:: rawblogXport ::

:: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 ::

New Canadian union outraged by U.S. International union serving legal action in Florida District Court to attempt to stop Canadian members of OPEIU from forming separate union Canada NewsWire
International sends process servers and staff to break up COPE Canadian union members' meetings to deliver writs against Canadian Executive

The Canadian Office and Professional Employees' Union (COPE) was formed June 20 after 74% of the Canadian members of the Office & Professional Employees' International Union (OPEIU) signed forms authorizing Canadian autonomy, a right that is contained in the OPEIU constitution. It has been recognized by the Canadian Labour Congress.

But on Tuesday, International union representatives accompanied by court process servers arrived at the Florida hotel where COPE members were meeting and attempted to serve writs on the union, bursting into a COPE membership meeting without permission or notice. The OPEIU legal action seeks a court order that the Canadian union's separation from the U.S. union be declared null and void and seeks damages against the individual executive members of COPE.

"We are absolutely outraged by the actions of the U.S. union in attempting to stop Canadian members from exercising their democratic right to separate and form a Canadian union," said COPE president Jerri New. "For OPEIU to try and have a Florida Court tell Canadian workers in Canada that they cannot form their own Canadian union is beneath contempt and illustrates why our members have strongly decided to separate from OPEIU."

posted 6:12 AM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

-------------------------------------------