It appears that Unifor hired a PI to take photos of scabs for a video they released on social media. Twitter screengrab
Canada's largest private sector union, Unifor, is making waves for a trashy video they produced and published to social media.
"Shameful", "repulsive", "disgusting", "unjustifiable", "a f**king embarrassment", "bullying, harassing and totally unacceptable" are some of the ways it's being described by their own members.
315,000 strong across Canada, they should all feel deep shame. This filth produced and released on their behalf has the potential to put the workers doxxed in it - "scabs", but still human beings - at risk of physical harm. There's no question that those named and shamed have already felt a hit emotionally.
Unifor should get back to the bargaining table and get a deal. They've clearly run out of ideas and decided to draw something oozing and wretched out of a toolbox generally reserved for cowardly bullies. Its people are suffering for this poor decision and the resolve to then double down on it.
Keith Baldrey and Catherine Urquhart of Global aren’t the only members expressing their disappointment online. Twitter screengrab
Unifor came out swinging after their video started making waves, using the defence that their members are the ones really being harmed here and that there was nothing left they could do.
They defended their "repulsive" video in a post to their website penned by Lana Payne, the union's Atlantic Regional Director. We'll refrain from sharing her home address, phone number, or PI photos of her eating a freezie outside of her office.
In her piece, Payne expressed the desperation they're feeling after nearly two years of the lockout that someone thought warranted doxxing people who crossed the picket line:
"Here is the reality – the company broke the law – twice. Both violations occurred after they initiated a lockout of our members. Then they hire scabs. Life goes on as usual for the company, while the lives of our members and their families are destroyed. Simply put – D-J Composites has gained advantage by breaking the law. That the government knows this, sees this, continues to let this happen and does nothing is unacceptable."
Lana Payne of Unifor seems to be one of the few people not ashamed of their union’s recent video. Photo Unifor
The video has been viewed more than 89,000 times on Twitter.
The one good thing that might come out of all of it is that the workers highlighted will hopefully take legal action and receive justice in one form or another.
Then perhaps Unifor will get back to actually trying to make a deal.
And maybe, just maybe, they'll listen to their membership who are clearly rising up in support of these scabs' simple rights as human beings.
To quote Payne, "Change happens because of courage". Sometimes it comes in the form of admitting you were wrong.
