Response to Thor Goodmanson

Dear Paladin Security Employee,

Thor Goodmanson recently sent you a letter that contains lies about UFCW Local 832 in an attempt to intimidate you away from choosing a Union. More importantly, he broke the law when he tried to intimidate you and lie about us, and we will be filing what’s called an Unfair Labour Practice against Paladin Security.

In response to Mr Goodmanson’s letter, we want you to know that, yes, we strongly believe you should join UFCW Local 832. We are a Union that has advocated for private-sector security guards for many years. We are very aware of the issues you face at your worksites, and we want to help you improve your wages, benefits and working conditions.

Back to the topic of the Unfair Labour Practice, the three major reasons why we will be filing with the Manitoba Labour Board against Paladin is:

  1. Thor Goodmanson is lying to you about our membership sign-up fee being $100. The actual UFCW 832 sign-up fee is only $5! And, you don’t pay this fee until after you vote yes to your first contract, months after you join the Union. Thor has worked at other security firms where UFCW Local 832 has members, he is very aware that our membership sign-up fee is not $100. This clear attempt at misinformation is not allowed under the law.

  2. Thor Goodmanson is threatening to remove your benefits if you decide to join a Union. Employers are not legally allowed to threaten or intimidate workers during a Union organizing drive. Threatening to remove your benefits is a clear attempt at interference and intimidation and cannot happen if the vote to join the Union is successful. With UFCW 832, we would push to improve your benefits and give you clear, enforceable language that clearly explains how to access them.
  3. Thor Goodmanson is implying that UFCW Local 832 is doing illegal activity.
    We are well within our rights as a Union to talk to workers like you about the problems you have at work and ask about interest in joining a Union. It is a common tactic for an employer to tell workers that Union activities are illegal.

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

If you vote Yes to joining a Union, there are legal protections that prevent your employer from making any changes or alterations to benefits and working conditions at your workplace for up to six months after the vote. After that time, changes would be made at the bargaining table in your first contract, and we would never agree to remove your benefits.

We also want to talk about a few other lies and issues contained within Mr. Goodmanson’s letter:

Lying about what Unions has always been a common tactic by employers who want to prevent their employees from gaining any fairness, rights or a voice within their workplace.

We hope this letter helps to dispel some of the lies that Thor Goodmanson has sent out. We want bring our experience working with security guards to your workplace to improve your conditions. If you have any questions, we would be happy to answer them.

Loreto Gutierrez, Union Organizer, UFCW Local 832
204-786-5055

loreto.gutierrez@ufcw832.com

Visit www.ufcw832.com/security to find out how you can join the Union!