repeatedly replacements for Frite Alors workers.

Can you briefly explain who you are and your link to Frite Alors Rachel?

"I worked at the restaurant for 10 months until my resignation in May. My colleagues have always appreciated the quality of my work and my attitude with them and with clients in the chain. Until last Saturday, I made several replacements for my former workmates when they needed to take time off and had no one to replace. »

What changed last Saturday?

"I had done a replacement last week. As I had well over three months of service for the restaurant, I assumed that I benefit from the salary increase won by the union for kitchen workers. When I received my pay stub and that I have read that I had been paid the minimum wage, I first thought of an administrative error and I called the boss, Jean Jurdi, that the situation is corrected. The heat assure qu'il ne law effectivement que d'une erreur, and that it would be corrected by the accounting, Michel Croisettière, on Monday.

Mr. Croisettière called me the next day, day I was also supposed to replace the evening shift. He told me basically that, having not worked since the previous July, I would be paid the minimum wage. I then reminded Mr. Jurdant to show him that I would not accept to work under the union worker salary and offer him again to replacement for $ 11.50 / hr, he accepted. »

Why was it important for you to benefit from the salary increase?

"The important thing for me was not the salary as such. Of some 15 Hours worked, the increase was about 11,25$. I believe first that if I agreed to do the work that union members are for less pay, My action would impact to weaken the union's position. There was also a question of dignity, Valais do I not as much as colleagues with tenure and a substantially equivalent work quality to mine? »

How Does the boss reacted to your action?

"I learned through my old workmates that the boss demanded that no more replacements by former workers of the chain. This decision affects me in a personal way, because even if I do not depended on this source of income, she sometimes allowed me to round the ends of month.

On the other hand, I think she will have a much more damaging effect on Frite Alors workers. Since the restaurant rolls with a small team, if someone falls ill or has to leave for some other reason, someone will necessarily take more quarters, which is sometimes impossible because of studies pursued several employees, or because others are already working 5 days per week or more.

In my opinion, this decision makes sense only if one puts in the context of the unionization of Frite Alors. The boss wants to attack the union, and it has already failed to go by the dismissal of a unionized. Therefore account try to go by the band by preventing workers to leave, and preventing a former colleague of them supporting the union to work with them. »

As of publication, we just learned that one of the union members just saw his name be removed from the schedule permanently to leave that, according to standard in force before the unionization process, would have had to be granted. Un.e représentant.e of the Local SITT-IWW today will try to get in touch with John about Jurdant. More news will follow.