HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-0200.MacIntosh.81-09-16zoo/73
IN THE MATTER ?F AN AkBITRaTION
Under The
CROWN EMPLOYSES~COLLECTIVE SARGAINTNG i.CT
THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMSNT SOARD
Between: --
3efore: --
PO= the Crievor: -
Foe the Znoloyer:
2earin.q:
arude EI. MacI~.,tosh Griever
- And -
The Crown in Right of Ontario
(Mini3ccy ol Cocrcction~l
Services) Employer
R. L. Xennedy Vice Chairman
F. D. COllOrn Sternbet
A. M. HcCuaig xenber
a. xabl, Grikvance Officer.
Ontario Tublic Service Employees Cnion
;. tienedict, Xanagei-
Human Resourcas Management
xinistry of Correctional Srt:iiices
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In his srievance, dated August 16th, 1978, the
gricvor claims that he.was unfairly demoted from Trobation
Tarole Officer III (Specialist) to Probation Parole Officer
I.1 and the settlement.required,is the removal of the red
circling provision and the.grievor's reinstatement to Probation
parole Officer III (Sp?cialist) or his re-classification to
probation Parole Officer III (Senior Probation Officer). The
griever's formal date of hire with the Ministry,is August lSth,
1967, but his period of service extends; in fact, ;rom a much
earlier date.' He'w%s'.originaily hired as a Probation officer II
in the year 1955;'but for a period'in the yea& '1966 and 1967 he
left the Niniitry to serve as Ekecutive Direct& of an Institution
in Eamilton engaged in the care and treatment of alcoholics. Be
returned to the Xlnistry August lSth, .1967, to the same position
as he'h&oc&pied prior to leaving and his entire career with the
. Ministry.has been X'the Hamilton Office.
It was the griever's evidence, and it was agreed by
representatives of the Mini,stry, that the gtievor is acknowledged
to be a very good Prpbation officer. It-is clear that during.his
first .ten yearsof service in the Hamilton Office hc developed a
particular degree of'expertise and experience in dealing with al-' ::
coho& related prqb,Tems and that within the corrmunity he was acknow-
ledged bs a specialist and expert in that area. It would further
appear that during that particular time, as compared to other
?ro!~ation Officers in the Ministry's service, the griever was fre-
quently involved.,in the iilore serious or moee~sensitive..cases that
were being administered from the office and it is further clear on
the evidence that the,practices and prgcedures within the Xinistry's
offices were evolving and expanding throughout the period of the
srievo: 's ezploynent. It would be the Board's conclusions from the
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e~iience that we heard that throughout the ?eriod'of the 'jrievor's
anployment there> has been .a qrrjat improvement .and ,xl~/ancement in
t!le knowledge, nethods and techniques of the Probation'Service and
a ger.eral upgrading in the training and qualifications of the
Officers employed by the Xinistq. ., i .: : .\ ., :
., In Dece.nber.of 1964.the griever rece,ived.a promo++ion from the ..~
position of Jrobation Barole Officer I?,:$0 Probation Parole Officer
III (Speci?lis+c!. JhaLpromqtion was not by way of a postins ar.d
job ccmpetitio~,.but rather was .a new classification created for
approximately 20 ?arole Officer,IT'sin various~parts of the xovixe. ',; ::
X very ?articulaF job specification was drawn, which was filed on ,.
zie Eearing as.+!!.ibit 5. .r It compqises some three ?ages defining
the various activities and responsibilities of the position, the
:c?.cwleeqe Ed qcalifications rewired in the position and it is
clear on the evidence that the particular job specification.in sub- :
9tanca constituteh a description of the type of work being done by >. :,
f3.e griever in the Hamilton Office ~at,the time. AS stated ?re-
viously, t.keri &ri 20' Parole Of_Ficers ~iacdd if the position 0:
?robation ?aroIe"bffi6er'III .(Specialist) at that tine and the
-,articul&z'$osition specification for e'ach of them varied depending
oc the particila=.abilities and specialized activities 0,: the par-
ticuiar offich who was ~promotsd to the position.
The srievor, in his evidence, reviewed in some detaii the ty;e
of work axd his.us&i .&tivities as performed in 1964 as compared
:o hat he Y& Going on a'day to day basis in the sunvner of 1973.
".. i:
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. . .u~~.‘.out reviewing that evidence in detail~it is sufficient to
state that the nature of his duties and ,rekponsibilities had not
significantly changed during the period, apart from certain dif-
feratices in the governing legislation and the types of cases super-
,/is& lb:! the Mioiztr.1 and tho pnrt.icul2.r procedures that had 'been
e.lol‘;ed ;iitnin !ziie various offices to deal with increased irork
Isa?.; ar.d ro,apPortion ;esponsibilitias among available Personnel.
Iz is clea~r-th.at over the aericd since 1967 there have been sig-
_ .7lzlca."t chan,ges and advances in the procedures used within the
Xnisrry's pffices and,, while ir. 1967 there would have been siq-
. ..~...y; .-,, -~ ‘.
r.;f;cant_di,it.erences.De~~ee~ the day to'day activities of thk
griever and those of ?arol& OfficerXI's the situation was such
. .
t:?Bz by +&lil' in.&? 1970s ,those significant differences had'
'_ ..-, !,
ceased to exist and the day to day activities of the griever and
+.cse of ofher P&ole Cf:Fcer 11'sin the.Of:ice would have been
ji7,ilar:. -"L' : .'~' ':. As~skated previously, however, this resulted not by
reason bf '&ypa'?ti&lk change iti the'nature if the griever's
Cuties;'&t'kath&k from the fact that the Parole Officer.II's sreri
now as&i&n% anc1 perfdrmin& similar duties to those of the griever.
en behalf of the Eroployer evidence was provided that the
creation of the Probation Officer III (Specialist) was at the .', '.
tke an attempt'to recognize employees with particular abilizias
to ?rovide'a career path for employeas.who would not become in- ,:., 1: y:,
volxd in administrative functions or otherwise achieve advance-
Te.nt . it xas the opinion of the 3ployer representatives tl?at it _. ..::. :'
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.,,
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was not a Well‘conceived plan and that it 'da3, essentially, a
mistake. With respect to the other ?robation Officer III
Specialists created at the time the griever was, in the summer
of 19i9, the only one of them who was still classified as such
ad a11 of the others had.either been promoted, or had retired
frcn sirvice with the Xinistry. Xone 02 them was ever demoted,
i%owevez. It was indicated that specific job audits were done -,
of be yrievor's work in 1975 and in 1977 , which had indicated ;:.- '. .,
-hat +a of those dates the griever's employment duties were in-
distinguishable frcm those of a Probation Officer II. A job . ...'.!.
acdit in 1978 confirmed the results of the earlier investigations ;
a2 ihe ie~ional
<;
.:, ; .; Personnel tdministrator ~for the Ministry testi-
fied that at the tine he was receiving some complaints from other
?aroie OffioerII's about the existence of the job at a different
~al21y i=slel foi the same 'duties. Certain other reorganization
steps were beingtaken at the time within the Probation and larole . .
Depart.nent and-the 'dedision.was reached to &assign the griever
to.the job ~that he vas then do:ing and had been doing for a number
:
oi years. The particular letter advising the griever of the de-
cision reads'& follows;
"?lease' be advised that the position of Probation Officer
Special.ist,;Probation Officer 3., Ninistry of Correctional
Servicesi‘became defunct sometime ago. 'The provision of
specia,li~ed...~asework and.investigation is now part of :the
iutirs 6f.h regular Drobation Officer 2. I" fact, all of
the former,,responsibilities, of the Probationofficer,
SpecGlists are currently everyday routines for Irobation
Off,&q 2j s., -.
Therefore, your position as Probation Officer Specialist
L .
(2robation Officer 3!,,Hamilton Area, has been reassessed
and is,baing reclassrrled to a Probation and Parole officer
2, Hamilton Area, effective August 21, 1978. Of 'course,
you vi11 be given salary protection in accordance with
present "red-circling" procedures.
current saxjmum salary rate
In other words, your
for a Probation Officer 3 xill
be retained until such time as the maximum rate for a
Probation Officer 2 surpasses it."
The evidence establishes that there continues to be, under
the Collective Agreement, a position of ProbationOfficer ISI
which, in common pariance, is apparently referred to as the -posi-
tion of‘Senior ?roba& Officer"> ..'.~. 2 :. . The classy definition for that .
pcsition .>as'.fi.led on the .hiearing a~nd it .fou&d appear th?t em- .~. ,.:
plcyees.:Jithi~,,jthat,,class~ def'nition are~substantially-in an ad- 1 :
-i:lijtrjti;r~;;~nd super*/isory capacity or operate . . on specific
,:asa ass,&gn&;s~of.~a Complex or'multi-disciplinary nature in- _ ~.. . ~ecer.dently_reoo.rt~,~g'di~ectly 'tb the Director of ?robation :. .L '1 ,: : '_ :J- -,..- Servi~~sr...ft~~:~s,clear on the.evidence that the duties and~respon- j ._ : .~, ;~.
sibilltlei' of-the.n;ature, perforned by the griever would not place ;. L, '!:; ';
hi2 .~wrthx :that ti%'ss' 'definition. :: L Whether or .ndt 'he'would be
_~ ab,Xe~.to. pe'rfor;n those duties 'wourd; ~however, be another question.
,. " -' ::. I,< was the ev~dence"on behalf of the employ'er that this classi-
_. ., , .., ~,. ,ri ficat&y* -$a<;- ,., ? ,.. '. ,:. "
also;“deing phased out by the Xinistry.
"It !:is' clear on the 'evidence t!~at thc.~oh,ange in classification :. :~ .:..: : .,"
in the ~swner-.df :197.8‘ tias, in no way, a reflection of job perform-
snce :as :it was~acknotiledged clearly on the ,part of the !4inistry .;-"' I;. : ~,. :'
t?.at’.the grievor:~pe’*~ --orned his work'very well. ~The position of
the Yiniscry is, essentially, that the change in classification ‘.:. .. "' ';,: .,
zerel:~ reflected a long-standing state of affairs xhere~n, becausa :. .
cf.c~anges.;~i.:~i~the.~inist~~ and the methods of operating the :. . . :.j pi ,. .: .; ,.
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orcbation servi‘ces the grievorls duties were identical and indis-
,:inguishable from those of a tirobation Officer II and that the
earlier distinction in the natwe of the griever's duties had
ceased to exist.
With resgect to Collective Agreement and statutory grovisions
relevant to the issues before us we were referred by the Emplolier .~ ,..j
to Section 17(l)'of The Crown Employees Coilective bargaining Act, _ ,. : .:-:: . . . . . . .
1572, S.O. 1972, C.67 asamended,,which provides as ,follows:
., _ :. '. :~'." C'.... ,.... : ~:
:.!'li:.Y: Every“COlTec~t'ive: Agreement shall' be' deemed to pro-
vide that it is the exclusive function of the em-
,"~' -I?lo&er~ to 'manage~)':whi&h fun&ion, without~ limiting the
generality of the.foregoing, includes the right to deter-
:; .mine: (a):,'employment';~, ap@intment, complement, organization,
assignment, discipline, dismissal, susoension, work methods
and.procedures, kinds and,'locations of-eguiament and classi-
fication of positionsj"
. . /. ~:, 'n'i~th re'spect to the'Colie&Lve"Agreement itself between the parties ,. -.,
;ie:were'resfb&e%% the'prbvis'$ons of Article 5 Classification
?socelur& arCI; Xii pi&iculhr, the ' following:
""5J.l: "Where the'duties' of. an employ& are changed as a
resul.t, of reorganiz.ation or reassignment of duties
and the position'cs reclassified, to a classwith a'lower
.: 1
maximum salary, an employ,ee who occupies the position
when'ihe reclassification is made is entitled to salary
?rogression,,based.on merit to the maximumsalary of the
higher~'clas'sif~ication including any revision of the maxi-
mum salary.of the,.higher,,clagsification that takes effect
during the"salhry'cycle in which the redlassification
takes olac?, ,. :, ,. ,: , :. _.;
5.5.2 .,.&I employee to whom;the.above.section applies is "entitled t&b&appointed to the first vacant oosi-
tion in hisformer
trative district.or
class~that occurs in-the same adminis-
unit,,,~institution or other work 'area
in the.same ministry in whichhe was employed atthe time
:'e'.reclas~ification xas made.
XL. ..'<.<I ."/ -, _:"
,~: - :,.,~y ,,,;y ,y,,, ;,y _, I ,2 .:“.: ; :. _.
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!i..l Jjhere a position is reassessed and is reclassified
to a class with a lower maximum salary, any emplcyoe
vho occupies tha position at tha ~time of the roclassiiicacicn
shall continue to be entitled to salary progression based on
merit to the maximum salary of the higher classification, in-
cluding an./ reviai.cn of the m.-ci.mum s.xL?ry of t-:10 hiTher
classification that takes affect during the salary cycla in
which the reclassification takes place.
5.5.1 :ihere, because of the abolition oft a position, ar.
employee is assigned:
a,), from one position .in a ministry to another posilrion
in the same ministry, cr.
:..T::': .: '; b,),;:from a,;pgsition';,in-one ministryito a position in
'another ministry, and tbe position to.which he is .,,. 'j- ,-.,,,. ,-1. assignsd:is.in-a 'class with:a lower maximum salary
than.the maximum salary for the class of the posi-
1.~. ':::,.tion: from-which~he..was:assigned, he shail,concinue
to be entitled to salary progression based on nerit
':' -.? ;::zto_the maxinun salary of the-higher classification
including any' revision of the saximum salary of the ,, :. .? : -<< : .. ..;.'., niqher::classification~~that.takes effect during the
salary cycle in which the assignment takes place. ~,. :~ _ :.. :. .A ,.; :. ;: : I'
,.?I. addition,..the.Reprssentative of the Union made reference to
.AgricAe.24 ,+ealing.with!job secur+,vyP but:we would agree with.the ~. i .i ,. ,_ ,~.i ‘.‘.._ .'..., (. .-
coctentioq.,of .t,&e Representative of theiH,inistry that that Article _.,I .,
is-x%c. to apply oply in s,i,tuations of lay-off and, that it is,
z r.ner,e~o,~p, not~,m+terial to the.problem presently before US. :. .- -
: Tbe.:first.argument submitted.to ‘JS on:behalf of t?.e Gnicn was
. . .thar .rk.rrc~ ~~das~~~no,.reseon to demoto the griever and that it was not
~cpen~ to:the Fmp,loyer::,to change:. a classifi%tion having used it for
suc,h a- lcng period.of tine.., reference was ~made tc wo earlier de-
cisiCn~s.of:.this ~+oard,, re. Schmidt .5/X and,re Hooper 47/77. we do
got consier~$hat those cases have relevance tc the issus that is
,, ” >,. ~, ,_ :.: :; _ i ‘7 : .r ‘,I
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.‘xfcre us. In re Schmidt the Board dealt with a situation of an
eaployee who vas raised in classiiisation approximately a year
af:e;- he assumed the duties of that classification. In those cir-
c'umstsnces the Board agreed that the employer wasestopped from
3rijui;lg that the employee had been performing the duties of a
lower classification throughout the prior year Period since it xas
conceded that there had been no effective change in the duties co-
incidental wit:? the raising of the classification. The Schmidt
c2.j~ it.ands,.essentialQ forthe proposition that the classification
j;l.culd._rela.te::.to the actual duties that are being ~erfomed and the
27.l~loye~ was: obli:ged,to pay the. appropriate salary level for t:he
Period :those duties.had been:perfor;ned...;Re Booper was a situation
of;an +mployee:,performing~ a mogt:~unusual~bundle of duties and it
was not F~~aS:w~thin.,which classification he..should be placed. The
:SolCi~g of, .the..Board .was :. . . . . i.:. that. in :th?seci,rcumgtances he was w.titleZ ,,.
to re-.,plTaced2 inl"~e,.h,ighe,r, classificati,on., Again, on the facts be-
fore .us,,Ynere is.,no .ques.tion; that the duties Bering performed by
the grievor at.the.time of the demotion fell within, the classification
0fPrcbation ,Pxole ,effi.cer,.II:
In our view the factualsituation bef,ore us is closer to that~ ; : ",.
ccr.sitered byl:this.aoard?in re Wheeler 156/78, which case the Union . . . ..-. -.. .:,y..I; y1 ~.. .y:,
souqh: to distinguish::.,Inthat case there.had-been an.improper !:i>' ::.I .,:.y:,
;lajsificatFon,fOr;Severai yearswhich the employer SOUGht t0 COTZ2Ct. ~. _.-,. .I ‘.:
~52 Poard heldkhat the employercould.not be2astopped..frcm recl.assL- ..:il,;: ;;; i:;. :~; .~,
fying the job:if:;- inl~fact,.,there .was, an errpr in the, ,classificaticn.
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The aoard goes on to state at 3age 13 of the Decision:.'
"The situation might be regarded differently if the
qrievor had been an incumbent in the job at the,
time of reclassification, but that issue ne~ed not
be determined in this particular case."
Th2 Union seeks to distinguish that case on the ground that it.was
An .zrrcr in the original classification and there 1.4 no question
that with respect to the griever who is before us the original
classification .wis correct. The classification procedures, however,
were subsequently changed. :.Tn the wcrds Quoted, from the Wheeler
Case we zre now dealing with then situation essentially of~.an incum- ,:; ,:.;< $:T ,;:<:;, .:.:~;.
Sent who was in the job at the time of reclassification, which was
:_ ;~ .: .:::.'~. 'II '.
tIhe issue that.the Wheeler Board indicated did not'have to be de'ter- :~ :_ . ,; :.: :, P :; : ;: ; ': . . ,.
mined at that time. There is, however, .i'_ ,,,I .;. r:~rr:::y;:.;' ;,,; ~~., ..; <'~ - obiter in the Wheeler de-
CiSiOr.,
also commencing on page 13, directly,.on ?oFnt. It is .~ .: ,, _.. .:~ - ,y, <,';, :. : : ',I,, 'I . .
s:ated: ~I' .:,:I': .~
"Therefire, the real issue for determination before
this Board is whether the ;Xinistry erred iti its
original classification of this position.
This : ., ,‘,. .aoard:need noti enter into an extended'discuss'ion
of the scope 0: the employer's,right ,to reclassify
.- jobs;lnbr-tiithzan inte-qre'tktion of ?.rticle 5.3
of the working condition agreement. The section
: ‘dealiT.Lit!i,the'protectibn of awincumbent~ernployee's
salary on retilsssification of his job. It has no .:. +pplibai&i+ t$t$e"'erievor. 'I'
,. ‘2 :’ :
kticle SAPreferred to in the Wheeler decision is the same article
.., ,.:,. : :, :
ss~~r&icuslyqucted in this Award. With respect to tie ri;it 05 :?.?
&icyer to'change the'class&fication we see. no distinction between
a situation.w~~re'th~~'original clakification was ikorrect and s
,,.
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:o change the CleSsificationS by reason.of the ?rovisionS of "he
Crowo.3n?loyees Collective Bargaining Act and, since the griever
is an incumbent in the job at the time of its reclassification, he
coxes within the specific language of Article 5.4 of the Coliective
‘xgreeaent. On the evidence, the qrievor that is before us waS in
3 position that was reassessed and reclassified to ;1 class wit.*. a
Lowe: naximu? shlary arid, lnde&d,'that specific language is usec
ix thc:lottcr:ftoti rh~'~~,:lployer'-d~!ViSing.hirri oe"'tic action.
,.. : :
The Union further relied on the case rs.Toronto General
L “< :I ,- sospitil.(l976) L.A.C. '(id) 272 (Weatherill) which held that aS
, :_ :i,.: : ,.,_ .i ., : .,,.. :.
lsnq'hS"t:?e iaxle Work is being'performed, management has no right
.I ~- ::,..'.':~~L~::'.~~ . '.i : ;:\_
arb'itrarily'to recla&ify the employees perfozxiaq it. In t.1z.t
_ case, hOWeVe:;,%i+?e (+rc, !yo "f&yaL ;job, descriptions, thouqh 'the ., ,.. ~'
job titles 'werd'incorporal-;qd.,in:o tk Colle&ive Agreement. The .::;:,; i;..:: ,_ ' :' " ,. .' '??cision -would 'indidate that ':tho ~evide~!lc?: x; td jot, functions and - . :;; ;> .,. i.-i ,., j...
.ixies Was'~i~conclus'iv~ in co&ring the kmployees involved to .:. ~: '. . . ,r '.'
other empioyees of the~hiqher~classification and the Arbitrator
.. '~'. : .'
?.+<e the s+cific finding on the evidence that it had not been Shown
that the qrievors prop,~,r~y c+me wiJhin Some other classification
-s-Ider t>e Collective Agreement. On the evidence that.is before us
:. ~..'
Z?.B ~rrevcr's duties u-e, on the evidence of both parties, indis-
.,;, ; '. _ . ,.. ,, :
ti.?quiSabie -from those,of other Probation Parole Oificer II's.
In the alte,rnat.ive,3 ..<.<~ ..: ..I~ :TT;.. .>.. .,.~,: the Union argued.that even if the Eaployer
*raS enkitLed,to demc$t., +e griavor,. the g rievor.was entitled to the
,%. ~.,. '.,~
: . . . -_, ,,._.'
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?rocestio.n of Article 3.3.2. Ni& that,contenticn we cannoc aqzgn.
3+t section relates to Section 5. 3.1 which is prenised'on the fat:
Cat the duties of an employee must be changed as a result of re-
crqanizstion dr reassCqnment. On the factual circumstances &fore
"3 there had been no change in the duties of the qrievor but, rat.ier,
&L. -.B chznqe bzs been in the classification and worlc practices within
:Se >linistry. It is ouz view that (he situation which is '&fore us
cones -3rely within the provisions of Article 5.4 and that is the
Axicle;@ich should be applied in determining the qrievor's riq;?ts. .Y y.: .I : ::
'..' .-In-re&chinq the foregoinq.6onclusion as to the contractua
-~s:-.i~-'.-je't,;~d8~i the I;ar-ies; the'.Sb$.rd Ga?'distu;bed by certain
=s~ects df-~~e:evidence'.,~hics haij& already been reviewed in this
$jJar", . Sgeeiiically, in late 196'4'the qrievor was cne of 20 em-
i&ye&s w~o'receiced:'a.somewhat unique type of promotion from
?'rcb'a;i&Pa;oie Officer II to Probation Parole Officer III
r !S$eci;iistj',; ".Each'of the 20'w& qiven a very particular job
s~~'c~f~~~~y.& .- - '." "'~ ,'-which specifi.catibn'& s&t&e merely reflected
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the actual~'jbb dutik$'of-the'particuiar &dividual at the time.
.~. T>e stated'rnt&it bn' the-p+rt'of the~Enployer in making such pro-
%rions wan ,(b prbvide a career path Ear employ&es who vould not
_ ., ba~ome"'i~"bTiied.'in.adminlstrativk f&ctidns or otherwise achieve
.-.,: .,.. :: ,. ..:.,,-, 'ZV&n?6n6nt;~'The E'&l6yer'sdbn' after condlu'ded that the'plan had
., .,. tiCv5 beei tie.11 ‘o&itived' anh in. adtdition, E?roughout. the 'balance
j'f: ‘t."..+.~ ,i,? -" .i r,-" '- 10 s:an%e~ar?y 1970'S ~significant &n&e* ilcre aode i;l
."
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the systems of parole and in the standards and duti.=s of ?zo-
bation Officers, accompanied by a general upqr,adiAq of all
lrobation Officers. This apparently resulted in a situation
vherebv early in the 1970's the griever's duties were indistin-
quishable from those of Probation Parole Officers II. Of the 20
employees promoted at the same time as the qrievnr had bean pro-
aoced, all of the others were either given further promotions
or tra.nsfers.or retired classified as a Probation i?arole officer
III. It was 'further agreed b$ the 3egidnal:PersonneL Administrator
_. i.2 the -'c&&d df Xis tress-trjmihation'that in th$$a&nq' out
., '7;:. ",
of cS&s.$&ficatibxis'it was"notia~lto have':it happen by dttrition.
~~~"grievo.:~~~er;en.t: s;ecifi'd ,. ~._
j‘&b evalua&oG in each of 1975
: :> i. .-:,
a&d 1977 which dis:losed the s&e factual cirtiumstances as the
one in 1978;'btit up& which"-<the employ& chose to take'no action.
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it ajpiared,*to,us that in these circumstances we should qive
cofisideration to,the issue of whether or ,not it would be a?prop-
riate'for the Boa:d 'to'qive effect to the principle of equitable
estc~pei,'tb~peGent'the.EnE,loyer from taking the action which it
&in'lgi$j. -.: . ..W&'requested '&tit the pariies~ make s&missions to
us-bn.that"&.$!& of‘the inatter and, in particular, drew the
,.?a&ies att&ition to.'the recent decision in're CY/C7
Telecowx%icdtidns (aeatty, tireported, February 12th, 1981). X
xritten:~~ubidkSibn was re&eived,f?om the'Employer u&er date
Zcly 14th, 1981; arid from th& Union under,date July 24th, 1981. ,.. ~.. ., ,...I : :
: :.. " : .';' ; .
,.
: I, . /
, .
It is the position of the E;npLoyer that the CX/C? case
1.3 not J proper application of the principlt2 of promissory
estoppel, but that in substance it creates a new principle, to
the effect that where ~a.. employer has provided benefits over
a long period of time it would be unfair forthe employer not
:o continue to provide such benefits prior to raising the
satter in the course of negotiations.
,. ::.. We :y,.not find it necessary to deal specifically with ,.~ ..\:;:: 1; ; .j. :.,:, .(
.,-he correctness or otherwise of Professor Beatty's CX/C? de- (_ _ . ~,, ?,,T;.,- ... : ; .y :
ciston since, on the factual situation before us, the doctrine ..'Z. : ,... !,.
., .ic,s ~q.$ .need.,to. be ,e,%ten.ded to the, lengths which the CX/C? t:
decis;,on does, indeed, appear to extend it. As stated by
Couns~,~; fy.~ th+ Employer,, t.ke c1as.sic.d formulatio? of the
doctri,ne.,qf, promissory es;t~oppel is set out by Lord justice
O.ee.?ning $Combe v.Combe .[19;51], 1 All E. R. 767 at 770:
"?he~,principle, .I as I .understand it, is that where
" .one'patty has, by Sis words,or conduct, made to
: '. the other a.?romise.or assurance.which was in-
tended'.to affect the legal~ralati.bnshipS between
.them.and.to be acted on accordingly, then, once
the other party has'taken him at his word and
acted on-it, 'the one who,gave. the promise or
asgurance chnnot afterwards.be allowed to revert
: to the.previous legal relations as if no such
promiseor assurancehad'been made by bin, but
I : : i :heTl.n+st~ accept.fh~ir~leqal.relationg subject to
' the qualification whrch~he,;;'himself;.has~ so intrc-
duced, e.ve.n.though it,is not supported in noint
..'I' of lati'by-any' consideration;but only by his
yard.“,
.: . .In epvpl,yinq:the, foregoing princip,le~ to,the factual situation ;
before us,; re think it may reasonably be concluded that there
._..~
I..“‘:.” I ‘:.I ., . .
: /‘?:.:, x,
*
> . _.. ,. .: :. L:
,
:.
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'A. ~'.dere actions on the part of the Employer ,hat could lead only
to the reasonable conclusion th.at they were intended to afZ-ct
the relationship betveen the.grievor and the employer. In
1964 3 specific type of promotion was instituted that was re-
lated, not to en upgrading in qualifications or a change in
responsibilities, but rather, to create a career'path for cer-
tain specific iz+viduals who, in the view of the Snployer,
were, ~~ortby, ,o$,i,promo,t$on, ,but yJy -wFuld not ~otherwise within
tke sy.steq .agaiev.e ~&t-T. _..~ ,~,. ;...c: .~ .~~$,s ,tyo,q ..oi~ qaot&on was subsequently ,1:.,-, ~, ,/i ,.,
aber.done$ by,,the Employer, but notwithstanding that, of the 20 ,.. (.
emioyees cc~~e~;iedi'i:lg'i:.~e;e ..oqG;"i 'oeyiod years either pro-
.:..~ ncted furttier::or re;iied:,with&ut c&Age .iti'classification. The ; ,: .: _~ ;rievor'i'spetiifi6 job wa~:evaluat8~ by the'Employer in each
: of 1375an$;jl977, by which'tise he was the only one of the
o3riginal.ZO...st~ll.~or!cing'~~~~~~t,c~ass~f~~~ticn and ~no action ,. -. :, _ .,
was t~aken on~,fhe:oar,t of. fhe Emplpyer,; .ti&"think that t&he .~. ,i..:: ~.', ., _
Ssployer'm;s;~‘be"takcn is $'a'&n<j int&dod'those re'aults which
~0~16 log'ibally -flow frog its actions, a+ it would further be
OK view thaf voyeur an e:ct,g$ea Foriod of time the, griever .~.. ..,. ::s. .:
coul$.Md dig reasonably ,cpnclude that he would continue in the :
?osit.i.on;, as h.ad his f.%!l.~r$s, ~: _ <-‘.; cl i _ jc.. i until further promgtion 07 rctirf- .> ,. :, ,,.-I-:: -, ::
nent... .D&iyg,,.Fh+t pexZi~d, there ,;;ou:d ha% been, in the noraal ..: .,: . ,'.
a:ourr52?,,, numcrw3 oppoI:tuniti~::; . .,,_ ... ..:.'L‘< C.!,. '~':1 :: ,!,.'~- for pc0111~~tLon or trw3ftir wicshi:1
t'ce Government Service' or outside of it. The griever iS a lon$
sez'rica ~mpl,oy~fz and,his considera,tion of Such o$portunitisS ~,,. .~ '~' -r;
,,. ..~
‘,. : 7 :..I z,. ; .,; -y,. .: ~.
* . . ..( :
- 16 -
xould most certainly be influenced by Whether or not his in-
cwbent position was a ?robation Parole Officer II or a
?robation Parole Officer III. Further, throughout that period
he was of an age where he would have been giving consideration
to his plans for retkement and these plans would most certsinly
be influenced by hFs level of anticipated pension. That wocld
also be affected by 'his classification, particularly during
the -Cir.al years of his employment. :ie conclude, therefore,
that there is adequate evidence of detrknental reliance on
the part of'the g:ievor and that based on the traditional
authorities the circumstances are such that it is appropriate
to apply the doctrine of promissory estoppel against the
Czpioyer in this matter.
It is, therefore I our conclusion that the grievance
rust Se allowed and thdkthe Employer was not er.titled to exe?
cise its specific confractual rights to re-classify the griever
ii7 the circumstances.- The griever is, therefore, entitled to
be restored to his forme,r classification with full seniority
and compensation for wages and benefits,lost in the interim.
~W.? will reaain seized to determine the issue of compensation or
:.,
any o-her nazter relating to the implementation 0E this Award
s;lou:i the oarties not be. ab:e to agree upon Sam?.
DATED this 16th
,..‘,::1’. -:. ~..
,-,; ..:,_,
I_ _, .? ,y., .,
‘: :
day of September, 1981.
I
Ross L. Kenneoy,
~*. t-i. NcCuaig : ~