ALRB Finds Off-Site Warehouse Employees Not In Construction Industry

In an important win for construction employers in Alberta, the Alberta Labour Relations Board (the "Board") recently determined that an employer in the wind farm sector operating warehouse distribution centres, physically separate from the four wind farm construction projects that it supplied, was not in the construction industry pursuant to the definition of construction set out in Alberta's Labour Relations Code (the "Code").¹

This decision illustrates that warehousing operations, which are separate and independent from the construction site, will not be in the construction sector for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Background

In International Union of Operating Engineers, Local Union No. 955 v Omega Morgan Canada, Inc.², the Board considered four applications for certification by the International Union of Operating Engineers No. 955 (the "Union") respecting the Employer's operations at two distribution centres in Hanna, Alberta and Duchess,