CALGARY (CP) — Suncor Energy has won another victory in a years-long legal battle over random drug and alcohol testing at its northeastern Alberta oilsands sites.
Suncor started randomly testing staff in safety-sensitive jobs in 2012, but the union representing 3,400 of those workers called it an infringement of privacy.
An arbitration panel ruled in favour of Unifor, but that decision was quashed by the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench last year.
Unifor appealed, but the Alberta Court of Appeal has unanimously dismissed the union’s challenge.
The Appeal Court judges say they agree with the lower court that the matter should heard by a fresh arbitration panel.
A Suncor spokeswoman said the company is pleased because safety is one of its core values.
But Unifor called the Court of Appeal decision a gross violation of workers’ rights and vowed to continue its fight.
“We will take all available action to fight this abusive policy, including a potential motion to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada,” said Ken Smith, president of Unifor Local 707A.
