In what Craig Wood describes as an “important win for a small local union in Creston against a huge employer,” Interior Brewery Workers Local 308 has won an arbitration decision over prescription medication benefits.
A year ago, Wood said on Sunday, Columbia Brewery owner ABinbev, one of the world’s largest beverage producers, began to require employees use an online pharmacy for maintenance medications.
“The local union believed that this was a violation of its agreement with ABinbev based on privacy rights and having the choice to choose their own pharmacist taken away,” the Local 308 president said. “The union also took issue with not shopping local and taking more money out of the community.”
The dispute went to arbitration and employees got the word last week that their argument was successful on all points, including the intrusion into privacy.
“The arbitrator (Saunders) recognized that the privacy interests here are of the ‘highest order’ as they concern the privacy of one’s health information and one’s relationship with their professional health care provider. Saunders also awarded some damages to be paid to certain employees who testified at the hearing, which is rare.”
Woods said that global corporations work to erode workers’ rights and freedoms, and employees have to be vigilant in protecting their own interests.
“This arbitration decision is important for all workers in BC to hear in regards to the privacy violation and bringing money back into the hands of local businesses,” he said. “If companies like ABinbev keep trying to take away workers’ rights and freedoms without resistance the workers will eventually have nothing and all the profits will continue to leave the country.”
Woods said the union is also battling its employers removal of retirees’ beer entitlements, which were “bargained and agreed to by both parties.”
“But this (arbitration decision) is just a feel good story to the workers of Interior Brewery Workers Local 308,” he said.