Appeal court dismisses random drug tests
The Canadian Pressat 18:52 on November 28, 2012, EST.
EDMONTON - Alberta's top court has dismissed an appeal by Suncor Energy over its plan to randomly test thousands of its oilsands workers for drugs and alcohol.
Last October, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union won an injunction against the testing and a judge ordered the matter be settled by arbitration.
Suncor (TSX:SU) took the matter to the Alberta Court of Appeal, where two of three judges on a panel agreed to dismiss the case.
The union had argued random testing is an affront to basic human rights.
The company contends it's a matter of work-site safety.
A similar case involving the same union and Irving Pulp and Paper Ltd. in New Brunswick is to go before the Supreme Court of Canada on Dec. 7.
