HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-0649.Russell.86-04-22i
Between:
Before.: J. W. Samuels Vice-Chairman
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARTITRATION
Under
THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT
Before
THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD
OPSEU (Russell)
- and -
Grievor
The Crown in Right of Ontario Employer
(Ministry of Transportation and Communications)
NOTE: For the first three days of hearings, I had the pleasure and
- privilege of the assistance of
I. Freedman, Member
G. Walker, Member
then, after the untimely death of Mr. Walker, the parties agreed
that we would complete the hearing with the Vice-Chairman as sole
arbitrator, without prejudice to the procedure to be followed if
a member is unable to complete a hearing in the future.
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For the Grievor: P. A. Sheppard
Counsel
Barrister & Solicitor
For the Employer: 5. W. Wheeler
Head, Classification & Pay Administration
Ministry of Transportation & Communications
(Appeared April 18, 1985)
M. B. Furanna
Staff Relations Officer
Staff Relations Branch
Ministry of Transportation & Communications
(Appeared for the Hearings in 1986)
Hearing Dates: April 18, 1985
January 30, 1986
February 6, 1986
April 7, 1986
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CONTENTS
lntroductlon
The Grievor’s .Job
On the Grievor’s ClaSSifiCatiOn
Conclusion
Appendices
A. Position Specification, Landscape Operations
Co-ordinator
6. Class Standard, Arboriculturist 3
C. Technical Services Category
II.’ Class Standard, Agricultural Specialist 3
E. Scientific and Professional Services Category
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I7 18 20 21
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3, i ‘r
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Introduction
The next time you drive along one of our provincial highways, look at
the roadside vegetation. its there to provide proper drainage, t0 COntrOl I
erosion in order to maintain the fabric of the roadbed, and to please the eye.
The grievor is the expert in this province on roadside vegetative growth. He
iS known as the Landscape Operations Co-ordinator in the Landscape
Operations Unit of the Maintenance Branch of the Ministry of Transportation
and Communications. He is classified as an Arboriculturist 3, and he claims
that he is WOngly classif.ied. He says that he should be classified as an
Agricultural Specialist 3. I agree.
For 29 years, the citizens of Ontario Rave benefited from the ServIceS
of this gentleman. Trained in horticulture, with a Niagara Parks Diploma
earned over a ful) three years in the middle I95o’s, from I966 to the
present day, John Russell has been in the Ministry’s Head Office in Toronto,
involved in the management of roadside vegetation and erosion control along
the provincial highways throughout the province. For all of this period at
Head Office, he’s been the Landscape Operations Co-ordinator, in the
Landscape Operations Unit of the Ministry’s Maintenance Branch, and until
I982 he was classified as an Arboriculturist 2.
In August 1981, his area went through a reorganization as a result of
the retirement of a supervisor, Hr. H. C. Spence, who was not replaced. This
reorganization included a great deal of discussion concerning the
classification of the employees who had worked under Mr. Spence. In
October 1982, Mr. R. M. Dell (then and now the Supervisor of the Landscape
Operations Unit, and the grievor’s immediate supervisor) wrote to his
supervisor, Mr. J. T. Kernaghan (Productivity and Development Engineer of
the Ministry’s Maintenance Branch) recommending that the griever be
reclassified as an Agricultural Specialist 3, and setting out in detail his
reasons for the change. The grievor wound up being reclassified as an
Arboriculturist 3 in March 1983.
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A number of the reclassifications were not acceptable to the
employees concerned, nor to their immediate supervisors and other line
managers. Throughout the piece, both before and after the reclassification.
deCiSiOnS were made by the Classiflcatton and Pay Administration
DepartmenUhese line managers attempted to achieve a further
reclassific~ation for their iubordinates. When all these efforts failed, a
number of grievances concerning the resulting classifications made their
way to the Grievance Settlement Board.
This Vice-Chairman had already issued one award concerning these
grievances, L:ufnowmo’A$ ~3~~~d3%3’~, when this case began in April
1985, together with the grievance of one of the grievor’s colleagues
EtriPniekS, GSB 649/50). At our first day of hearing, we began the
testimony of Mr. Stripnieks on the general background and Mr. Stripnieks’
particular situation. The hearing was scheduled to resume on June 5 and 6,
1985. On June 4, the parties agreed to adjourn the hearing concerning Mr.
Stripnieks, to await the results of the Ministry’s appeal of the decision in
L-ufnow2~ff~q. The appeal is still pending. In late 1985, the parties asked
us to reconvene to complete the case of Mr. Russell. So we resumed in early
1986, and this is the award concerning the classification of Mr. Russell.
He claims that he should be classified as an Agricultural Specialist 3.
The Grievor’s Job
We heard a great deal of evidence concerning the grievor’s job Since
the reorganization resulting from Mr. Spence’s retirement in 198 I. This
evidence included the introductionofnumerousexamplesof the reports,
letters, and other documents done by the grievor in the course of his work.
All of this material has been examined with considerable care in order to
understand the precise nature of his job, and some of the exhibits Will be
touched on in this award.
Our starting point is the position specification prepared in mid-1982
( by the griever’s supervisor, Mr. R. M. Dell, as part of the attempt to have the
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grievor reclassified to an Agricultural Specialist 3. It is a very thorough
job description, and the salient parts--Purpose of the Position, Summary of
Duties and Responsibilities, and the Skills and Knowledge required to
perform the work-- are reproduced in Appendix A to this award. The
Appendix is taken from an exhibit prepared by the Ministry, with the very
useful annotations numbering the duties in the Summary of Duties and
Responsibilities. We shall refer to the duties by these numbers.
In his testimony, the grievor suggested that there should be several
f changes in this position specification, though it does not appear that he
made any objection to the document when it was first prepared by Mr. Dell
in 1982. Mr. Dell had solicited the grievor’s comments on the contents of
the position specification when he was working on it, and the grleVOr had
given his written and verbal suggestions. Indeed, the two men appear to
have been and continue to be on very close terms, and Mr. Dell was Preparing
the document with a view to supporting his own recommendation that the ”
grievor be reclassified to an Agricultural Specialist 3. In any event, these
are the changeswhichthe grievorsuggests:
a. In the Purpose of Position,
I. Delete the first few words “To assist in coordinating” and
replace them with ‘To design and maintain”;
2. In the last line, delete the words “vegetative growth and” and
replace them with “establishment of Vegetation to control
erosion and other allied’.
b. In the Summary of Duties and Responsibilities,
I, In the preamble t0 duty I, delete -adherence to” and replace
with “adequacy of’;
2. Make the same change in duty 1 (a);
3. And again in duty I (I);.
4. In duty l(d), 4th line, add the Word “expert” before
“recommendat ions”;
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5. In the preamble to duty 2, delete “assists in developing” and
replace with “formulate”;
6. In duty 2(d), 4th line, delete “carrying out” in both places these
words appear, and replace With “designing and~coordinating;
7. In the preamble to duty 3, add “and private contractors” to the
list of recipients;
8. And make this same change in duties 3(d) and 3(e);
9. In the preamble to duty 4, add “and outside organizations-;
IO. Change the percentage for duty .I from 35% to 20%;
/ I I. Change the percentage for duty 3 from 20% to 30%;
12. Change the percentage for duty 4 from 10% to 15%.
In our view, these changes in text are largely cosmetic and are not
significant to us in the determination of the grievor’s appropriate
classification. They involve shades of meaning which in the final analysis
do not make a significant difference. Similarly, the changes in the
percentage of time devoted to each duty are based on a rough estimation by
the griever and do not affect the job description in a significant way for
purposes of determining the appropriate classification. While duties I and
3 are different in action, they are not significantly different in nature for
purposes of classification--therefore it makes little difference if we take
IO% from I and apply it to 3.
In essence, the grievor is the Ministry’s specialist in the management
of roadside vegetation and erosion control. He is the expert in vegetative
growth at the roadside (what to grow, how to plant, how to manage) and in
how to Control erosion. His advice Is essential to the operational Units
(Ministry personnel in the regions and districts, and contractors) who do the
hands-on roadside work. He draws up plans, policies and procedures (in
some cases these will be approved by management, in others they Will go
outdirectly from the grievor), and then he monitors work which iS done by
the regional and district crews, who are under the direction of an engineer.
The grievor is concerned with research into methods and materials, and t
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with operational application. He offers advice and training~withrn the
Ministry to operational personnel, and to other Ministries and outside
groups. Matters will come to the grievor through his supervisor or directly
from OPerJtiOnal units, from senior management (up to and including the
Deputy Minister), and from other Ministries or outside agencies.
With respect to the grievor’s education, he testified that his diploma
from the Niagara Parks Commission is the equivalent of a university degree
(indeed, when he took his course in the mid- 1950’s, the only similar training
was the Degree in Horticulture at the Ontario Agricultural College), and
there was no other evidence to Suggest that this diploma work was not of
university Tevel. Since he joined the Ministry, he has taken a number of
courses on materials (pesticides and dynamite). horticulture, and Preparing
lectures. He now holds a’Class I provincial licence for herbicides, and used
to hold a Class 3 licence for insecticides (but ceased paying the annual fee
when the Ministry stopped reimbursement for the fee).
The griever’s job has changed somewhat since Mr. Spence retired, but
therehave also beenchangesovertheyearssincehebecameLanOscape
Operations Co-ordinator in 1966. He testif ied that the job has evolved
because of the introduction of modern technology, policy changes, new
environmental constraints, changes in the relationship between Head Office
and the regions and districts, and the change in the line of authority since
Mr. Spence retired and was not replaced. His work is more complex, and he
finds himself doing more projects from start to finish, rather than Simply
contributing to a project.
Let us look now at some of &he griever’s actual output. We received in
evidence 22 documents relating to what the grievor does in his job..
Following are some comments on this evidence.
In March 1985. the Ministry Published its up-dated manual on
7ur/-F”&b//lsnn7mt. As the manual says in its introduction:
The establishment of turf on roadsides IS.an
integral part of road construction. As well as
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provlding an economic basis of maintaining the
rlght-of-way and c.ontrolling erosion, it is a fast
and effective means of healing the scars of
construction and creating a visually satisfying
roadside.
The manual Is’ a COmDrenenSlve guide t0 the choice Of seed and mulching
materials, application for permanent and temporary cover, preparation of
soil surface, inspection of operations. In short, it tells you all you need to
know about now to do it effectively. Fully half the manual (some 45-50
pages) is given over to Section A--a general guide in text form. The other
half of the manual consists of special directives, specifications and
provisions which set out Ministry procedures.goveming such matters as
reporting and contracting with outside agencies. A short Section G at the
end of the manual Is a guide to legume seedlng. The griever wrote al) of
Sections A and G himself, and contributed to the preparation of the directive
concerning seeding and mulching. The reworking of the text for the 1985
up-date alone took the grievor the better part of two winters. This was a
signif icant part of his work. A close reading of the grievor’s text reveals
that he had to bring to bedr a great deal of experience, training, and
research in order to cover ail of the matters dealt with in the guide. This is
a fully professional piece of work.
Then we looked at two research reports which occupied a
considerable part of the grievor’s time over one winter. One is on the use of
antitranspirants used by the Ministry as a means of reducing transpiration
of plants during the planting season, and to a much lesser degree as a salt
barrier on conifers. In a report submitted to Mr. Dell in January 1984, the
grievot reviewed what he had learned about antitranspirants through
discussions with operational staff and a review of the literature, and he
made certain recommendations conc.erning the Ministry’s use of
antitranspirants. The second report deals with the staking and guying of
roadside trees. Each distric~t had its own ideas on the subject, and Mr. Dell
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asked the griever to research the matter. Again tne grievor reviews what ne
had tearned from discussions with operational staff and a review of the
literature, and makes recommendations conc.erning the Ministry’s practice.
While both are brief reports, they snow that the grievor must review the
Professional literature and gather information and come to an informed
conclusion concerning the relevance and application of existing knowledge,
based on his own professional judgment.
Several of the documents show the grievor giving advice to regions
and districts wlth particular vegetation growth or erosion problems. Others
illustrate his design and monitoring of research projects. Mr. Dell testified
that he encourages his staff, including the grievor, to initiate research
projects deSigned t0 improve the Unit's delivery Of SeNiCeS.
The essential point in all of this is that the grievor is the
professional resource person. He doesn’t plant or sow, or water, or s~take, or.
guy. He is the man who tells the operational people what they need to k.now
in order- to do tneir job effectively. Where necessary, he researches the
professional literature, or runs nis own research, in order to come UP with
the answers.
With respect to the grievor’s training function, we learned that on a
regular basis he joins with other experts in this Ministry and other
Ministries of the provincial government, and faculty members from Several
universities, to give courses to employees of the provincial government and
municipalities. The grievor generally organizes the regular Ministry
landscape supervisors’ seminar, and in all of these courses and seminars he
is tne man who lectures on turf establishment and erOSIOn COntrOl.
On the Griever’s Classif ication
The grievor is now classified as an Arboriculturist 3. The Class
Standard is reproduced in Appendix 6 to this award. This classif ication iS
within the Technical Services Category, the definition of which is found in
Appendix C.
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The grievor says that he is wrongly classified and should be
classified as an Agricultural Specialist 3 (see Appendix D), which is in the
Scientific and Professional Services Category (Appendix E).
The classification system is established by the employer. Then the
parties negotiate the wages which reward each ClasSifiCatiOn. If an
employee feels that he is wrongly classified, according to the employer’s
system, then he can grieve under section 18(2)(a) of the Lk?wn,&~p/qv~?f5
roN~i~tivPE~~~~ii)jn~Ai~t.
Thus, our starting point is the employer’s own classification system.
The procedure for classification is set out in the OntarioManWof
Admin/straCion, in a policy directive entitled “Position Evaluation,
Bargaining Unit”, issued in February 1983. It reads as follows:
Bargaining Unit.
Grade Sescriptlon: The majority of bargaining unit positions are classified
using the Grade Description System.
Grade Description,
Definition: Grade Description is a type of position evaluation that
compares each position as a whole to a predetermined
, standard or guide,
Grade Description,
Method of The method in evaluating a position by grade description is
Position a* follows:
Evaluation:
a) Category Selection:
. determine the most appropriate category by compar-
ing the nature of tha-position’s job fun&ion and
its duties and responsibilities to the definitions
of the categories;
b) Occupational Group Selection:
. determine the most appropriate occupational group
by comparing the position’s skill base with the
co-n skill base or community of interest for each
occupational grasp;
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c) Class Series Selection:
. determine the most appropriate class series within
the occupational grip selected, by comparing the
position’s functions with the particular function
of each class series;
d) Class Level Selection:
. determine the most appropriate level within the
class series selected by comparing the position
with the class standard starting at the lowest
level; if it does not correspond, repeat the
process at the next higher level and, if necessary,
succesrively higher levels until a match is
obtained;
. verify the position/class level match by comparing
the position with the next highest level in the
class eerie6 to ensure that ‘it doee not fit.
It is clear that one must start with the selection of the appropriate
Category, then find a suitable Occupational Group within the Category, and
finally find a suitable Class Series and Level. This process is necessary
when a grievor claims that he is not even classified in the Correct Category.
In most of the cases before this Board, the issue has been the correct Level
within a Class Series, eg. in Pfii$ 564?70, where the issue was Drafter 2
or Drafter 3. But the issue is broader in a case like Mr. Russell’s,
When we look at the definition of the Technical Services Category,
within which falls the Arboriculturist 3, we find that it concerns primarily
people who do hands-on work,,people who aSSiSt professionals. It includes
“the conduct of sub-professional applied scientific work and the provision
of support services to professional staff”. This is simply inapplicable to
the grievor. He & the professional staff, when it comes to roadside
vegetative growth. Throughout the Ministry, government service, and
province generally, he&the expert in his field. He offers advice to those
who do the haMIS-On work. He does research. He gives lectures alongside
university faculty and other experts.
Indeed, he fits squarely within the Scientific and Professional
Services Category, which includes “occupational groups requiring the
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continuing exercise of a scientific or professional discipline normally
acquired through university graduation’. The fact that he does not have a
university degree itself is not fatal to his classification within this
Category. He has an equivalent diploma, achteved at a time when there were
very limited opportunities for a university education, but when an
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equivalent education in his field could be obtained outside a university. We
have no evidence whatsoever to dispute the grievor’s testimony that, in the
mid-19503, the diploma from the Niagara Parks Commission requiring a full
three years of study, was tne equivalent of tne Degree in Horticulture at the
Ontario Agricultural College.
And within the Scientific and Professional Services Category, the
grievor would be suitably classified as an AgriCUltUral Specialist 3. He iS a
“specialist in one specific area of agriculture”---roadside vegetative
growth. While the Class Standard uses words related to farming, in our
view this is not critical to the grievor’s claim. In the first Place, this
Standard appears to be the best fit for the grievor within the Scientific and
Professional Services Category. Secondly, the essential element in the
Standard is the expertise in at least one specific area involving the growth
of crops or vegetation. Again, the grievor is &authority in this province
on roadside vegetative growth. From all around the province, within
government and out, people come to him for advice on this matter.
The Ministry called Mr. Ralph Shaw, Director of the Plant Industry
Branch in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, to testify concerning the
work and expertise of the Agricultural Specialist 3’s under his direction.
There Is no need to go into this evidence in great detail. He was talking
about 45 people. But in short, they did very much the same work as the
‘griever---advising clients (in this case, farmers); disseminating
information; interpreting field findings and making recommendations;
working in committees to discuss research programs and problems;
recognized as experts in at least one particular area. Mr. Shaw testified
that such specialists must know not only the :‘how’, but also the ‘why’. This
fits the grieVOr. Indeed, a number Of Mr. ShaW’S employees were involved in
the same seminars and lecture series as the grievor. In most cases, Mr.
Shaw’s specialists spend the majority of their time in one Specific
geographic area of tne province, developing a large expertise in tne Climatic
and other conditions peculiar to the area. The grievor is&expert for the
whole province in his field of knowledge. And while Mr. Shaw testified that
all his people have university degrees, he was not asked whether a diploma
from the Niagara Parks Commission in the mid- 1950’s was equivalent to a
university degree.
ConcIusion
In sum, I find that the grievor Is Wrongly Classified as an
Arboriculturist 3. This Standard falls within the Technical Services
Category, which does not suit the grievor’s job. The employer must abide by
its own classification system. This system is the basis upon which
negotiation of wages takes place, and the Union is entitled to rely on the
Published classification system in the On&arioffanua/ofAUminisff~Cion.
The first step in the employer’s own classification system is to identify the
correct Category. For the grievor, this is the Scientific and Professional
Services Category. And within that Category, the grievor fits well within
the Agricultural Specialist 3.
In his grievance, dated June 4, 1984, the grievor asked simply for
reclassification to Agricultural Specialist 3. He did not ask for any
retroactive remedy. However, Mr. Russell was part of the group affected by
the retirement of Mr. Spence, and at the OUtSet of this award, I mentioned
the efforts of line management to have the grievor reclassified properly. In
CufmvNdNg, 6JS/84and6Jb/8#, which involved two of the others
affected by the retirement, the Board granted retroactive compensation to
the date of the formal reclassification to Arboriculturist 3. This was done
because tat page 8):
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the evidence was clear that the grievor
and his supervisors were extremely disturbed by the classification from the
beginn&?. and the reason for the grlevor’s delay was that his supervisofs
continued to attempt to have the reclassification corrected. It was onIy
when it appeared that nothing would help except an appeal to this Board
that the grievof filed Eis grievance.
Mr. Russell’s case is the same, and for the same reasons, he should be
reclassified as of March 2, 1983, as an Agricultural Specialist 3.
I reserve my jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter of the
precise amount of compensation, in the event the parties are unable to
settle this themselves.
Done at London, Ontario, this 22nd day of April , 1986.
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Position Specification, Landscape Operatl3ns
Co-ordinator
To assist in co-ordinating the Ministry’s program of roadside vegetation management and erosis,
control practices for the benefit of engineering and environmental concerns, and to provide
an expert landscape consultive and investigative service to the Regions, Districts and Head
Office On matters dealing with vegetative growth and landscape operations along roadsides.
3>6 I. Under the direction of the Supervisor - Landscape Operations provides a monitoring
I * , service to the Regions and Head Office in the roadside vegetation management field
, * to ensure adherence to Ninistry policy, procedures and standards by:-
;., Reviewing progress and development of landscape planting contracts and day
labour planting projects during installation to ensure adherence to Hinistry
specifications and practices.
Monitoring planting projects when completed as a means of judging survival
rate and effectiveness of design, standards etc.
. Writing reports on monitoring results and discussing the same with Managers
< ~’ at Regional and District levels and submitting reports and recommendations
to resolve field problems.
: Evaluating operational efficiencies and procedure effectiveness of pesticide
and erosion control programs on behalf of the Regions and submitting reports
and recommendations to the Supervisor or Regiqnal.Director ,or District Engineer.
Monitoring progress~and development of mitigating measures to Environmental
impacts. For example vegetation establishment ‘to control erosion, and review-
i,ng the results with Regional managers of ,Construction and Environmental planners.
,’ Reviewing in the”field on behalf of the Region 5 -all planting schemes submitted
?:~ for capital day labour funds to ensure’adherence to policy and standards,
’ suitability of plant material, and accuracy of monetary estimate and submitting
recommendations to Supervisor.
304 2. Under the direction of the SUpervi
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r assists in developing the necessary pof‘icies
and procedures for.effectlve and eff Cient roadside development and vegetation
,.> management program by’:-
-j Liaising with field staff and reviewing and monitoring reports relative to
-’ the application and effectiveness Of Ministry policies, guidelines and
standards etc. to Identify problem areas and the need to develop new or revise
existing Ministry policies, standards etc. 1
! Assessing soil and erosion control’problems and developing.remedlal measures’
such as seed species,fertilizer requirementsland mulch cover to mitigate .,:.’
environmental impacts and providing recommendations to the Supervisor - Landscaps
Operations for proposed changes in policy etc. -. >
.‘I Reviewing and writing landscape specifications, manuals and quality standards-z,
” ~to provide updated technology for Ministry Operations;.:,: .‘,. .:~ i .:~ .
. . ,... ,>. .., ~!<I. ,. .A., .‘. .,- .I yyt
,-.i, Investigating and ‘reviewtrig .the ‘11 terature and presentations by commercial ..,.‘:“~’
representatives and assessing the’application of products and/or methods, then
. submitting a proposal for research and evaluation for approval to the Supervisor;
Carrying out the research by arranging site locations carrying out field trails,
observing, monitoring and assessing test results and collecting data.., ,-.
., I. ) &,‘..“,
‘j Preparing reports and. recommendations on the investigation of the findings 1-J ;?~ :
including the drafting of proposed policies and procedures for review and approve
by his supervisor. ‘.‘~. !. .:
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20n 3.
,, ‘- ! I,<
Provides a consultative specialized service in the landscape, vegetation manage-
nent and erosion control field ,to the Regions e.g. Construction Engineers, to the:
.:. Districts e.g..Arboriculturist I and II and other governmental agencies e.g. ._ j Ontario Hydra, Hunicipallties and the general public by:-
!) Providing expert landscape’ support,and a technical and field service’review -
.- to Head Office, Regions and Districts on matters pertaining to roadside
vegetation establishment and erosion control and their implementation into :.
roadside vegetation management programs to reduce construction and annual
maintenance costs and improve roadside aesthetics.
Organizing and developing long range herbicide programs and preparing planting
* schemes and landscape designs upon request of the Regions or Districts.
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. Providing’the Landscape Planner with site information’, erosion control
recommendations, and plant species recommendations relating to landscape
design and planting conctracts then reviewing completed plans and submitting
comments to the Supervisor of Landscape Planning on the final’design and
specifications.
.\i Providing technica; information on Ministry vegetation establishment procedures
and other landscape activities to other Government and outside agencies.
-:~, Receiving inquiries from Regional and District Construction staff and Regional
Environmental Planners and Providing technical advice on warious matters
pertaining to vegetative growth and erosion control.
10% 4. Provides a training service to the Regions and Districts in their staff development
_’ .:/,‘I and resource planning area by:-
.I Lecturing on landscapes development procedures as an integral part of : I . ” I Hinistry staff development and Regional,Resource planning and organizing and
conducting seminars and training courses to Reglonal construction and District )
Maintenance staff.,
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Providing on site training to Regional and District staff on the safe effecti
and efficient use of complex and specialized landscape equipment e.g. aerial
bucket devices, weed sprayers etc.
)Developing and preparing presentations on the Ministry’s vegetation manag’emen
and erosion control program and conducting presentations to other Government
Agencies and outside organizations upon request.
5% 5. Performs other related duties as assigned, such as:-
Acts as a member of an internal ~Hinistry task
. force or working grcxlp, i.e. Seeding and
Mulching task force.
.,, ~K,CLS AND KNOWLEDGE p,EO”,REO TO PERFORM THE WORKtsr~rr EDuC*TIOW.T~.IN~~G.EX)ERIENCE ETC.1
A sound knowledge of the Ministry’s roadside vegetation management objectives, a knowledge
of the principles and practices of revegetating disturbed.areas, a knowledge of landscape
design, planting techniques and maintenance practices; the ability to analyse field probien
and provide technically sound solutions; a willingness to travel extensively; the ability.
,
to develop and maintain a good working relationship with the
ninistry personnel, other Ministries and agencies; a demonstrated
ability to conduct research projects and prepare technical reports;
effective communications skills both orally and written; this skill
and knowledge normally acquired through graduation from a university
course of recognized standing in Horticultural Science, Agronomy or
related discipline and a combination of several years related field
and office experience.
! I
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APPENDIX B
ARBORICULTURIST 3
CLASS DEFLIITION:
/This class covers the position of the assistant to the Chief
Arboriculturist in rhe Department of Highways.2He assists the Chief
Arboriculturist by drafting policies and procedures? investigating and
develouing new materials and equipment, {introducing new; techniques
janalya-mg results of experimental projects and soil tests,tirevie\ving
growth evaluation reports, ywriting draft specifications for contracts
andhcompiling annual reports.
;) He liaises with consultants, other departmental sections, other
government departments and governments for an exchange oi information
regarding the field of vegetative growth. /cHe provides technical direction
on his own field. //He arranges experimental projects and persona!ly
follows them to conclusion./~e’arranges and gives lectures to arboricul -
rural staffs.
fj.Ye co-orciinares the functions oi head oifice arboriculturists and
draftsmen with construction and maintenance programmes to ensure that
landscape plans and projects are initiated and completed on sc_hedule,/?har
regional landscape equipment is being properly utilized and ta at the work
is performed eificiently.
! SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED:
Application of landscape design and plant growth pertaining to roadside
development.
-Ability to co-ordinate technical requirements and operational skills.
QU.4LIFIC.4TIOXS: -
1. a degree in forestry or horticulture from a recognized university.
or a diploma from the Niagara Parks Commission School oi :iorI-
iculture or a recognized equivalent pertaining to landscape arctitrctcrc.
2. .4t least six years’ experience in roadside developrnenr.
I
APPENDIX C.
TECENICAL SERVICES CATEGORY
This Category includes:
- positions involving the installation, operation, servicing,
repair, modification and maintenance of electronic systems
and equipment; and the planning and co-ordination of
telephone and radio communications networks nsed for
transmitting work assignments and dispatchtng equipment
and materials:
- positions lnvolvlng such duties as the preparation of
sketches, drawings and specifications for new buildings,
alterations, bridges, highways, interior layouts, exhibits
and models, and mechanical and electrical systems: the
compilation, plotting or drafting of survey plans,
topographic or planlmetrlc maps, land use maps, profiles,
contours, cross-sections, mosaics, and site plans
relating to aerial, ground and legal land surveys.
architecture, engineering, community planning, forestry,
sol1 research and conservation; the review and recommen-
dation on types of construction, materials, etc. I and the
preparation of estimates and specifications for tendering
purposes:
- positions involving sub-professional support senrlces
in such areas as highway planning, pre-construction
engineering, construction, engineering a;ld legal surveys,
entatllng such duties as scheduling, expediting,
inspection and controlling construction projects,
ensuring quality standards and compliance with building
specifications related to construction projects;
- positions Involving the filming of still or motion pictures
in blaok and white or colour, the developing. printing and
enlarging of film, the retouching, scribing and strlpfilng
of positive and negative film and paper prints and the
editing, cutting and splicing of fflm.
- positions involved in the provision of such sub-
professional support services as agricultural testing
and inspection, gelogical testing, and in the support
areas of conservation and natural resources management.
19
- positions involving the development and promotion of
trades training programmes, including counselling in
the ap,prenticeship trades, and the supervision of
technical, vocationa! and trades trainlng adult courses
under shared-cost agreements.
This Category also includes:
The conduct of sub-professional applied scientific work and the
provision of support services to professional staff, entalltng such
responsibilities as:
- the observation, calculation, recording and
interpretation of tests, analyses, experiments,
field surveys and Investigations;
- the operation of equlpment such as electroencephalographs,
electrocardiographs, audiometers, X-ray and flouriscopes
ln support of programmes for the diagnosis, treatment
and prevention of human diseases and hazardous physical
conditions;
- participating in the management and conduct of specialized
programmes or units in arboriculture, horticulture,
landscape, design, agriculture, parks, hatcheries. fish
and wildlife and forest protection:
- positions involving the identification. classification.
circulation, organization and compilation of materials
in support of such social science areas as museums,
archlves.and ~llbraries.
This Category does not include:
- posltlons involved primarily in the operation of radio
transmitters or telegraph equipment, telephones or teletype
equipment and electronic data processing equlpme’nt:
- positions primarfly lnvolved in the operation of projection
equipment:
- positions in which a university degree and teachFng
certification is required to teach the subject matter;
- positions requiring the appllcatlon of professional
knowledge in the social areas:
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APPENDIX D
.:CIUWLTW SPECIALIST 3
/ This class covers positions of employees who arc specialists in at least
one specific area of a<ricuiture. In additicn to sa~5nr,~t :he rrc;ul;lr duties
of an AgriauJtural Specialist 2; in an assigned area of the Prorince, they
act as the f,inal authority in their field of speci.ali:ation by providing L;uidancc
and,adtice Co other specialists on problems of exccptirnally high romplcsip
or unusual technical difficulty e.g. vegetable and marsh crops, li~~e-stock brcetinl:
pesticides application, etc.
They maintain close contacts ith provincial farm orCani:ari>ns to promote
the adoption of improved cultural and production practices and keep up to date
with all developments in their area of specializaticz, vi:!1 the rcs;cnsi5ilirf
for the dissemination of information concerning all related improvco;er.cs tc
the county or district specialists.
These employees,b reason of their experience and proven ability, are
espected to recognize the significance of emerging problcem and of the ;ci:ntjL
side-effects resulting iro.m the implementing of ney cultivation, production
or management practices; devise or adapt procedures and/or tcshni,xs CO coc.ntGr
such problems and side-effects, as applicable to all areas cf tlw ;ro\ince.
They are also expected to cxcrcise fcresight ,and j&sc:ncnC hcSorc rcc:izwl.,:in;
cultivation, production or .il~narenrnt practices and/or techniques iFAct. :s,Ld
involve farmers in heavy financial commitments.
Ability to establish and maintain goal relatisnsilips Kiti; ri.r: faT;Tj:ig
community and the persomel of industries allied to agrictit;rc; i3L;iti t0
communicate effectively; demonstrated ability to design an?. conduct rrsc;r:h
F’ojeccs; tact, good jndgcrxnt and ability to evaluate and asac~s ;dtilrc
tievelopments and trends; , cxce:tional knowledge of agricitural c.pcrdtic:ls
related to their area of specialization.
i
21
APPENDIX E
SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL SER’IICES CATEGORY
This Cat?qoq includes:
! Occupational groups requiring the continuing exercise of a scientific
or professional discipline normally acquired through university
graduation or professional designation in which membership is controlled
by recognized associations or licensing bodies, consisting of the
following areas:
positions involving the planning, organization and implementation
of 4-H and farm extension prograxmnes, the provision of ass~iftance,
research and advisory services to farmers, producers and
agricultural bodies in dairy. crops and soil management and
improvement, the inspection and enforcement of regulations under
various health, food and agriculture legislation, and the teaching
of courses in agriculture:
positions involving the provision of advisory and consultative
services to local boards.of education and schools regarding School.
administration, Provincial education policies, teaotiing methods
and standards, the development and administration of teaching
programmes, timetables and student evaluation methods and the
implementation of teacher training prograrmes. and the research
and development of methods and proqrarmues of language training;
positions involving the research and development of methods and
techniques to' meet scientific programme needs through the collection.
analysis, testing, experimental application and the submission of
reports and recommendations in such areas as the utilization Of
structural materials and mass transit techniques, the improvement
of crops, soils and focd processing techniques, and new methods of
resources management and fish and wildlife conservation:
positions involving the performance of laboratory testing, WalySiS
and examination of a variety of substances requiring the application
of scientific laboratory techniques, methods and procedures and the
associated use of laboratory apparatus and equipment to isolate and
identify organisms and other materials and components:
22
positions involving the direction and planning. PreParationI
cooking, and serving of meals and special diets, the Plannmg,
organizing and developing of instruction programmes in such areas
as home furnishing, food preparation, clothing and budgeting for
comnun lty groups, clubs and other interested groups, and the
research, writing and lecturing in Home Economics and Nutrition;
positions involving the planning and conducting of legal land
surveys and examining and determining the legal validity of
survey plans;
positions involving the acquisition, sorting, cataloguinq,
indexing , malntenaxe and researching of ptiiications.
personal papers, documents and other data for qoverment
libraries and museums, the performance of research t3 verlfi,
authenticity of inscriptions and artifacts, ar.d the ac~~isiz:on.
preservation, restoration and administration of propert:es of
historical interest:
positions involving the provision of personal nursing care to
patients and wards in Provincial facilities and advice to
individuals’ local health unit, clinics, schools, hospitals
and industry in nursing care;
Positions involving the implementation of prescr-ibed occupational
land physical treatment procedures, and the planning of theraPy
progrmnes designed to assist in treating the mental and physical
disabilities of patients:
positions involving the preparation and dispensing of medically
prescribed drugs to patients, wards and staff:
positions involving the psychological diagnosis, assessment.
treatment and rehabilitation of patients in psychiatric,
correctional, educational and rehabilitation settings;
positions involving the promotion and implementation of approved
‘projects designed to improve the economic status of depressed
rural areas, the review, examination and assistance in the
development of proposed municipality plans in such areas as
urban development projects, sub-divisions and regional study
projects, the planning and participating in projects, studies
and progr-s of fish, wildlife and forestry management, the
research;planning and formulation of short and long-term plans
for recreational land use, and the provision of advisory and
.consultative services on proposed projects, government prograomes,
resources planning and management techniques:
positions involving the provision of casework and counselling
services to welfare recipients, patients and inmates in Ontario
facilities, schools, clinics and institutions on personal,
physical, sociological and adjustment problems, and for
assessing the operating standards of social agencies and
institutions operating under child welfare legislation;
23
i
- positions involving the performance of diagnostic and therapeutac
work in the professional treatment of speech disorders and hearing
impairments;
- positions involving the development and execution of economic
and sociological programmes in the particular areas of statistics
retrieval, analysis and presentation;
- positions involving the provision of diagnostic and surgical
services to livestock and dairy herd owners, the conduct of
investigations pertaining to dead animal disposal, disease
treatment,
epldemlc control, food and milk processinq, and
the provision of advisory services to veterinarians, field
staff, and the livestock and Jalry industries.
This Category does not j-.ilude: related sci.wrj.fjr s.2, crcf:;;:;:,;: ;,&+r-.
ciarses and fisitions not requiring the academic qualificaticns
represented by this Category.