HomeMy WebLinkAboutUnion 89-11-15HEADNOTE
OPSEU File No. 87Z644
OPSEU Local 110
Article (s)
UNION (OPSEU) vs. Fanshawe College
Award dated 15 November 1989 (H.D. Brown) Re: G. Kapp
The academic bargaining unit filed a Union grievance alleging
that a technician in the electronic general servicing program
had assumed quasi teaching duties and that he should be treated
as a teaching master.
The Arbitrator found that although the technician had in fact
performed such quasi teaching duties in the past, he was told
by the Chairman to stop this when his position was reviewed
upon implementation of the new classification system for
support staff in 1986.
The Union argued that notwithstanding the Chairman's
instructions, the new job description for the technician was
ambiguous and the technician continued to perform teaching
functions in the interest of the program, from which the
College was the beneficiary. The Arbitrator rejected this
submission, noting the evidence of the technician on cross
examination that he pushed his interpretation of the words in
the job description to the limit in order to make the job more
interesting for himself.
The Fanshawe College decision of G. Brent, 1987, is
distinguished because of the clarity of the employer's
instructions in this case that the technician desist from his
quasi teaching functions. Grievance denied.
IN THE MATTEIq C}e' Arq ARBITRATION
BETWEEN: ~'ANSHAWE COLLEGE
(The College)
AND: ONTARIO PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES UNION
(The Union)
AND IN THE MATTER OF A UNION GRIEVANCE (OPSEU ~87Z644)
BOARD DF' ARBITRATION: HOWARD D. BROWN, CHAIRMAN
J. McMANUS, UNION NOMINEE
JANET SLONE-TAYLOR, COLLEGE NOMINEE
APPEARANCES FOR THE
COLLEGE: BRENDA BONLBY, COUNSEL
D. BUSCHE, ASST. DIREUTOR H.R.
N. PROKOS, CMA£RMAN, ELECTRICAL DIV.
APPEARANCES FOR THE
UNION: G.A. RICHARDS, ~iEVANCE OFFICER
G. FORDYCE, CH±E~~ STEP, ART, LOCAL 110
G. KAPP
D. HOWARD
HEARINGS IN THIS MATTER WERE HEL~ AT LONDON ON OCTOBER 18TH,
1988 AND JUNE 15TH, 1989.
AWARD
'I'Ve Union c±alms that George Kapp, classl~ea as
a Technician by the College, was performing teaching duties
and s~oula nave Deen classitied as a full t~me 'reaching
Master with salary ana benefits in accordance with that
position wnlcn would be covered by the academic bargaining
unit. The Union seeks payment of the Union dues to which
it is ent~t±e~ un~er this claim. The Employer's position
was that the position pertormed by Mr. Kapp was "most
closely associated with the support staff bargaining
unit and not the acaaemlc oargaining unit" and denied the
grievance. '£ne ma~ter was subsequently reterre~ ~o
arbitration pursuant to the terms ot the Collec~lv~
Agreement in ettec~ uetw~en the parties and came on ~or
~Iearlng as above noted. There is no dispute Desween ~ne
parties as to the jurisGlcs~on ot the Board in this
matter.
The grievance is dated October 2nd, 19~/ a~ WhiCh
time ~r. Kapp was 5ne incumbent in the position o~
Technician w~icn reports .to the Chairman, Electrical -
Electronics 'recnnology. He vacated the position at the
end of that year ano Mr. ~oward became the Technician in
3anuary 198~ WhO continued with the duties of that position.
The College took the position that the extension of t~e
Union's grievance to lnc±ude Mr. Howard was inappropriate
as the grievance related to Mr. Kapp who had also tllea
a grievance claiming re-classification to Technologlss.
The Employer submitted that it was the individual involved
whose position was at issue as to what bargaining unit it
belonged, se~ore that was determined, Mr. Kapp transferred
into another support staff position after the grievance
was filed.
The BoarG ruled at the hearing that it would proceeG
to aea± wl~n ~ne grievance ~iled ~ith it as to the
position held by Mr. ~app and the issue of whether that
position is in the academic bargaining unit as c±almeG Dy
the. Union as grievance. Yne ~oard will determine that
~ssue an~ reserve its jurisdiction wltn regarc to t~e
Getermination of any remedy snou±G that grievance be
successful.
~lr. ~app has been classified as a Tecnnlclan
since 1975 ant nas peen employed in the Electronfcs
General Servicing ~rogram where he worked until January
±9~E when ~e applleG ~or another Technician position
eisew~]ere, but as o~ c~ Ga~e o£ ~earing, was classitleG
as a '£echnician B in the Electronics area
associated with the program. In hiS present job he
maintains and services equipment anG nas no involvement with
students. At the time of the grievance he was working
as a 'technician in the program under the Glrection of the
co-Ordinator, Mr. Peters, Teaching Master, who also had
Tecnnologist working with him. The stuaenns in the program
are involved in studying the servicing of electronic
equipment in a 48 week course. The theory which involves
reading an instruction is given Dy Znsnructors in lectures
aha auclo presentations. On average there were 15 students
in Phase I - Basic Electronics. '£ne students are taken
in through [~anpower Re-Training are fee payers. There
are tcur periods in a day which are ~:uu a.m. to 2:30 p.m.,
~londay - Thursday and to 12:3u p.m. on Friday. Their
snucen~s are taught in a lab which has two work benches
and desks. Mr. Kapp said the students would be with him for
about ~5~ in a typical day, the balance with tne Teaching
2~ast~r and some time on sel~ stuGy. The students have two
text books and material written by the stair. They use audio
an~ video presentations which the stuaents discuss with the
neacner and himself about equally.
'me nanG-outs to the students were autnorzzeG Dy the
Instructor before Kapp became involved in the program but
were revised and re-written by both or them. ne sal~ his
job involved a co-operative arrangement between
nimseit anG the 'reaching !±aster in deciding the
~articular subject area for the courses. Sim~±arl±y,
riley shared the responsibility for the tapes, some of
which lie proGuced himself and said there was very ±lttle
input from the teacher on those tapes. He reports to the
Chairman o~ the Division, Mr. Prokas, ana aeals with the
Teaching Master on a daily basis as ne said the Chairman
has very little involvement as to their shared
responsibilities in the production ot tnese materials.
tie said the answers o~ the students in writing are
studied jointly Dy nlm and the instructor and are
correcteG Dy wnoever is available. If the teacner was
lecturing, than he woula respond to the questions of
the scuaents, but if the instructor was available and
the group needed his controL, ne would make those directions.
The Gucles were divided daily between them. as Gue to
the nature of the course advance notice is not possible as
stucenns work at their own pace. They do their own reading
and t~en attend a lecture, tne nime ~or which they choose.
As well, he conducted lectures Eot about B years
ouu ~on at t~e time o~ t~e grievance as ~r. ~ro~os had
told him in the Fall oz ±~ that oecause of the new
Collective Agreement, instructing was no longer par~ o~
i~is jo~.
[Ir. Kapp supervise~ tne students' progress in
the lab and monitored those results. He helped them
~.;~n nnelr problems and answered their quesn~ons. The
outline for Basic ElectronIcs unit No. 10 was typeG Dy
h~m tot cne course, prepared by t~m and t~e ~reacn~ng
?[aster. It was also re-written to suit their needs.
Both he and the lns%ructor prepared tests and, depena~g
on WhO is aval±aD~, ~amlnlstered them to the students.
He rea~ tne resu~ ~ scored the test. He discussed
the progress of students wl~n them.
Me sa~u uur~ng t~e re-classi~icatlon.pruc~uu£e
in the College ne nag an input in the joD description
(Exhibit 4) w~lcn wa~ approved by Management. The
position su~uary zs:
"Under general supervlszon of the Chairman,
provides technical suppor5 and guidance
to the '£'eacn~ng ~4aster responsible tot
the Electronic General Serv~czng Frogram
Dy supervising and maintaining the conuroi
o~ Laboratory equipment and supplies.
~u~ports the learning environm~n~ Dy
oemonsurating use o~ equiment and the
design and preparation ot lear~g
[.[r. Kapp said t~at descr~puzon omitted the maintenance
ccn%acu with students by t~e Technician out emphasized the
control ot ecuipment which he said was a minor part o[ the
3o0. zne curies and responsibilities ±l~uuc in the job
cescri')tlon are:
I - bupe['vlse LaD Projects
2 - Assistin:j in hanging out, monitoring
and scoring oE uesus, check
stuGen5 attendance and maintain
records
3 - Develops and produces ay materials
and computer programs for teaching
and testing aids Dy producing video
and audio tapes
- 6 -
4 - A£ter ~lscussion ~ith the Teaching
~Iaster, designs ann assists in
preparation o£ n~wly revised lab
methods anG proceGures. Selects
tests and evaluates new equipment,
researches new equipment and/or
materials. Arranges tot personal
supplies by preparing purchase
requisitions and maintains inventory
5 - 5cneau±es use of facilities, maintains
and controls reference library in shop
anG tool and equipment loans."
· £ne first subsection refers to the ~emonstration of proper
use of equipment and to "assist ssuGents in solving
proD±ems on the operation of equipment" WhiCh ne saiC
took about hat~ of his time Du% was ~alrly accurate as to
~ls 3o~. ~ne balance o~ that subsection is
"aemonstrate use of acquired know±eGge
no effectively trouble shoot various hypes
of complex electronic circuits and equipment.
£4aintain or supervise repair and maintenance
of equipment by stuGen5s. Supervise
construction oz new equipment by students."
Than 2oD Gescr~ption was dated November 19U7. The prior
job description for 'l'ecnnlczan, which was in place at the
time o~ the grievance, being dated November 19~, was
subject of his grievance in %ne claim for re-classification
to Teci~nologlst, the specific parts of which were ag~eee
with [.Ir. Prokas with nse exception of the designation
of Tecl]nlclan B rather than in the Technologist raml±y
of jobs. In the process oz than 3oD description, he
acknowledged that ~Ir. Prokas had to±c nlm that he was
not to teach and has not done any torma± ±ecturing since
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that time. The suDsequent job description resulted trom
the same process and nas little difference in it and aoes
not refer to actual ~eacnlng.
In tne absence st the Teaching [4aster,
;4r. Knapp said the he had Deen appointed as a
sessional teacher to relieve ~lm in ~ne course and another
support start was appointed as Tecnnlcian s ~or that
period. Because st his experience as a Technician and by
teacnlKlg ~e course, he said i~ he was llml~U ~o ~ne
exact duties of his 3o0 description it would not have
Seen as interesulng and took on more of the duties wltn
the students Enan the job description indicateo. 'me
Teaching ~4aster wlun whom ne worked closely in Phase I
was responsible tot the program, defined the oo3ecnlves
and prepared the course ma=erzal which he approved for
use Dy the s~uuenns. As part st the continuing nature o~ the
course and his famil~arlny with it, while he agreed that tne
Teaching masner zs responsible to teach the course anu
his role was to give tecnn~cal support, he became more
~nvolved with the students in the course.-
'mu ~'uacning }-~aster lectured the stucenus
in groups, the others would be in the Lab anu ne
would deal with their equlpmunu problems and would
assist the students with their sate operation %.;hich
is ~ne si his responsibilities along wz~n selling
them how the equipment works anG how to use it. He said
~nat he had agreed to the removal ot the reEerence to
teaching from the job description as ~ was qualified
as support staf~ and in that capaclny was deemed not to
neacn anG would not re-classify him as a neacner. The
teaching was then to be perzormeG Dy the Teaching Master
and ne covere~ the Oest he could with t~e llm~na~o~]s
imposed, but took aGvantage ot what was in the jOD
Jescription anG pusne~ it to the limits he could in
ceallng wlt~ the students. He was not aware ~nat Mr.
Prokos monitored him or the course.
[4r. t'oroyce, Chief Steward in the academic
Local bargaining unit anG a £'uacnlng [laster since 19~0,
'..~as cai±et as a witness Dy the Union. An ou3ecnzon was
mace ~y ~{s. Bowlby as to the re±evance of his evidence to
5ne zssue. The Board reserved its deczs~on an the hearing
as to t~e object,on and ~earO 5ne evauence. The Board
nas now i~ad an opportunity to cons~Ger the evidence in
re±~Lzon to the cause ot action and tlnos u~an n~e
evidence sought to De znnroouceC Oy Mr. Fordyce in these
3roceeolngs zs not relevant to the status ot ~]r. mapp
in the Electronzcs program. He did not have personal
know, ledge ot the ~u~zes performed by ~r. Kapp in that
area, nor a~ ne Know ho%~ the Technicians were useG 1~%
the Electronic Division w~ece ne nad not worked, but
~annor was lnvolveG in the ~noGitieG apprentlces~ip
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program at the College. As His evzu~nce aoes not have
proDltlve value, the Boar~ has ~zsregaraed His evidence
~n ~ns consideration of its award. '£ne oosection of the
College is allowed.
~.lr. ~rokos is the Chairman of the Elecnrlcal -
Electronics Dzvzslon and manages the Electronics
General Servicing program which runs between 4~ anG ~z
weeks with a conulnuous student intake in groups o~ 3 - D
monthly intervals. ~n~ ~u~ents work thelr own way
ti%rough mouu±es, theory and printed materials along w~tl]
other media aids. '£ney may nave group lectures or
ln~!vl~ua± assistance of the Teaching Master. 'l'ne students
co :practical LaD work ~o rez~£urce the theory and to develop
practzcal SKiI±S. The Teaching [4aster deals wzun small
groups of students as =ney are at various steps of the
program, in that regard it is essential to re±zeve the
instructor ot any routine mechanical activities which are
not strictly teaching in the individuallzeG learning
situation so that the teacher can uevote himself to the
smaller group of students as requ~rea although other
activities are delegated to a Tecnnlclan, who assists the
proGuction of the packages preparea sy 5ne instructor.
'rae Technician makes the equipment available to the
stuGents and ensures that equ~pmenu an~ supplies are
avazzaDle. He is responsible tot the ~a£n~enance o[
that equipment ano 5or une orGering of supplies as
requirea. 1~ a stuGent has difficulty with equipment or.
needs guidance, it is within the Technician's scope to
provide such gulGance and to demonstrate the correct
operation os the equipment and is responsible Eot nne
safety in the Lab. When a snuaent is ready to write a
test, he can obtain it from the Tecnnlclan who would
supervise the test and score the paper using the standard
answer sheets and help tabulate tne ssuaents progress
nnrough the course.
Mr. Prokos sai~ 5na~ in ±986 when the job
cescrlutions were being discussed, ne was concerned with
%~nat ~4r. Kapp had told him that ne nag peen lecturing.
~r. Prokos took the opportunIty ~o make it clear to him
%nat it was not in his job description an~ ne ShOUld
restrict himself to the ~emonstration of equipment anG
to those ac%ivlties in the job description. He sazG ne
followed up with these instructions with the Teaching
~asters to make sure they understood the limitation o[
~.[r. Kapp's role ~n the Learning Centre. He said that ne
had not previously oeen aware that [4r. Kapp had been
instrucnlng and had not authorized him to do so other
than when he had been appolnne~ as a sessional replacement
for the Teaching Master and another Technician replaced
him. Mr. Prokos sai~ that in was clear that when i~r. Kapp
reverne~ to the Technician position, he wouz~ stop ~he
extra duties which woulG De those ot the Teaching [.laster
and not in accora with the Technician position. ,e ae±eted
all references to teaching in the 3ob description, dated
>~ovemDer l~uo, and instructed Mr. Kapp to restrict his
work to the duties in than aescription after which He did
not do any%ning which was teaching to his Rnowieage.
was not aware that Mr. ~app took up questions ot students
in the LaDs nor ~evlsing questions for tests ~or ~a~ng
them up or being ~nvolved in course materials. He
understood that mucn o~ ~ne work would be updating existing
material as it is part o~ the Technician's responsibl±~y
to produce packages ~or teaching under the direction
the instructor for the purposes of the students program.
The intent of the ~o±lege was to have the Technician
supporting tne Teaching Master and to relieve the teacner
of the more routine aamlnlstrative type of work so that
the teacher could devote himself to lecturing ana
managing the learning of t~e stuGents in the Learning
Centre anJ to allow the instructor to provlGe an individual
service to the students as necessary in the Continuous
intake Program.
~r. Prokos said the reference to "supervise Lab
~roject" in the job description nas a range of application
znclu~zng such things as attendance recorGs anG other
clerical functions and some role as to answering student
questions zn completing the Lab and the use or equzpment.
Under the direction of the Teaching ~laster the Technician
COUIG use Giagrams and prepare an exercise ko De Gone in the
LaD Dut that is the responsibi±l~y os tne Teaching Master,
a±snough both have a significant involvement in Labs.
The Technician demonstrates the use o£ ~quipment to the
stu~enss and the application of the equipment which is
reterred to in the lectures in c±ass. The Technician has a
vlLa± ro±e in their learning of safety requirements in
dealing with the equipment. Tne '£echnician prepares audio
tapes anG operates the camera and coulc prepare the script
along with the instructor. The research involved in the
3ou aeals with equipment and not teaching aria reters
to sDecitications ot equlpmen[ anG aval±aDility ~or the
cours~ requirements.
The purpose ot t~e LaD lS ~0 proviGe
practical exercises to the stuGents as to the theory
rece~vec ~n ~ne lectures and to reinforce t~a~
theory. ~4ucn o~ their time is in the Lab where they Geveiop
their practica± sKl±~. £ne G~scuss~ons at t~e LaDs
~nvolv~ managing the learning process ant snoulG De
L~r~ormed Dy the instructor ana ~nrougn the other resources
ava~±aD±e to them. He said it %.;ou±d De Improper tor
a Technician to lecture stuGenss.
'l'ne program has Deen successZul because
experienceG people invoiveG ~n ~ne program working
as a team have responded to t~e r~Gs os t~e students.
In ~olng so, the Technician does not carry our ~eaching
functions as Mr. Kapp hag Gone until he had instructed
him no~ to. sr. Prokos said he ~requently visits
these areas anG observes the classes and what is
going on in the program. ~e nag not seen ~4r. Kapp do
any teaching. The Technician does no~ ana±ys0 the test
results but only takes them up ana scores them. He said
there was no intent at any time to re-classify Mr. Kapp
wnen ~ne job descrition was prepareG anG in confirmation
o~ ~s duties as a Technician, Mr. ~app was instructed
not to teach.
The Union claims that wna~ mr. ~app did was
substantially teaching and the Co±lege was aware ot it.
In ~s submission the overlapping duties o~ the job
supports its claim 5nat it talls within the class
~efinition oE '~eacn~ng Master. It does not require tna~
an employee must persorm all of the tasks to fail'within
a particular 3o0 aescrlption and in that regard relleG on
the duties set torsn ~n Doth job descriptions in suppor%
of its claim that ~nls position involved teaching which
for this program is a co-'operative teaching process. 'me
orientation ot the 'recnnician's position is teaching rasher
than support unlike the ]ob evaluation guidance chart
defining the Tecnnlcian job family. It was submitteo that
the responsibility of t~%e grlevor went beyond the Technician
de[lnlnlon, it was submitted that the job descrIption in
1986 was ambiguous ana a~nnough Mr. Kapp was told by
~Ir. Pro;~os not to teach, his continuing activities included
teaching duties and what ne ola unoer that job description
Ooaroea on academic as there was sufficient E±exlbility in
the job description for that purpose. It was submitted
that na~ Mr. Kapp's activities been closely restricted, as
suggested by Mr. Prokos, the et~ec~veness of the program
~oulG ~ave Peen reduced for the stuGents WhO took advantage
oz Mr. Kapp's experience in that program rather than
wa~nlng for the Teaching Master to Gea± with their problems.
Me£erence was made to Re Fanshawe ~oz±ege anO OPSEU
[unreported - Brent, April 1987). '£ne Un~on seeks
recognition of Mr. Kapp as a ~u±£ t~me Teaching [4aster in
the acaGemlc bargaining unit from 1986 to tne uate ne left
the program.
The suOmzss~on zor the College is that the Un~on
must estao±~sn ~nat Mr. Kapp was engaged Dy t~e co~±~ge
as a teacher and performing those duties as a direction
and therefore fell within the academic bargaznlng unit.
The intent of the College was that ~{r. Kapp worked as a
TechnicIan to provide support services to the Teaching
[:aster in the program. He performed the core duties o£
the oez~nition of a Technician. It was suomltted that
[4r. Kapp conceded that his teacn~ng role was beyond what
requ~rec Dy t~e College an~ t~e lnstruc~o~ o~ ~r. Pro,os.
- 15 -
The Teaching Master is responslD±e to define course
oD3ec~lves and to prepare and approve course materials and
is responsible for the teaching os the course. Mr. Kapp's
ro±e was technical support for the Teacn~ng Master as
particularly set out'in both 3oo aescriptions.
Itis duties are within tne '£ecnnician definition.
It was suDm~5~ed that Mr. Prokos did not ignore wna~
the grievor was aolng in the interest of the et~iciency
of the course, DU~ ra~ner he clearly instructed Mr. ~app
not to do teaching and to carry on as a Technician ana no~
perform the duties os ~ne '~eaching Master who was responslD±e
for teaching the course.
In t~e ~'ansnawe College awar~, referred to
above, the Union grieved that Co-op ssuGents hired to
work ~n a Lab were performing teaching ~unctions and should
se recognized as members o~ the bargaIning unit. It was
argued by the College in that case tna~ assistance to
students with problems may "arguably be teaching, .the
core [unc%~on of the position is not teacn~ng.'~ '£ne
Board referred to the G~sslnction between employees in
the acaGemlc oargaining unit and support staE5 bargaining
unit ~ollow~ng trom ~n~ C0±±ective Agreement and t~e
College's ~o±±ect~ve Bargaining Act. The BoarG s~aseG at
page 12:
"All of the cases c~teG ~o us %~hich dealt
with teaching hours recognized implicitly
if not explicit±y, Dy the teacher as
- 16 -
someone whose primary or core function
is teaching. We ao not consider that
there has been any [unGamental disagreement
about that among the arbitrators who have
conslaered what teaching is in the context
os trying to determine whether someone who
nas agreed to be a teacher, is engageG in
the teacnlng hour. Whatever else a teacher
may be or do, her - his prime Eunctlon
is to be the numan instrument of instruction
relating to the course curriculum which.
has been determined by the College . . ·
If the evidence haa snown that the intent
of the College was to place an employee
in the Lab who WOUIG De tnere to deal
with student problems in relation to the
course content, ~nen it is likely that
such a person coula De considered to be
a teacher. It is acknowledged in arbitral
jurisprudence that an employee who exceeds
the requirements of the job without the
authority of Management cannot claim
re-classification as a result . . .
So long as the duties o~ tne Tecnnician
in connecslon with the introduction of
the students to the LaD anG assisting
students is confined to the use of the
equipment found in the LaD rather than
to be the resolution of problems with
the course content, then even though
this may involve instruction or assistance
in how to use the equipmens, ~t ls the
sort of instruction which is not inconsistent
w~tn a Technician's duties in relation to
sa~e guarding and maintaining the equipment
found in the Lab . · ."
In tha~ case the Board found that the difficulty
whici% gave rise to Glspute was in the failure to the Colleg~
to ~ive specific instructions as to the scope o~ duties.
This case supports ~ne College's position in the presen~
~ispute ~ut we no%e 5nat the facts here are stronger than
that which was Gealt with by by the Brent Board because
the evidence is clear ~or sr. Kapp and ~r. Prokos that
- 17 -
aerlnl~e and clear instructions were given Dy Mr. Prokos to
Kapp in 1986 not to do any ~eacnlng in the Lab. That
instruction was given when discussions took p£ace concerning
ti%e re-classification of positions in the College and when
Mr. Frokos first became aware that Mr. ~app had been
conducting lectures or in e~ect teaching in the Lab
and assisting the Teaching Master in that regarG. ~nen
that came to Mr. Prokos attention, Mr. Kapp's practice was
stoppe~ Dy a clear direction. Mr. Kapp acKnow±eaged that he
old in fact stop teaching after tna~ Glrection was given to
nlm. ~r. Kapp's only subsequent teacnlng Guties arose when
ne replaced the Teaching Master in hiS aDsence and was
appointed as a sessional teacher anG supported by a
replacement Technician.
we ~ind on the evidence that it was never
the intention of the College to assign teaching
duties to the Technician in ~ne Lab. Mr. Kapp
acknowledged that he pushed the interpretation of the
3oD ~escription whether the first or ±a~er of such is
considered, to do those things which he felt would make
the 3OD more ~nteresting to him. With his background
of experience in the Geveiopment of this course and as
well teaching ~n a replacement capacity, there is no
doubt ot his aDl±ity as an individual to perform ~ne
tasks w~ic~ ~e took on n~mse±E in assisting students in
the LaD uy ~nstructions and mini lectures. The position
- 18 -
however, which is at issue, is ~nat ota Technician B
and that must be examined in t~e context of the job
aescrlptlon in et£ect in 1986 from which ~ne grievance
arose and the job evaluation gulae chart. The Technician
is GescrlOed as a job family as follows:
"'~nls Eamily covers positions of employees
waose major responsibilities involve the
care, maintenance, set up operation,
demonstration, distriDu~lon anG security
of instruct~ona± anG allied equipment
and materials ana nne preparation of
materials for use in lnsnructional programs
and admin~snran~ve services. This ~amily
also covers position in plaht mamnnenance
Geparnments involving the planning, ±ay-out
anG speclz~cations ~or alterations and
adGltions t? existing ~acl±mnzes."
The summary of the respons~Ollity of a Technician B
in tl~at cnar~ Is:
"Fosltion incumbents perform a var~eny o~
technical nasKs in the maintenance operation'
and demonstration o~ nn~ College's ~acllities
anG equipment.
- Frovides technical support ~n ma~[a~ning
ant operating equipment;
- ~monstrates correct techniques Eo~ c~ use
ot materials and equipment;
- ~ens up and performs a wide range o~
experlmenns;
- Haintains equipment recorGs and undertakes
trouble shoo~lng anG repair work;
- Ci%ecks student acslvzny"
The evidence or ~r. Kapp concerning his specific
- 19 -
duties and the comparison o~ that evidence with the
requirements o~ the job description ~its in the ma]orlty
those requirements os a £ecnnlcian B in that guide.
Mr. ~app aid provide technical support in ~ne course in
assisting the Teaching Master. ~e ~id demonstrate correct
tecnnlques to the students and was responsible for the
safe use of such equipment. ~e GiG repair work, maintained
equipment an~ checked the student activity, ail os ~nese
duties are consistent WlLn ~ne outies set out in the
3OD Gescription and more particularly expanGeG in the
subsequent job description re~erreG in detail above.
%-~e rind that the core duties o~ mr. Kapp were not
tna~ o~ ~acnlng nor were such assignments ma~e ~o nlm but
that his duties ~ell wlsnln the tour corners of the
requirements os the technician's position set ~orsn ~n the
job description, an employee cannot be found to have
unilaterally upgraGed his classified position Dy
assuming tasks wn~cn were in excess of his joD requirements
~
anG not authorizeG Dy ~ne College. ~.~r. Kapp had, at ±eas~
prior to 1986, exceeded the job requirements by the ~orm
of instruction to stuaents which he undertook in the LaD
Dut Dy doing so exceeGed ~he Technician B job description
~n which he was properly slotted. By unilateral assumpslon
ot those lnssructlonal duties he could not torce n~s
re-c±ass~t~catlon ~o a n~gner level by the College.
- 20 -
A '£eacnlng master is involved with teaching
course conEent to students ot assigned courses aha
carries out regularly scneauled instruction to them
along with other duties as set tor~n in the Class
ue~lnltion. While some of the aspects or mr. Kapp's
duties in the Lab had an instructional purpose, which to
some extent could be found to overlap the GUileS O~ a
Teaching Master such as deve±oplng instructional materials
anG meala presentations and evaluating s~u~en~ progress,
~nose duties were as acKnowledgeG Dy ~r. ~app, done under the
general direction o~ the Teaching ~as~er w~o was responsible
~or tne courses in the program. ~.;e finG tnat the type of
~nstructions given by Mr. Kapp ~n cne circumstances ot this
case, are such which fall within the Technician 3OD ~am~ly
requirements and t~at ne ~l~ no~ pertorm the core duties ota
Teaching ~aster set out in the Class Detinitlon ~or ~nat
classification.
The evl~nce is clear that Hr. Kapp's primary or
core function was not ueacnin§ course content to students.
It was made c£ear ~o ~im that the College requirements and
its perception of his pos~u~on was that of a Technician and
was to prov~Ge technical support to the Teacnzng master
in the course.
~.~e do not accepu u~e submission ot the Union that
[~r. FroKos ignored what ~..lr. Kap~) was ooing in
interests of the program. On ~ne contrary, Mr. Prokos
very clearly brought the instructional activities of
~r. Kapp to an end at the first opportunity to do so
atter he learned o~ those ac%lvl~les. The 3oD description
re~±ec~s nls direction as there is no requirement ~or
teaching contained in eisner the initial or revised job
descriptIons. The preparation of learning packages is
within ~ne Tecnnician B job description.
While some of the words useG in the description
o[ the job duties may lead to the dicussion ot gray areas,
as set out in the evidence, Mr. Kapp sa~ ne was pushing
the interpretation of these worGs ~or his own use to make
~ne course more interesting for him. '~ne "pushing" or
straining the meaning of worGs ~n a 3oD description does
no~ 3us~l~y a claim ~or re-classification wnen taken in
the context ok the job definition and requirements of the
Col£e~. '~'ne duti~ referring to instruction are in the
context of maintaining tecnn~ca± support as contemplated
in tne Gemonstration o~ equipment referreG to ~n the job
family definition.
T~ere wa's no authorization given by t~e ~o±±ege to
~lr. Kapp at any time to perform ~nstructional duties beyond
t~e requirements ot the technician's 3OD ~scrlp~lon. T~e
evidence establishes that Mr. ~app's duties did not tail
Within t~e Class Definition of a Teaching ~aster. The
College intent was clear in these circumstances that a
Tecnnlclan was required to give technical support to
the Teaching Master who was responsible ~or this program
an~ tne duties and responsibilities in tna~ progr,am
Mr. Kapp were limited to the requirements of a Technician B
as aetined. What Mr. Kapp did was to expand his
responsibilities by taking on some o~ ~ne lnG±cia of a
teacher but by doing so ~nere was no basis for re-
classitlcanlon of his position which did not lnc±uae such
Instructional activities nor was ne at any time authorized
Dy tne Co±±ege to pertorm such duties. As we±g, nnose
assumed responslDlllnles were stopped by the direction
of ~4r. ProKos [o±±owing w~ic~ Mr. Kapp contlnue~ in nne
technical support ~uncnlon tot the Teaching ~4aster who
~as respons~u~e no teach the program as assi~ne~ Dy
College. Mr. Kapp acknowledged his role in support o~ the
Teaching ~.~asner. On the evidence of Mr. Prokos wn~cn we
accept, we canno~ inter that Mr. Prokos had alloweG
~:r. Kapp to exceeG nne Gutles set out in the job description.
It was the responsibility ot the Teaching Master to det~ne
the course oD3ecn~ves and prepare course materials anu no
teach the course. The 'i:ecnn~cian job description very
clearly prov~e nne basis for technical support Dy
Technician B to a 'reacnlnw Master. Mr. Kapp's
cannot be interpreteG or applied to fall with the Class
Definition o~ a Teaching ~,~aster. ~e find on the ev~Gence
that ~.~r. Kapp pertormec the core duties of a Technician.
/
!
/
/
Having regard to the evidence and the submissions
of the parties, the BoarG rinds that the Union did not
meet the onus on it to establish that Mr. Kapp, classified as
Technician B, was performing autles of a full time Teaching
Master, and therefore that his position snoul~ De included
in the academic bargaining unit. The Board finds that
the CoLLege correctly classified the employee as a Technician
~ wn~ch is a position in the Supoprt ~a~E ~argaining Unit.
accordingly, it is the Board's awara ~nat the grievance is
aismissed.
OaT~u AT OAKVILLE, THIS [~ DAY OF NUV~o~, 1989.
HO%~ARD D. D~U~N - ~MAIR~AN
J.D. MC?IANUb, UNION NO[.II~IEE
JANET~.SLONE-TAYLO~, ~uLLEGE NOMINEE