The United Steelworkers union has filed an application to the Canada Industrial Relations Board to represent more than 100 employees at eight TD Canada Trust branches in the greater Sudbury, Ont. area.

The TD employees at Elm St., Lasalle Blvd., Plaza 69, Frood Rd., Garson, Levack, Copper Cliff and Lively branches work as customer relations coordinators, customer service administrators, customer service representatives and officers, financial services officers and representatives, financial advisers, and sales and service administrators.

Under the Canada Labour Code, a union can be certified as the bargaining agent without going to a vote if support through signing union cards exceeds 50%. In a statement, the union said it could have applied earlier, but waited until there was “substantially more than 50% support”.

According the United Steelworkers Ontario/Atlantic Director Wayne Fraser, the result was an overwhelming majority in the Steelworkers’ favour.

“To have reached such a high level of support in such a short period of time is quite remarkable,” Fraser said. “TD Canada Trust employees want to address issues such as wages, benefits, pensions, sales objectives, seniority provisions, job security and health and safety.”

“These workers are professionals, who want to be treated and compensated accordingly,” Fraser said.

The United Steelworkers represents thousands of other financial services workers across Canada. In total, the union represents about 250,000 Canadian workers.