On August 6, 2010, IATSE Local 680 filed an application for certification of Power Promotional Events, Inc. with the Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board. Power Promotional Events had been the major local promoter of outdoor concerts in the Halifax region, and over the past three years had promoted concerts as diverse as KISS, Keith Urban and the Black Eyed Peas.
Local 680 had supplied crew to all of Power’s events. The local filed the certification for the Country Rocks concert, headlined by Alan Jackson and Johnny Reid. The employer raised a number of legal challenges to the certification, resulting in hearings being held before the Nova Scotia Labour Relations. In its decision, dated May 12, 2011, the Labour Board found in favour of Local 680 on all issues in dispute. In finding that Power Promotional Events was the employer, the Board dismissed the assertion that the local was the employer and held that only those employees working on the date of application were entitled to participate in the representation vote. Following this decision, the ballot box was opened and the representation votes counted. All votes were cast in favour of the local, with no spoiled ballots, and the Board issued the certification on May 12, 2011.