1. Hardie is a printer who began working with Comox Printing in 1982. Comox operated in the Comox Valley area, including Campbell River, Courtenay and Parksville, all within a 50 kilometer radius of the print shop. At the time he was hired, he signed an employment agreement which included a provision that he would not work for a competing business nor disclose confidential information to anyone outside of Comox Printing anywhere in Western Canada or Washington State during his employment and for a period of 7 years after he ceased employment with Comox Printing. Over the years he was with the operation he became a key employee who had confidential information about the printing process that Comox Printing used which was unique and unknown to other printers. Hardie now has an opportunity to became a part-owner of an printshop in Kamloops and told his employer he was quitting. A year or so later, Hardie began to use the secret printing process in the Kamloops operation. His former employer discovered this and sued Hardie for breaching the above provisions of his employment contract with Comox Printing.
Will Comox Printing succeed? Discuss the issues.
2. Williams owned a chain of fast-food restaurants in Vancouver and Victoria. One day, union officials of local of Union 1234 of the Foodworkers Union urged several of Williams' employees to organize a bargaining unit to become unionized.
What must Williams do or not do to avoid unfair labour practices?