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HAMILTON, ON, June 3 /CNW/ - An outdoor solidarity prayer vigil will be held this evening in support of Rev. Dr. Robert Matton, who faces termination by the United Church of Canada. CAW President Buzz Hargrove will also be in attendance joining members of the CAW & United Church Clergy Union organizing drive.

Supporters will then move inside the church to show support during the meeting of the Hamilton Presbytery, which will vote on ratifying Matton's congregation's decision to terminate his job.

Supporters (clergy, family, lay people and CAW members) of Matton will be in attendance, limited to approximately 20 people so as not to disrupt the proceedings.

Supporters will be easy to spot in blue T-shirts reading CAW & Clergy United.

Matton has been publicly criticized and censured by members of his pastoral charge for his open support of a union for United Church clergy.

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WHERE: Delta United Church, 47 Ottawa Street South, Hamilton, Ontario

WHEN: Today at 4:45 p.m. Presbyters will start arriving at 5 p.m. for a 5:30 p.m. dinner held inside the church.

WHY: To stand in solidarity with Matton against clergy abuse and the injustices committed by the church against clergy.
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At approximately 6:20 p.m., Matton's supporters will move inside the church to be with Matton for the Presbytery meeting. Matton and his partner, Lois, will both address the Presbytery court and speak about clergy abuse, injustice, the impact on the minister and his family, and the need for a clergy union.

Matton is not asking Presbyters to overturn his congregations' decision to terminate his job, but requesting that the Presbyters abstain from voting as a show of support. Presbytery is an open meeting.

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[ 03 June 2008: Message edited by: unionist ]

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Originally posted by Caissa:
I'm presuming its illegal in Ontario to fire someone for union activity.

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Yep, s. 72 of the Ontario Labour Relations Act:

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Employers not to interfere with employees’ rights

72. No employer, employers’ organization or person acting on behalf of an employer or an employers’ organization,

(a) shall refuse to employ or to continue to employ a person, or discriminate against a person in regard to employment or any term or condition of employment because the person was or is a member of a trade union or was or is exercising any other rights under this Act;

(b) shall impose any condition in a contract of employment or propose the imposition of any condition in a contract of employment that seeks to restrain an employee or a person seeking employment from becoming a member of a trade union or exercising any other rights under this Act; or

(c) shall seek by threat of dismissal, or by any other kind of threat, or by the imposition of a pecuniary or other penalty, or by any other means to compel an employee to become or refrain from becoming or to continue to be or to cease to be a member or officer or representative of a trade union or to cease to exercise any other rights under this Act. 1995, c. 1, Sched. A, s. 72.

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Who is the legal employer - the congregation, the Church?

Is there a reverse onus in Ontario law, i.e. does the employer have to prove they're firing him for some other reason?

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Originally posted by unionist:
Is this even viewed as an employment relationship under the law (of course it should be, but I don't know...)?

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Well, from my years as a church administrator, I know that the pastors and I were considered employees of the congregation, and our paycheques were like any other ones, with taxes taken out, EI, CPP and other premiums paid by the church, etc. We were employers.

Whether it's the congregation or the denomination that employs the minister, as far as I'm concerned, it's an employment situation. I am pretty sure that most churches don't have a "contracting" situation with their pastors. They're employees.