HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-2344.Manoukas.03-08-28 Decision
Crown Employees Commission de ~~
Grievance Settlement reglement des griefs
Board des employes de la
Couronne
~-,...
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GSB#2344/02
UNION#OLB485/02
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION
Under
THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT
Before
THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD
BETWEEN
Ontano LIqUor Control Boards Employees' Umon
(Manoukas) Grievor
- and -
The Crown In RIght of Ontano
(LIqUor Control Board of Ontano) Employer
BEFORE BelInda KIrkwood Vice-Chair
FOR THE UNION JulIa Noble
Counsel
Ontano LIqUor Boards Employees' Umon
FOR THE EMPLOYER Michael Horvat
OgIlvy Renault
BarrIsters and SOlICItorS
HEARING May 14 2003
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ORDER
The grievor was seeking the position of Building Maintenance Mechanic, Class Code
709 Two positions were posted on October 7, 2002 with a closing date of October 21,
2002 The grievor applied for the positions, but did not receive an interview The two
positions were filled by Rico Tomassi and Walter Blondin, who were present at the hearing
and who were given standing Opening statements were made by both counsel and
submissions were made on a motion for particulars The incumbents were offered an
opportunity to make submissions but chose not to The incumbents however, then sought
an opportunity to consider if they would obtain legal counsel As a result July 8, 2003 was
set for a conference call to allow counsel for the incumbents to make submissions on the
production motion The incumbents ultimately chose not to have counsel
This Order therefore relates to the Union's motion for production
The grievor claims that he was qualified for the position of Building Maintenance
mechanic, and that he was wrongfully denied an interview and the position
The Union claims that he was entitled to the position on the basis that he was
qualified and had the seniority to obtain the position in accordance with Article 21 5 (a) of
the collective agreement. Article 21 5(a) states
Where employees are being considered for promotion seniority will be the
governing factor provided the employee is qualified to work.
Union Counsel states that the article does not create a competition between
applicants but submits that it only sets out a threshold, that the grievor has sufficient ability
to perform the job Therefore Union Counsel submits as the grievor has the qualifications
and is senior that he should be promoted to the position The Union is seeking an Order
appointing the grievor to the position with full redress Alternatively, the Union is seeking an
Order rerunning the posting and an Order setting out the appropriate procedure, and further
that the grievor be made whole for any losses
Board's Counsel submits that the position is a highly skilled position and is paid
accordingly The position is above that of a station engineer and custodian, and is not a
handyman position
Board's Counsel submits that the Board used the categories in the position to
develop the criteria and to construct a screening guide Scoring was based on the review of
the resume package provided by the applicants and was based on the full score of 15
points Candidates who scored 9 out of 15 points or 60% were considered for an interview
The interview took the form of an oral interview before a three-person panel The panel
used test questions designed to fully determine if the person met the qualifications
Nine employees, internal candidates applied for the position Five reached the
threshold to be considered for an interview The most senior people were considered first.
Four employees were provided interviews and only two were considered qualified The two
qualified candidates were given the position and no further interviews were conducted
Board's Counsel submits that the Board is not obliged to interview every applicant
and it may pre-screen applicants The requirement is that the Board conduct a reasonable
3
assessment and conduct a reasonable job posting procedure Board's counsel submits that
the evidence will show that the grievor was appropriately pre-screened and was not entitled
to an interview as he did not demonstrate or provide details regarding his background or
skills that met the criteria identified in the job posting The Board acted reasonably and
reviewed the resumes received and the job posting and considered the applicants on an
equal footing with respect to the criteria identified in the posting
The Board asks that the grievance be denied or alternatively, if the grievance
succeeds to provide the grievor an interview, for if the Board had not allegedly breached the
collective agreement, the rectification of that breach would be to provide an interview to the
grievor The Board submits that a rerun of the competition is not necessary, as the Board
agrees that the grievor is the most senior, and if found to be qualified, would have been
given the position The Board submits that the Grievance Settlement Board not post the
grievor to the position, for if the Union were successful, it would mean that the Board did not
have complete the posting process
The Union brought a motion for disclosure Set out below are the requests made by
the Union for documents which the Union submitted were arguably relevant, and the
responses by the Board The Union sought the following
1 the grievor's personnel file, in order to show that the grievor was qualified
Board's Counsel submitted that the entire file may not be relevant. The
Board then agreed to provide the union the opportunity to review and make
copies from the file
2 the incumbents' personnel files, as they may be witnesses Union counsel
submitted that the Board has the information to which the Union does not
have access Board's Counsel submitted that the entire file may not be
relevant.
3 the details of the posting process Union counsel submitted that while the
details were submitted in the Board's opening, the question and answer
sheets and any other documents that the Board used were not produced
Board's counsel stated that the Board has provided the screening guide and
all resume packages, the document book on the resume process, the job
description and the posting
4 the documents in the selection process including question and answer
sheets Union counsel submitted that these documents are arguably relevant
as they may become an exhibit in the Union's case, establishing that the
grievor is qualified
Board's counsel submits that these documents are not relevant as it does not
flow from the interview Further it is not appropriate to produce the questions
and answers of those who were not successful
As a result of the exchange between counsel the only matters remaining outstanding
are the incumbents' personnel files and the questions and answers on at the
interviews
The issue in this case flows from the application of Article 21 5(a) of the collective
agreement, the alleged failure to appoint the grievor to the position of Building
Maintenance Mechanic on the basis that he is the most senior candidate with the
qualifications to do the job Although counsel do not agree on the remedy, the
issues revolve around the qualifications of the grievor as both counsel agree that the
grievor is senior, and if qualified would receive one of the positions Therefore any
documents which would show the qualifications of the grievor, the threshold set by
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the Board as shown by the responses by the successful candidates at the interviews
can be considered as arguably relevant. Therefore I order that the Board produce
a. the incumbent's personnel files, and
b the questions and answers of the incumbents at the interviews
Dated at Toronto, this 28th day of August, 2003
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