HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-1694.Monk et al.07-01-10 Decision
Crown Employees
Grievance Settlement
Board
Commission de
reglement des griefs
des employes de la
Couronne
Nj
~
Ontario
Suite 600
180 Dundas Sl. West
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8
Tel. (416) 326-1388
Fax (416) 326-1396
Bureau 600
180, rue Dundas Ouest
Toronto (Ontario) M5G 1Z8
Tel. : (416) 326-1388
Telec. : (416) 326-1396
GSB# 1995-1694, 1995-0267,1995-1556,1996-1814,1996-1814, 1996-1814, 1996-1143, 1996-1143,2000-0416,2001-0458,2004-1443,
2005-2428,2005-2430,2005-2433,2005-2441, 2005-2676, 2005-2677, 2005-2678, 2005-2679, 2005-2751, 2005-2752, 2005-2767, 2005-2819,
2005-2820,2005-2821,2005-2822,2005-2823, 2005-2824, 2005-2825, 2005-2826, 2005-2827, 2005-2828, 2005-2829, 2005-2830, 2005-2831,
2005-2832,2005-2833,2005-2834,2005-2835, 2005-2836, 2005-2837, 2005-2838, 2005-2839, 2005-2840, 2005-2841, 2005-2842, 2005-2843,
2005-2844, 2005-2845, 2005-2846, 2005-2847, 2005-2848, 2005-2849, 2005-2850, 2005-2851, 2005-2852, 2005-2853, 2005-2854, 2005-2855,
2005-2856,2005-2857,2005-2858,2005-2859, 2005-2860, 2005-2861, 2005-2862, 2005-2863, 2005-2864, 2005-2865, 2005-2866, 2005-2867,
2005-2868,2005-2869,2005-2870,2005-2871, 2005-2888, 2005-2947, 2005-2948, 2005-2949, 2005-2950, 2005-2951, 2005-2982, 2005-2983,
2005-2984,2005-2985,2005-2986,2005-3024, 2005-3025, 2005-3026, 2005-3229, 2005-3309, 2005-3310, 2005-3311, 2005-3312, 2005-3313,
2005-3314, 2005-3315, 2005-3316, 2005-3317, 2005-3318, 2005-3319, 2005-3320, 2005-3321, 2005-3322, 2005-3323, 2005-3324, 2005-3325,
2005-3326, 2005-3327, 2005-3328, 2005-3329, 2005-3330, 2005-3331, 2005-3332, 2005-3333, 2005-3334, 2005-3335, 2005-3336, 2005-3337,
2005-3338,2005-3339,2005-3340,2005-3341, 2005-3342, 2005-3343, 2005-3344, 2005-3345, 2005-3346, 2005-3481, 2005-3482, 2005-3702,
2005-3703, 2005-3730
UNION# 1995-0255-0001, 1995-0521-0023, 1995-0252-0002, 1996-0255-0005, 1996-0255-0006, 1996-0255-0007, 1996-0255-0001,
1996-0255-0001, 1999-0411-0031, 01A644, 2004-0234-0393, 2005-0234-0278, 2005-0234-0280, 2005-0234-0283, 2005-0234-0291,
2005-0234-0356,2005-0234-0357, 2005-0234-0358, 2005-0234-0359, 2005-0234-0483, 2005-0234-0484, 2005-0234-0490, 2005-0234-0492,
2005-0234-0494,2005-0234-0495, 2005-0234-0496, 2005-0234-0497, 2005-0234-0498, 2005-0234-0499, 2005-0234-0500, 2005-0234-0501,
2005-0234-0502,2005-0234-0503, 2005-0234-0504, 2005-0234-0505, 2005-0234-0506, 2005-0234-0507, 2005-0234-0508, 2005-0234-0509,
2005-0234-0510, 2005-0234-0511, 2005-0234-0512, 2005-0234-0513, 2005-0234-0514, 2005-0234-0515, 2005-0234-0516, 2005-0234-0517,
2005-0234-0518, 2005-0234-0519, 2005-0234-0520, 2005-0234-0521, 2005-0234-0522, 2005-0234-0523, 2005-0234-0524, 2005-0234-0525,
2005-0234-0526,2005-0234-0527, 2005-0234-0528, 2005-0234-0529, 2005-0234-0530, 2005-0234-0531, 2005-0234-0532, 2005-0234-0533,
2005-0234-0534,2005-0234-0535, 2005-0234-0536, 2005-0234-0537, 2005-0234-0538, 2005-0234-0539, 2005-0234-0540, 2005-0234-0541,
2005-0234-0542,2005-0234-0543, 2005-0234-0544, 2005-0234-0545, 2005-0234-0491, 2005-0234-0563, 2005-0234-0564, 2005-0234-0565,
2005-0234-0566,2005-0234-0567, 2005-0234-0584, 2005-0234-0585, 2005-0234-0586, 2005-0234-0587, 2005-0234-0588, 2005-0234-0596,
2005-0234-0597,2005-0234-0598, 2005-0234-0667, 2005-0234-0680, 2005-0234-0681, 2005-0234-0682, 2005-0234-0683, 2005-0234-0684,
2005-0234-0685,2005-0234-0686, 2005-0234-0687, 2005-0234-0688, 2005-0234-0689, 2005-0234-0690, 2005-0234-0691, 2005-0234-0692,
2005-0234-0693,2005-0234-0694, 2005-0234-0695, 2005-0234-0696, 2005-0234-0697, 2005-0234-0698, 2005-0234-0699, 2005-0234-0700,
2005-0234-0701,2005-0234-0702, 2005-0234-0703, 2005-0234-0704, 2005-0234-0705, 2005-0234-0706, 2005-0234-0707, 2005-0234-0708,
2005-0234-0709, 2006-0234-0012, 2006-0234-0013, 2006-0234-0014, 2006-0234-0015, 2006-0234-0016, 2006-0234-0017, 2006-0234-0018,
2006-0234-0019,2006-0234-0023, 2006-0234-0024, 2005-0234-0713, 2006-0234-0040, 2006-0234-0053
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION
Under
THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT
Before
THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD
BETWEEN
Ontario Public Service Employees Union
(Monk et al.)
Union
- and -
The Crown in Right of Ontario
(Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services)
Employer
2
BEFORE
Owen V. Gray
Vice-Chair
David Wright
Ryder Wright Blair & Holmes LLP
Barristers and Solicitors
FOR THE UNION
Meredith Brown
Counsel
Ministry of Government Services
FOR THE EMPLOYER
December 13, 2006.
HEARING
Decision
[1] These proceedings concern a number of gnevances about alleged exposure of
employees of correctional institutions to tobacco smoke. The grievances were filed at various
times between 1990 and 2006. In June 2006 they were scheduled for hearing on December
13, 2006. On that date the list of grievances properly before me was in dispute, or at least
uncertain: it appears that some of the grievances that the union originally believed were
outstanding and scheduled for hearing before me may have been withdrawn, settled, decided
or otherwise disposed of some years ago. The parties' counsel have undertaken to sort that
out with each other and the Board.
[2] Union counsel acknowledged at hearing that the union would have to provide written
particulars of each of the grievances before any further steps could be taken in these
proceedings, and said that he and the union would need until the end of April 2007 to do
that.
[3] There may be a challenge to the arbitrability of some or all of these grievances on one
or more of several grounds, including that they were untimely filed or when filed made
claims or raised issues that are within the exclusive jurisdiction of tribunals established
under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act or its predecessor, the Workers'
Compensation Act, or have already determined by one of those tribunals or have been
withdrawn or settled by the union or determined by previous decisions of this Board. The
3
employer cannot say which gnevances are challenged on which grounds without first
having particulars of the allegations on which the union says each grievance is based.
[4] After written particulars of each grievance have been delivered by the union, it will
be necessary for the employer to identify the grievances it challenges, the basis for each
challenge and the allegations of fact on which it relies upon in support of each challenge.
Employer counsel has said she would need until the end of June 2007 to do that.
[5] If the union disputes any of the allegations of fact relied upon by the employer in
support of any preliminary objection, or if the employer disputes any allegations of fact
relied upon the union in support of a request that I extend any time limit on which the
employer relies as an objection to arbitrability, then there may have to be an exchange of
particulars and productions of some sort in connection with those disputed issues of fact
before those preliminary objections and any related requests for extension of time limits can
be heard.
[6] For each grievance that survives a preliminary objection or is not the subject of one,
each party will have to give the other production (by provision of copies or otherwise) of any
document (written or electronic) in its possession, custody or power (and, as to the union,
any document in the possession, custody or power of any grievor) on which it may wish to
rely in a hearing of the grievance on the merits.
[7] Without the information to be provided pursuant to paragraphs [2] and [4], it is
premature to determine whether the procedure contemplated in paragraph [5] will be
needed or how and when hearings on preliminary matters will proceed or any other detail of
the process by which the preliminary matters will be addressed. Those issues will be
revisited in a hearing to be held on the earliest possible date after those first two steps are
completed. Similarly, until it is apparent whether any of the grievances will be proceeding to
hearing on the merits, it is premature to provide for the delivery by the employer of
particulars on the merits or the timing of the exchange of productions or any other detail of
the process by which hearings on the merits will proceed.
[8] Accordingly, I direct that the union provide the employer with written particulars of
each of the grievances it considers to be properly before me, including for each grievance the
relief sought for the grievor and the allegations of fact on which the union will rely in
4
support of its claim for that relief. Those particulars are to be delivered to employer counsel
before the close of business Monday, April 30, 2007. If the union fails to provide particulars
of an allegation in accordance with this direction it may not thereafter introduce evidence
about that allegation in its case in chief on the merits without the agreement of the other
party or leave of the Board.
[9] I further direct that the employer provide a written particulars of any preliminary
objection it intends to make with respect to any of the grievances identified in the union's
particulars, setting out for each grievance in respect of which it raises such an objection the
grounds on which the objection is based (without argument) and the allegations of fact relied
on in support of the objection. Those particulars are to be delivered to union counsel before
the close of business Friday, June 29, 2007. If the employer fails to provide particulars of an
allegation of fact in accordance with this direction it may not introduce evidence about that
allegation in its case in chief on the preliminary objection without the agreement of the
other party or leave of the Board.
[10] With respect to each act or omission alleged in its particulars aforesaid, each party
must state what it says was done or not done, when, where, by what means and by whom,
identifying by name any individual whose actions are being attributed to the employer, the
union or any other organization. Conclusory statements based on unparticularized
allegations of fact are not sufficient, and do not constitute particulars for purposes of the last
sentence of each of paragraphs [8] and [9].
[11] The union's allegations of fact with respect to a gnevance should be sufficiently
comprehensive that it would be unnecessary for it to call any evidence in support of that
grievance at a hearing on the merits if the employer were to admit that all of those
allegations of fact were true.
[12] The employer's allegations of fact with respect to a preliminary issue should be
sufficiently comprehensive that it would be unnecessary for it to call any evidence in support
of that preliminary objection if the union were to admit that all of those allegations of fact
were true.
[13] It is not necessary for particulars to include a description of the evidence by which the
party will seek to prove any of the allegations of fact set out. It is not necessary to identify in
5
the particulars any witness to any event in question unless the presence of that particular
person at that event is a material fact on which the party relies.
[14] The deadlines set out in this order may be altered or extended by agreement of the
parties.
Dated at Toronto this 10th day of January, 2007.
~v
Vice-Chair