Cadillac Fairview "could not sink any lower"

    TORONTO, July 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Canadian real estate giant Cadillac
Fairview is "union busting" and "could not sink any lower" at its downtown
Toronto flagship property, the Toronto Dominion Centre, CEP Ontario VP Bob
Huget declared today.
    Tuesday, the company announced the mass termination of all of its
maintenance and skilled trades employees at the TD Centre. The 61 workers are
members of CEP Local 2003 and have been locked out by the company since June
14.
    Huget said that the workers are long term employees with an average of
more than 20 years service to the company. "A number of these people have
committed their entire working life to this employer and to be tossed out on
the street and terminated as if they had no rights whatsoever is simply
outrageous and we won't stand for it," said Huget. "This is nothing less than
union busting."
    Cadillac Fairview Corporation locked out the maintenance and skilled
trades employees in two bargaining units after tabling a "final offer" that
proposed to eliminate employees, force workers to re-apply for their jobs,
restrict union representation and undermine bargaining rights.
    After four weeks of a lockout, the company this week sent a letter to all
locked out employees stating that it is pleased with the contractor hired to
do the union members' work and is therefore terminating all 61 employees,
including those on sick leave and long term disability. "I didn't think this
company's tactics could sink any lower, but I am shocked by their actions,"
said Huget.
    Cadillac Fairview has assets of $16 billion dollars and is wholly owned
by the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. This last fiscal year was their most
lucrative ever with nearly a billion dollars in profit. Company properties
include the TD Centre, Eaton Centre, Pacific Centre and Sherway Gardens, to
name a few.
    The Union has filed bad faith bargaining charges at the Ontario Labour
Relations Board and hearings are scheduled for July 31, 2009.

For further information: Bob Huget, Vice President, Ontario Region,
[phone]; Zoran Grgar, CEP Representative, [phone]