Industrial Relations
October 28, 2016 Devry Smith Frank LLP Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Union Relations
Justice Firestone of the Ontario Superior Court recently decided that back–to–work legislation introduced in 2011 aimed at striking postal workers from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers was an unjustified violation of the Union’s rights to freedom of association and expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, the judge retroactively declared the legislation of no force or effect.
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February 27, 2015 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Human Resources, Union Relations
The Supreme Court of Canada in Saskatchewan Federation of Labour v Saskatchewan confirmed once and for all that the right to strike is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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February 12, 2015 Occasional Contributors Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Union Relations
New legislation in the federal sector will mandate secret ballot vote-based majorities for both the certification, and the decertification of bargaining agents.
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February 9, 2015 Employer Advisor, McCarthy Tétrault LLP Employee Relations, Human Resources, Union Relations
Until last Friday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was Canada’s only police force that was legislatively prohibited from unionizing. On January 16, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled…
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Collective Bargaining, constitutionality, freedom of association, Industrial Relations, Labour Law, Mounted Police Association of Ontario v. Canada (Attorney General), Public Service Labour Relations Act, Supreme Court of Canada, Trade Union, union, unionizing, Unions
September 22, 2014 Christina Catenacci Employee Relations, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Well it seems there will not be any need for back-to-work legislation to end the longest province-wide strike in the history of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation.
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September 19, 2014 Christina Catenacci Employee Relations, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
It has been a long road, but the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation and the provincial government have just reached a tentative six-year deal. The union has encouraged its members to accept it.
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September 15, 2014 Devry Smith Frank LLP Employee Relations, Human Resources, Payroll, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
The issue in this case was whether a surreptitious tape recording of bargaining negotiations was allowed to be admitted into evidence.
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August 29, 2014 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
This year, Labour Day falls on Monday September 1, 2014. All provinces and territories observe this holiday. Government bodies and agencies as well as many businesses are closed on Labour Day.
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July 10, 2014 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Corporate Immigration, Employee Relations, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Quebec’s new government wants to ensure that all farm workers have the right to unionize and collectively negotiate working conditions with their employers. Minister of Labour Sam Hamad has introduced Bill 8, An Act to amend the Labour Code with respect to certain employees of farming businesses, which would require small farms to let a union represent their employees.
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January 14, 2014 Doug MacLeod, MacLeod Law Firm Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Dr. Scott Wooder, president of the Ontario Medical Association, says employers that require doctor’s notes could be unwittingly increasing the spread of germs by unnecessarily sending sick people to doctors’ offices.
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August 30, 2013 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, International HR Law, International Payroll, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Labour Day originates in the labour union movements of the 1800s as a way to celebrate the social and economic advancements and to pay tribute to the driving force of our economy. The history of Labour Day continued to be connected with organized labour. Initially, the first unofficial “Labour Days” in Canada were […]
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August 20, 2013 Amery Boyer Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
On July 13, 2013, a rally of workers and their supporters from a Second Cup coffee outlet in Halifax was held alleging that management had violated Nova Scotia’s Labour Code. Participants alleged that three employees were fired for backing an attempt to form a union.
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May 21, 2013 Christina Catenacci Employee Relations, Human Resources, Human Rights, Union Relations
Last year, the Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench concluded that amendments to the Essential Services Act impeded workers from exercising their fundamental freedom of association, which includes the right to associate and organize, the right to bargain collectively, and the right to strike. Relying on a decision of the International Labour Organization, the Court found that the Act completely and utterly violated section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court gave the government one year to amend the legislation, but instead, it appealed the ruling. On April 26, 2013, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal upheld amendments to the Essential Services Act and ruled that whether or not the Charter protects a right to strike is a matter that should be left to the Supreme Court of Canada to decide.
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April 18, 2013 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
The new Saskatchewan Employment Act clearly defines the rights and responsibilities of employees, employers and unions… The new Act will improve Saskatchewan’s labour legislation to better protect workers, promote growth and increase accountability
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December 13, 2012 Amery Boyer Employee Relations, Human Resources, Union Relations
Earlier this year, the Nova Scotia Labour Board ruled on an application by Local 849 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees for certification of some technical workers of Egg Studios. Egg Studios is a television commercial and digital content business. It has applied to Nova Scotia Supreme Court for a judicial review of the decision. A hearing on Egg’s application is not expected to take place until March 6-7, 2013, according to court documents. Egg Studios maintains the labour board erred in law by amending the…
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Ageism is a big problem in the legal community. Bay Street firms and others are not interested in applicants' skills, knowledge, etc. unless they are... – Nov 16, 11:05 AM
Excellent article !! Right on point. So many times we encounter opinionated employer representatives or coworkers who address complaints from positions of bias. Bias that... – Oct 30, 12:07 AM
