Labor and Employment Law Commons^™

Atlantic Pilotage Authority V Cmsg, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

INTRODUCTION. The "RESOLUTION OF CONTRACT RENEWAL DISPUTES AGREEMENT" of April 24, 2003 between the parties, under which I am proceeding here, provides: The purpose of this agreement is to establish a binding dispute resolution process to be utilized in circumstances where the parties have engaged in collective bargaining for the purpose of entering into a collective agreement but have failed to reach a settlement. Under such circumstances the following process shall be used to conclude all outstanding issues for the renewal of the collective agreement:

Re Cupe And Canadian Staff Union (Reynolds), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Employer posted a position located in Halifax. The Grievor was denied the position because he was not prepared to relocate to Halifax due to family responsibilities. The Union grievance alleged that the Employer breached the Collective Agreement which prohibits discrimination based on marital status and place of residence, and that the Grievor's request to commute should have been accommodated. The Employer believed the position needed to be located in Halifax and that commuting from Newfoundland would not be effective.

Re Halifax (Regional Municipality) And Halifax Professional Firefighters Assn Local 268 (Mackenzie), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Union and Grievor believe the Employer discriminated against the latter by not returning him to an agreed position after an absence due to illness. They also believe the Employer failed to accommodate the Grievor's return to the work. The remedy requested was a return to his former position, or to the agreed position after his illness, and damages. The Employer was concerned about both legal and moral issues in the event that the Grievor was not able to fully perform his duties.

Re Canada Post Corp And Cupw, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Union grieved that the Employer has not provided sunglasses to outside workers. The Union wishes a declaration that there was a breach of the Collective Agreement and the "Canada Labour Code" and also wants the Employer ordered to provide an allowance for the sunglasses. The Employer does not accept the Union's position.

Re Canada Post Corp And Cupw (Betts), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Union claims that the discharge of the Grievor was without sufficient cause. The Union raised a preliminary objection; stating that the letter of termination did not disclose sufficient reason to support dismissal. The Union also believed too much time had lapse between the offense and the discharge letter.

Re Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre And Nsgeu (P-05121), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

This is a union policy grievance regarding the Employer's approach to the compensation of employees for time lost on storm days. The Employer was compensating only if the time lost was for less than two hours. The Union believed that the Employer should pay for the first two hours. The Union seeks full redress, including retroactive compensation. The Employer agreed to the requested remedy if the Grievance is successful.

The grievance fails. The Union could not prove its interpretation of the relevant clauses of the Collective Agreement.

Re Canada Post Corp And Cupw (Bock), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

Union grievances, submitted on February 15, 2006, on behalf of Anita Bock and Earl Molyneaux alleging breach of the Collective Agreement between the parties bearing the expiry date January 31, 2007, in that the Employer violated Article 21.03 by unreasonably withholding special leave for February 1, 2006, when the Grievors did not report to work because of major snow storm. The Union sought an order that the Employer pay damages to compensate the Grievors for what they lost because they were not granted special leave with pay on that day.

Cupe, Local 805 V Prince Edward Island (Department Of Health), Innis Christie, B Crockett, Leonard Russell

Innis Christie Collection

The Union alleges that the Employer improperly set qualifications of a job posting which would favour a less senior employee, rather than the Grievor. Also, that the posting process was not fair and the Grievor had the required qualifications. As the senior employee she should be awarded the position.

Re Aliant Telecom Inc And Ac & Twu (Macdonald), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

Union Grievance 04-01, dated July 21, 2004, on behalf of the Grievor, Robert MacDonald, alleging that the Employer discharged the Grievor in violation of Article 2.1 of the Collective Agreement between the parties effective January 1, 1999 — January 1, 2002, which the parties agree is the Collective Agreement applicable here. At the outset of the hearing in this matter the parties agreed that I am properly seized of it, that I should remain seized after the issue of this award to deal with any matters arising from its application and that all time limits, either pre-or post-hearing, are waived. …

Re Sisters Of Saint Martha And Caw, Local 2017, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Grievor believes the Employer should apply the terms of the Labour Standards Code, instead of the less generous Collective Agreement, regarding holiday pay. The Employer paid holiday pay according to the Agreement and believes the grievance should be dismissed.

The grievance fails. The Code does not apply to the employees under the Agreement.

Re Provincial Health Services Authority And Peiupse, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

Grievance by the Union alleging wrongful dismissal of the Grievor, based on allegations of physical abuse of a patient in one of the Employer's health care facilities. The Union has requested pre-hearing production of various documents in the medical file of the patient who made the allegations. The Employer has refused production based mainly on the P.E.I. Mental Health Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. M-6.1. The parties have agreed that the whether the Employer can and should be ordered to produce the documents in issue is to be decided by the Chair of the Board of Arbitration estab­lished to deal with …

Re Provincial Health Services Authority And Cupe, Loc 805, Innis Christie, B Crockett, S Robinson

Innis Christie Collection

Grievance by the Union alleging breach of Article 20.1, and any other applicable articles, of the Collective Agreement between the Union and the Employer effective April 1, 2001 - March 31, 2004, which the parties agreed is the Collective Agreement that governs this matter, in that, when Ronald Smith, a Physio Aide, retired the Employer failed to post that position.

Re Provincial Health Services Authority And Peiupse, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

Grievance by the Union alleging wrongful dismissal of the Grievor, based on allegations of physical abuse of a patient in one of the Employer's health care facilities. The Union has requested pre­hearing production of various documents in the medical file of the patient who made the allegations. The Employer has refused pro­duction based on the P.E.I. Mental Health Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. M-6.1. The parties have agreed that the issue of whether the Employer can and should be ordered to produce the documents in issue is to be decided by the Chair of the Board of Arbitration estab­lished to deal …

Re Canada Post Corp And Cupw, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

A previous Grievance which alleged improper staffing was successful and resulted in an Award which required that the affected employees receive an offer for the positions they would have had if filled properly. The Arbitrator retained jurisdiction regarding the implementation of the Award. A subsequent hearing regarding the Grievor resulted in an order to offer her the position she had been denied. The Grievor accepted the position, but with her own conditions. This hearing is to consider if she accepted the position or, by adding conditions, rejected the offer.

Re Atlantic Pilotage Authority And Canadian Merchant Service Guild, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

Employee Grievances alleging breach of Article 27.05 of the Collective Agreement between the parties dated October 16, 2000, which the parties agreed is the Collective Agreement that governs this matter, in that the Union alleges that each of the Grievors was given notice of recall in accordance with Article 27.05, each was available for the ten-hour period as required and each submitted a request to be paid in accordance with Article 27.05, which was refused. The Union seeks an order that the Employer pay each Grievor at the rate of pay specified in Article 27.05.

Cupe, Local 3010 V Children's Aid Society Of Cape Breton, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Grievor was suspended and then terminated for culminating incidents of performance failures. The Union requests the Grievor be reinstated with full seniority and compensated for all lost pay and benefits.

The grievance succeeds in part. Discipline was appropriate to the situation, but termination was considered excessive in view of the Grievor's seniority and previous work record. The Grievor is reinstated, but without back pay due to the serious nature of the misconduct.

Nova Scotia Barristers' Society V Murrant, Innis Christie, B Wd Badley, Deborah E. Gillis, Kevin Patriquin, Charles T. Schafer

Innis Christie Collection

The Hearing Panel of the Hearing Subcommittee, empanelled by the Chair of the Hearing Subcommittee in accordance with Regulation 40 of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society Regulations (hereafter, "the Regulations") made under the authority in s. 59 of the Barristers and Solicitors Act, R.S.N.S 1989, as am. (hereafter, "the Act") to hear and decide this matter, consisted of:

Dr. B.W.D. Badley

Innis Christie, Q.C., Chair

Deborah E. Gillis, Q.C.

Kevin J. Patriquin

Dr. Charles T. Schafer

The Panel met to hear evidence and submissions by counsel on October 2 and 3, 2003. The Society was represented by …

Re Provincial Health Services Authority And Cupe, Loc 805, Innis Christie, B Crockett, S Robinson

Innis Christie Collection

Grievance by the Union alleging breach of Article 20.1, and any other applicable articles, of the Collective Agreement between the Union (and Locals 1051, 1778 and 1779) and West Prince Regional Authority, East Prince Health, Queens Region Health and Community Services, Southern Kings Regional Authority and Eastern Kings Health, effective April 1, 2001 — March 31, 2004, which the parties agreed is the Collective Agreement that governs this matter, in that, when a full-time cook resigned the Employer failed to post that position and instead posted three part-time cook positions to which it assigned essentially the same work. Those part-time …

Offshore Employment And Occupational Health And Safety Issues, John Macpherson

Dalhousie Law Journal

In Canada responsibility for regulating labour relations, employment and occupational health and safety matters is shared between the federal and provincial governments. In this paper the author describes the complexities of the legislative regime governing the Nova Scotia offshore. Specifically, he looks at section 157 of the Nova Scotia Accord Act (Canada), certification of workers offshore, and occupational health and safety legislation.

Occupational Health And Safety: The New Regime For The East Coast Offshore, Susan E. Gover

Dalhousie Law Journal

The Governments of Canada, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador are moving to enshrine existing offshore occupational health and safety (OHS) practices into the Atlantic Accord legislation governing the regulation of petroleum-related activity off the eastern coast of Canada. The proposed OHS amendments discussed in this paper are intended to provide a comprehensive legal framework to achieve the same kind of protection for offshore workers that onshore workers currently enjoy. Application of occupational health and safety laws in the offshore will be clarified so that these amendments, and not other federal or provincial OHS laws, will apply to any workplace …

Walking The Centre Line: Balancing An Employee's Right To Privacy In Drug And Alcohol Policies In The Atlantic Offshore Oil Industry, Harold Smith, Joseph Anthony

Dalhousie Law Journal

Should the principles applied to drug and alcohol testing on land be imported into the Atlantic offshore oil and gas industry? The authors take the position that there is room for the notion that the application of principles derived from safety sensitive land based industry ought not to be applied in a perfunctory or rote manner to the Atlantic offshore environment. The case law, since Entrop, shows a judicial tendency to apply the requirements established by the obiter dictum of Entrop. (Etrop dealt with safety sensitive but land-based industry.) The danger is that the principles, as developed by and since …

Key Issues In The New Regime Of Occupational Health And Safety: The Right To Refuse Work And Directors' And Officers' Liability, Jim Thistle, Matthew Clarke, Joshua Martin

Dalhousie Law Journal

This article examines the existing and proposed occupational health and safety regulatory regimes for oil and gas operations offshore Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador The article provides historical context for both the existing and the proposed regimes. Two specific areas of concern are analysed: the right to refuse work and directors' and officers' liability. For each issue, the author offers observations on the potential impacts that the implementation of proposed legislation will have on offshore oil and gas operations in these jurisdictions

Ibew, Local 2228 V Nav Canada, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Employer withheld the Grievor's pay and benefits owing under the salary continuation provision of the Agreement for a period of 12 days because of his refusal to sign a consent form required by the Employer's third party provider authorizing release of the Grievor's medical information to the provider. The Union does not dispute that the Employer had the right to require that the form be signed, nor the employer's having withheld the pay until the form was signed. The Union's position is that once the Grievor signed the form he was entitled to the pay being withheld. The Employer's …

Re Secunda Marine Services Ltd And Bradley, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

This is an appeal under Section 251.11 of the Canada Labour Code by the Employer, Secunda Marine Services Limited, against a payment order of November 4, 2002 by Paula F. Stagg, Inspector, ordering an additional 21 days of severance pay to the Complainant, Sherman Bradley, in the amount of $2943.15, less deductions permitted pursuant to paragraphs 254.1(2)(a), (b) and (e) of the Code. This is for severance pay covering the period worked December 2, 1988 to March 21, 2002, minus five days severance pay received by Mr. Bradley.

Re Aliant Telecom Inc And Ac&Twu, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

This is a policy grievance concerning the contracting out of work on two separate occasions. The Union wanted the Employer to stop contracting out work, and pay all damages. The Employer did not believe the work in question was protected from contracting out as outlined in two Letters of Intent that are part of the collective agreement.

The grievances fail. An examination of the negotiating history, nature of the work and the effect it had on the number of union positions support the Employer's position. The Letters of Intent did not cover the type of work which was contracted out. …

Re Saint John (City Of) And Saint John Fire Fighters' Association, Iaff Local 771 (Davidson), Innis Christie, G Lawson, A Levine

Innis Christie Collection

Union grievance on behalf of the Grievor alleging that he was hired and subsequently fired without due process, contrary to the 2001-2003 Collective Agreement between the parties, and seeking full redress. At the outset of the hearing in this matter the parties agreed that this Board of Arbitration is properly constituted and, sub­ject to the City's preliminary objection, properly seized of this matter. The City made a preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of this Board of Arbitration to hear this matter based on the allegation that the Grievor was never an employee of the City; i.e., that he was never …

Re Canada Post Corp And Cupw (078-00-00463), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Union grieves the Employer's failure to convert Part-Time Route 23 to a full time route, and staff the new route in accordance with the Agreement. The Union seeks an order that the Employer convert the route and grant full redress to all employees affected. The Employer takes the position that it is only required to carry out minor restructuring to bring Route 23 into conformity with limits on part-time routes. The Employer acknowledges that this should have been done seven months ago.

Re Iwk Health Centre And Nsnu (Kelsey), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Grievor was accused of inappropriate and unprofessional conduct by a Patient who was mentally ill. After the Employer's review the Grievor was discharged. The Grievor claims he is innocent and was terminated for unjust reasons. The Union requested that he be reinstated in the position he held and be compensated for all lost wages and benefits.

Re Halifax Regional School Board And Nsupe, Loc 2 (2-39-2001), Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

Union grievance filed October 11, 2001, alleging breach of Articles 6.01(b) and 10.03 of the Collective Agreement between the Employer and the Union in effect from January 1, 2001 to July 31, 2004, which the parties agreed is the relevant Collective Agreement for purposes of this matter, in that the Employer had violated Articles 6.01(b) and 10.03 and "has posted a number of jobs that do not specify the days of the week on which the work is to be carried out". At the hearing the Union sought a declaration of what it alleged was the proper interpretation of Article …

Re Caw-Canada, Local 2216 And Aca Co-Operative Ltd, Innis Christie

Innis Christie Collection

The Union claimed that the Grievor was unjustly suspended for four days, then unjustly discharged.

This is a consent award. The parties agree that the Grievor is to be reinstated, subject to certain conditions, and granted retroactive pay. The Arbitrator retains jurisdiction to deal with any grievances in respect of discipline against the Grievor for a period of one year from the date of the award.