Toronto-based coaches, instructors seek union representation
Personal coaches and class instructors at GoodLife Fitness say their current contracts just aren’t working out.
A group of employees at the gym chain’s Toronto-area locations are campaigning for union representation. The workers have expressed concern over low wages, non-compete clauses and a lack of injury insurance.
Workers United Canada Council, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), is seeking to represent the employees.
Large corporate gym chains like GoodLife are not typically unionized, said Tanya Ferguson, lead organizer for Workers United Canada Council. Because of this lack of representation, she said, the work being done by coaches and trainers has become increasingly precarious.
"It’s absolutely shocking that they do a physical job, they need to use their body every time they’re out there, and they have zero protection if they’re injured on the job," Ferguson said.
"You have people who are helping the general public meet their fitness goals and have a healthy lifestyle and they themselves have no sick days. They have no income protection if they’re hurt on the job."
According to the council, GoodLife instructors and trainers do not have injury insurance through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) because the fitness industry is exempt from mandatory contributions under WSIB.
Additionally, because many of the employees in question are part-time, they are not eligible for employment insurance.
GoodLife, however, responded to the union campaign by emphasizing the strength of its current programs and policies.
"The health and safety of our employees is a top priority for us," said Alana Free, GoodLife’s vice-president of people and culture.
"We have a health and safety division and a benefits program that we feel are the most important ways we can support our employees."
Free touted the company’s free first aid and CPR training, extensive elearning opportunities and recognition programming.
Concerning issues of injuries on the job, Free said GoodLife’s benefits plan provides medical coverage as well as coverage for paramedical practitioners and long-term disability coverage.
Ultimately, Free said, employees are encouraged to care for their own personal health and wellness.
But repetitive motion injuries represent a significant risk for these employees, said Workers United Canada Council researcher Navjeet Sidhu.
"It’s a very physical job," Sidhu said, adding that because coaches and instructors are often required to pay out-of-pocket for certification, uniforms and equipment, the loss of income as a result of injury can be all the more devastating.
Combined with GoodLife’s requirement employees not work at other fitness clubs or competitors, Sidhu said, an injury can be financially crippling.
The union is calling on GoodLife to abandon its "corporate jargon" and put its considerable muscle behind a better benefits package.
"One of the things that encourages a safe work environment is when the employer actually shares the responsibility of accidents and injuries," Ferguson said.
As far as a non-compete clause is concerned, Free said GoodLife employees are welcome to do any work outside of the chain that does not interfere with their position or their ability to do their job.
Stipulating that employees do not perform work at other fitness clubs or competitors is appropriate because of the highly competitive nature of the fitness industry, Free said, and not unusual.
"We are committed to providing a safe, secure and positive workplace for our employees. We welcome and encourage employee feedback and input and have made many positive changes as a result of this feedback," she said.
"We believe that our employees are able to speak for themselves, and do not need a third party to communicate with us on their behalf."
Step forward for industry
But Sidhu believes a union at GoodLife would be a huge step forward not just for those workers directly represented, but for fitness employees across Canada.
"Our campaign has been Toronto-based but since it was launched, we have received support from other GoodLife workers across the country," Sidhu said. "We definitely see this as a national issue. GoodLife is the largest fitness chain in Canada and one of the top chains in the world. The concept of a fitness professionals’ union is one we really want to realize in Canada. It would definitely be a first in the industry."
More firsts can be expected as unions continue to expand their perspectives, according to Roxanne Dubois, a representative of Unifor’s organizing department.
As an example, Dubois name-checked Unifor’s Community Chapters program, which allows employees who in the past would have been unable to unionize — including freelancers and contractors — to become members.
"There are more and more people in Canada who cannot organize in traditional ways," Dubois said. "Even in situations where there is no conventional workplace, workers still face all the same issues."
"Whether it’s health and safety, whether it’s job security, whether it’s respect and dignity, those things don’t only apply to the traditional workplace, as we’ve seen in Canada for many decades. Those issues also apply to employees working contracts, working part-time, working split-shifts and working in difficult employment situations."
As workplaces — and work overall — continue to evolve, Dubois said, the way employees, employers and unions interact and understand each other must also evolve.
