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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRamjit 06-11-20INTHEMATTEROFANARBITRATION BETWEEN: FEB172012 GRIEVANCEDEPARTMENT CENTREFORADDICTIONANDMENTALHEALTH (the"Employer") -AND ONTARIOPUBLICSERVICEEMPLOYEESUNION,LOCAL500 (the"Union") ANDINTHEMATTEROFTHEGRIEVANCEOFROHANRAMJIT ARBITRATOR ROBERTJ.HERMAN APPEARANCES FORTHEUNION DONMARTIN ROHANRAMJIT KIRTHMURRY LINDAWAGNER MELISSALEAIST BETHCOLLIER FORTHEEMPLOYERDARYNJEFFRIES ROSLYNMCGILVERY VIVIANGENESKI PETERBASRAN ANDREWARIS DESMACHARLEMAGNE HEARINGSINTOTHISMATTERWEREHELDINTORONTOFEBRUARY1, OCTOBER16AND17,2006 SentBy:R.HermaaArb±tration/Mediation;416-784-9200;Nov-20-069:50AM;Page5/13 AWARD l.Thegriever,Mr.Rohm!Ramjit,wasdischargedfromhisjobassecurityguardonthegroundsthathe"usedexcassiveforcewhileattemptingtore+rainaclient causingbodilyharm."Hechallengeshisdischarge'maintalnlngthathelsed°nlythebrcenecessarytoPr"teethimselffr°managgressivepatient'thatthepatilntdidn°tsuffer"bodilyhtma",andthathedidnoflatngwrongintheetrcumstances.I 2.ItisagreedthatIhavejurisdiction, 3.Thefactsweredisputedinsomeareas.Twonurseswerecalico bytheEmployer.'l'hcywerebothinpositionstohaveobservedallther, theirevidencewaslargelyconsistentwitheachother'sandwithnotesth atthetime,andtheirversionofsomeofthekeyactionsof|hegrievorw, probableinthecircumstancesthaowasthegrievor's.Theywerecredibl Althoughmuchofthegrievor'stestimonywassimilartothoevidencgi nurses,itwasinsomerespectsinconsistentwiththeirtestimony,Forex grievortestifiedthathedidnothearanyshoutsfromthenursestostoph patient,yetbothnursestestifiedtothiseffect.Therewasnootherevlde aswitnesses :levantevents, reachmade more witnessas. ,enbythetwo tmple,the ttingth icesupportive SentBy:R.HermanArbitrationlMediation;416-764-9200Nov-20-069:51AM;Page6/13 ÷_, ofanysuggestionthatthenursesdidnotshoutatthegrievertostop.ThiJdifferencein recollectionmaybesolelybevaasethegriew)rwassocaughtupineventshathis abilitytoobservemadrememberallthatoccurredwaslessaccuratethanw;rethe observationsandrecollectionsofthetwonurses.Whateverthereasonre:the discrepancy,whereinconflict,Ipreferandaccepttheevidencofthetwonurses. 4.Celiainmedicalrecordsweretenderedinevidenceoncnnsent,stbjeetto emnmentaboutwhatweight1oughttogivethem,Asnowitnesswascalldtotestify iarespectoftheircontents,inareasofdispute,Ihavegiventbemlittlewight. 5,Thegrieverworkedasasecurityguardonapart-timebasisatthCollege StreettcilityoftheCentreforAddictionandMentalHealth,andhaddotesosteadily since2001.IheEmployer'sPolicyManualonpsychiatricEmergenciesindicatesthat newlyhiredsecuritystaffwillbeplxJvidedwithathree-daytrainingprog.amindealing withemergencies.Thegdevurreceivedonlycueday'strainingfromthtEmployeron howtodealwithdill]cultorviolentpatients. 6.OnNewYear'sEve,December31,2004,thegrieverwaSworkngthe overnightshift,whenheandtheothersecurityguardpartneredwithhim:hatnight reeeivedaeallfromtheFifthFIoorNursingUnit,Thenurseswereabmttogivea patientnedicationandanticipatedthathemightbecomeagitatedandditieult,and askedthatthegrieverandhispartnercomeuptothepatient'sroomtoa,ststthem. 8eatBy:R.HermanArbitrat±on/Mediat±on;416-784-9200;Nov-20-069:51AM;Page7/13 3 lnniss,andaPsychiatricAssistant,MiefiaelRousseau,werealreadythere.[ hadbothhislegsandhisleftarminrestraintsfastenedtothebedflame,b restraintsweresufficientlyloosthatthepatientwasstillabletositupan, logsandlefannperhapsafootortwofromhisside.Hisrightarmwasu Roldwastryingtogetthepatienttotakecertainpillsbutthepatientwas wasextremelyagitated,knockingthepillsoutofherhand. Whentheyarrivedatthepatient'sroom,twonurses,NancyReidlandKaye Thepatient the hovehis lrestraincd. jectlngand 8.RoidthenaskedRouSSeautoputthefourthrestraintonthepatioIt'sfightann, sothatallhislimbswouldbotethered.Thepatientthenrolledovortothlloftsideof hisbed(leftsidefromtheperspectiveofsomeonelyingonhisbackinthbed)and hunchedover,pullinghisrightarmtnandawayfromRousseau.Reldakedthe grievermidhispartnertoassistinrestrainingthepatient.Inresponse,tltegriever walkeduptotherightsideofthepalient'sbed,betweenthebedandtheall.The patient'sbackwastowardsthegriever.ThegrieverandRousSeautheniriedtopullthe patient,srightarmbackovertotherightsideofthebeds°thattheye°ulattachthe restraintanchoredtheretothepatient'sfightann.Thepatientviolentlytsisted, screaming,spitting,kickingandthrashingaboutonthebed. 9.Duringtheeffortstoreslrainthepatient,thebedhadsomehowLdgedclosertowardsthegrieverandthewallbehindhim.Thegrieverwasfaingth+headofthe SentBy:R,HermanAPbStrat±on/tJediat±on;416-784-92001Nov-20-069:51AM1Page8/13 4 patient'sbedandheputhisrightkneeonthebed,bothtobracehimselfaglinstthe patient'sviolentthrashiogandtotrytoweAgethepatient'srightam1wtthiskneeso thattherestraintcouldbeattached.Thegriever'smanoeuvredidnotwol andthepatientsatup,pullinghisrightannawayfromthegriever.Thep moreagttatedandviolent. t0.lnnissstuckherheadoutoftheroamandyelledtoothernurses Stationtncalla"CodeWhite",anemergencycallindicatingaviolentpat needforotherstafftocometoassist.Twoothernursesimmediatelyrap patient'sroom,arrivingasthepatientcontinuedtoflailwildlyabout,spit a.dtryingtobitethosewhoweretrylngtorestrainhim.Atthatpoint,el nursesintheroom,HeatherNieholson,grabbedoneofthepatient'slegs. wasstillIningonthepatient'sbedwithhisrightleg,andthegrievercc tograbandrestrainthepatient'Srightann.Thepatientwesnowtrytng1 griever'srightleg,buthisteethkeptslippingoffthe&brioofthegriever 11.DespitetheseattemptsbythepatienttobitethegrieverintheIt,thegriever didnotremovehis legfromthebed nordidhe backaway from thepatleJ orthe patient'sbed,TheErievortestifiedthathewasunabletobackawaybe1sohewas wedgedintootightlybetweenthesideofthebedandthewallbehindbia,but accordingtohisowntestimony,thegreverwasstandingonhisletleg,otherewasat however, entbecmuo ittheNursing zntandthe tothe ingatstaff eoffireother Thegriever nttnuedtotry bitethe spants, £entBy:R.HermanArbitration!Mediation;416-784-9200;Nov-20-069:51AM;Page9/13 leastthewidthofalegbetweenthewallandthesideofthepatient'sbed. evidenceofotherspresentdoesnotsuggestthathawaspreventedinany movingawayfi.omthesideofthebed.Evenifthesideofthebedwasel wall,Icanseenoreasonwhythegrievercouldnothavestoodupsidewa] sideofthebedandedgedawayfromthepatient.Therewassufficientre grievertohavebackedawayfromthepatienthadhechosentodoso, swellthe ayfrom )sotothe ifa¢lngthe )mforthe 12.Insteadofremovinghimselffromthepatient'sgraspandavoidi attemptStobitehim,thegrieverbeganpunchingthepatientaroundtheja repeatedlymidwithahardpumpingmotion,yellingtotheothersthatthe bitingIdm.Thegrieverdeniesthathepunchedthepattentwithaclosed acknowledgesthatherepeatedlyandstronglypumpedhisarm,pushingtt handagainstthechinorheadofthepatient,AlthoughIpreferandaeee orthetwonurseswhotestifiedthatthegrieverwaspunchingthepatient fist,evenonthegriew)r'sversionofwhatoeeun'ed,tiregrieverrepeatedl physicallyassaultedthepatient. ;th Val'ea :)orientwas fistbut eheelofhis ttheevidence vithaclosed andviolently 13.Threenursesintheroomshoutedtothegrievertostoppunehin tellinghimthathecouldnotdottmt,Tilegrieverrespondedbyyelling patientwasbitinghim.Tilegrievercontinuedtopunchthepatienttn patientcontinuedtotrytoassaultthegriever,nowalsoscrutehlngtimg[ thepatient, Lthatthe leadandthe orwithhis 8eatBy:R.HepmanApb±tpation/Mad±atioa;416-784-9200;Nov-20-O69:51AM;Page10/13 6 nailsbehindtheear.Thegrievergrabbedthepatientaroundihethroat,ptsbinghishandagalnst thepatient'snecktopreveathimtromfurtherbitmgorsorating.The nnrsesagaintoldthegrievertostopwhathewasdoingtothepatient.Shtrtlyafter/ ! thesedireotions,thegrieverreleasedthepatient'sthroat.Theaffweretenableto fullyrestrainthepatientandtoadministeraninieetlontocalmhimdown.I / 14.TheEmployersubsequentlyinvestigatedtheincident,anddlschlrgedthe grieverforhisbehavioar.I 15.TileUnionsubmitsthatthegrievershouldbereinstatedwithfu] compensation.Asnotedabove,thegrievermaintainsthathecouldnott1 awayfromthegrieversincehewaspinnedinbythewall nothingwrong,respondingtotheattackuponhimonlywiththeforce necessarytopreventthepatientfrombitingorscratchinghimfurther. assertsthatthegrieverwasnotgivenpropertraininginhowtodealwith patientS,andwasnotevenprovidedwiththespecifictraininginthisrasp outintheEmployer'sownpoheymanuals.!itherewasadeficit,theUr wasintheEmployer'strainingofthegriever.TheUnionn0testhatthe basedupontheallegationthatthegrievercausedthepatientbodilyharm tiattheEmployerhasfailedtoestablishthatthepatientsufferedanysuc submitsthereisnobasisforanydiscipline,letalonedischarge. cemoved thathedid actions ,lent ,ctthatisset ionsubmits,it Iisehargew butargues hatln.It 8eatByiR.HermanArbitration/Mediation;416-784-9200;Nov-20-069:52AM;Page11113 ~.---- 16, cx)ntrol,apatientwhoassaultedanumberofthestaffwhoweretryingto swinginghisarms,grabbingatthemandsplttingatthem.Duringhisfl}r filepatientrepeatedlytriedtobitethegrieveronhisleg,althoughhisteetl offthegriever'suniformfabric,andlaterscratchedandclawedthegrieve Thegrieverwasrequiredtodealwithapatientwhowasextremelydifficultto ontrolhim, shingabout, keptsliding :wilhhis Inailsbehind thgriever'sear.Facedwiththistypeofaggresslveandunq'ontrollablebehaviour,filegrieverwasentitledtotakereasonableactiontoavoidheir!assaulted andreasonableactiontobringthepatientundercontrol.[ 17.Therewasarangeofwaysinwhichthegrievercouldreasonab] responded.Threeofthepatient'slimbswereinrestraints,thepatient¢ou gottenupfi'omthebed,andtherewereothermembelofthestaff`alsotJ thepatient.Inthiscontext,theesiestwayforthegrievertohaveavoid wouldhavebeentodisengagehimselfandmoveoutofthepatient'sreac 'have tdnothave lugtocontrol dbeingbitten Hadhe backedawayfromthepatient,theassaultuponhimwouldhaveended.lternatively, thegrievercouldhaveusedjustenoughappliedforcetofleehimselfffoJ clutchby,Ibrexample,applyingpressuretothepatient'sfingersorarm. havecalleduponsomeoftheotherstafftohelpreleasehimfromthepat f}thinpatient's Orhecould ent'sgrasp, 18.Thegrieverwasnotentitled,however,torespondashedid,by patientforcethllyandrepeatedlyaboutthefaceandhead,byignoringsh >unehingthe utsfromtile SentBy:R,HermanApbStPat$on/}4ed±at±on;416-784-9200;Nov-20-069:52AM;Page12/13 8 nursingstafftostopwhathewasdoing,andbyapplyingpressurtotbep Whilethegrieverwasunderstandablyupset,thepatient'Sbehavioarandf thegrieverfbundhimselfindidnotjustifythegriever'sresponse,Instol asdidothersintheroom,helostcontrolandbegantoviolentlypunchthe compoundedhismisconductbycontinuingtopunchthepatientdeepitob tostopbyritenursesintheroom,andthenengagedinadditiona!miscond subsequentlygrabbedthepatientaroundtheneck.Thegriever'srespons attacksuponhimbythepatientwasoutofpmpolliontothe¢ircumstQnee unreasonableandunacceptablebehaviourforasecurityguard,andeonstit ;tent'sfliroat. situation ofreacting atient.He ugdirected letwhenhe tothe WSS atedserious empleymentmisconduct. 19.Thelackoftrainingsessionscannotexplainorj Trainingisnotneededlbrasecurityguardtotnderstandthatonecamlot patientorpreventpersonalinjurybyrepeatedly behaviour, apatientin 20.TheEmployerconcludedthatthegrieverhadengagedinemplo misconduct,anditproperlyviewedthegriever'sbehavloarasextlemely Punchingapatientintheheadwouldnecessarilycausebodilyharm,eveJ petvnanentorlong-terminjuryresulted,Thegriever'simproperbehavio aggravatedbyhisfiluretosubsequentlyacknowledgethathisassaultu thehead. meat erious. ifnO Cwas onthepatient SentBy:R.HepmanApbltpatlonlMedlatlot};416-784-9200;Nov-20-069:52AM;Page13/13 9 wasimproperinanyrespect.TileEmployercouldreasonablyhaveeonelldedthatthegrieverhadnotproperlypertbrmedandcouldnotproperlyperformtilejo.ofsecurityguard atCAMH.inlightat'thegriever'srepeatedlyassaultofapatient,Iiscentimdng todosoforatimeafterbeingtoldtostopbythehealthreprofessionalsonthescene, andhismaintainedprotestthathehaddonenothingwrong,theEmployer indisehargingthegriever. wasjustified 2l.Forsimilarreasons,Iamnotpreparedtoexercisemydiscretion lesserpenaltyforthedischarge.Thegrieverengagedinaforcefulassault andcontinuedinthe['aceofordersfi'omtilenursespresenttostop.Hea, responsibilityForhismiscenduct.Inthesecircumstances,Iseenor0aso anylesserpenalty,midthedischargewillstand. substitutea ofapatient, x:eptsno tosubstitute 22. "Filegrievanceisaccordinglydismissed. [2006Dated atToronto,this20dayofN0velJer, RobertLHerman-Arbitrator I i I I I