RepresentationKit

UnfairLabourPractices
Unfairlabourpracticesinterferewithworkersrightstojoinandparticipateinthe union,orintheunionsrighttorepresentitsmembers.Unfairlabourpractices targetunionrepresentativesorunionmembersfordiscriminatorytreatment becausetheyexercisetheirunionrights.Federal,provincialandterritorial labourlawsdescribeunfairlabourpracticesasprohibitedconduct,andprovide acomplaintmechanismtohavethematterreviewed.Ifthelabourboard agreesthattheconducthasviolatedthelaw,itcaninterveneandorderthatthe practicestop. BeforethefirstlabourlawswereenactedinCanada,workershadexercised theirrightstostrike,formunionsandbargaincollectivelybeforeitbecame legaltodoso. Whenthesefundamentalrightsfoundtheirplaceinthe earlylabourlaws,theycamewithprotections.Legislatorsearlyondecided thatlegislativeprovisionswereneededtoprohibitanemployerfromabusing itspowertocircumventorunderminetheserights.Withouttheprotections, itwasthoughtthatemployerscouldbasicallybuythetypeofunionorunion representativethatservedtheirneeds,orusecoercionandintimidationto preventworkersfromjoiningorparticipatingintheunionorotherwise exercisingtheirrights.Thesefirst"unfairlabourpractice"provisionswere theprecursorsofourmodernversions.Today,ineveryjurisdiction,each labourcodeoutlinesindetailthoseunfairlabourpracticesprohibitedunder thestatute. Thelawprovidesaframeworktoprotectunionrepresentativesandthe memberstheyrepresentfromtheseillegalpractices.Overtime,therehave beenmanylabourboarddecisionsthathavesentastrongmessageto employersthattheserightsmustbeobservedand takenseriously.Bythe sametoken,anequallystrongmessagehasbeenconveyedtounionsthatonly seriousallegationsshouldbebroughtasunfairlabourpracticecomplaints. Therefore,toprotectandpromotetheeffectivenessoftheunionatthe workplace,weneedtoconsidertheunfairlabourpracticecomplaintasbutone optionamongavarietyoftoolsandstrategies.

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Prohibitions
Unfairlabourpracticesvaryfromstatutetostatute. Generallyspeaking, unfairlabourpracticesarethoseemployeractionsorconductthatinterfere withunionrights.Inaddition,theunionsfailuretofairlyrepresentits memberscanbeconsideredsuchapractice.Prohibitedemployer practices,ingeneralterms,meanthat: managementcantinterfereintheformationoradministrationofa union managementcantinterferewithaunionsrepresentationofits members managementcantpreventanemployeefromjoiningtheunion managementcantstopanemployeefromparticipatinginaunions lawfulactivities anemployeecannotbediscriminatedagainst,threatened,intimidated orrestrainedfromexercisingunionrights. Inpracticalterms,hereisabriefdescriptionofsomeactualexamplesof employerconductthathasbeenfoundtoconstituteunfairlabourpractices.
1 belittlingandintimidatinganemployeewhofilesagrievance makingintimidatingandthreateningcommentswithrespecttothelost careeradvancementprospectsofanemployeebecausehefiles 2 grievances threateningtoremovecertainbenefits fromemployeesunlessgrievances 3 arewithdrawn threateningtodocumenttheactivitiesandperformanceofaunion representative,whofilesandprovidesrepresentationongrievances,for thepurposeoftakingappropriateactiontocurbthenumberof unwarrantedgrievances4 withdrawinganofferofassignmentbecauseanemployeeindicatedshe wouldfileagrievancewithrespecttooneoftheconditionsregardingthe 5 assignment withdrawinganactingappointmentbecauseanemployeehadsubmitteda 6 grievance 7 retaliatingagainstanemployeefortestifyingatanarbitrationhearing

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makingcriticalcommentsontheperformanceappraisalofanemployee thatreferredtoherconductwhileinteractingwiththeemployerinher 8 capacityasaunionrepresentative disciplininganemployeeforusinganallegedcommandingand disrespectfultoneofvoicetoamanagerwhileshewasactinginthe 9 capacityofaunionrepresentative threateningdisciplinaryactionagainstaunionrepresentativeifhe providedrepresentationonanEIappealofoneofhismembers becauseitcontravenedhisemployerspolicystatingthatemployees(of thatparticulargovernmentdepartment)couldnotactinanadvocacy 10 roleonbehalfofaclientofthatdepartment threateningtodisciplineanemployeeifhedidntwithdrawastheunion nomineeonacommunityboardbecauseitallegedlyplacedhimina 11 conflictofinterestsituationgivenhisparticularjobfortheemployer takingdisciplinaryactionagainstafederalpublicserviceemployeefor havingpubliclycriticizedtheproposedfederalfreetradeagreementin 12 hiscapacityasaunionrepresentative chastisingaunionrepresentativeandremindingherthatherrightsto publiclycriticizeheremployer,towhomsheowedloyaltyandfidelity, 13 didnotextendtocondemningjobcutsinameetingwithMPs conductingfocusgroupmeetingsofemployeeswherebargaining 14 issuesweresometimesdiscussed payingthelegalfeesofasuspendedmemberwhobroughtdamages 15 forlibelanddefamationagainstunionrepresentatives .

Limitationsofunfairlabourpracticecomplaints
Ascanbeseenfromtheabovereferences,unfairlabourpracticecomplaints haveresultedinmanyimportantdecisionsthathavehelpedusprotectand furtherdefineourunionrights.Theseinturnhavebeenusedsuccessfully byotherunionrepresentativesandmemberstodemandfairtreatmentand practices.Thisishowitiswithgoodcaselaw.Itbecomesatemplatefor defininghowthelawmustbeapplied.Ithasmeaningwhenitisused throughindividualandcollectiveactiontopreserveandenhancethese rights. Itisthereforeinourcollectiveintereststohavesupportivecaselaw.Thatis whytheAlliancecarefullyreviewseachandeveryrequesttosupportan
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unfairlabourpracticecomplaint.Thecostsofunfavourabledecisionsand badcaselawaretoohighforindividualcomplainants,theirunionlocals andthemembershipasawhole.Evenaneutraldenialofanunfairlabour practicecomplaintcanhavenegativeconsequences,asitveryoftenputsthe stampofapprovalonemployeractionsthatwerethesubjectofthecomplaint. Theoutcomeisthattheemployersconductisjudgedlawful.Someunion representativesinverydifficultsituationsfeeltheyhavenothingtolosebyfiling anunfairlabourpracticecomplaintwhenindeed,they(andallofus)have somethingtolose.Therefore,wemustproceedwithcaution. Fromanexaminationofthecaselaw,wecandrawcertainconclusions abouthowsomelabourboardsviewunfairlabourpracticecomplaints. 1. Seriousmatters AsexpressedbyoneBoardmember, Iwishtocommentthattheaccusationsaremostserious. Allegationsshouldnotbemadelightlyandcomplainantshavethe dutyandobligationtosubmitappropriateevidencetosupporttheir 16 allegations.Respondentshavearighttodefendthemselves. AsithasalreadybeendecidedinotherBoarddecisions,complaints undersection20[nowsection23]areseriousprocedureswhich shouldnotberaisedinanuncaringandflippantmanner.Inalllegal proceduresand,inparticular,inmatterssubjecttoacomplaintunder section20[23],thepartiesshouldproceedcarefullyandwithregard totheconsequencesoftheiractions.17 2. Clearproof Becauseunfairlabourpracticeallegationsareregardedasveryserious matters,theygenerallydemandahigherstandardofproofthaninother kindsofcases.Forexample,inthecaseofthePublicServiceStaff RelationsBoard(PSSRB),wemustestablishaprimafacie*caseofa violationoftheActandpresentclearandcompellingevidencein supportoftheallegations.Meresuspicionsandloose,circumstantial evidencewillnotsuffice.Theburdenofproofisakintoaquasi criminalproceeding.Otherwise,theBoardislikelytointerpretthe

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prohibitionsverynarrowlyinfavouroftherespondent.Forexample,a generalconversationbetweenasupervisorandanemployee suggestingtheemployeecurbhisinvolvementwiththeuniondidnot amounttoaviolationbecauseitdidnotinvolvedirectthreatsorclear 16 intimidatingstatements. 3. SeriousTransgressions FrivoloussubmissionscanbeharshlydealtwithbyaBoard.Only seriousissuesorbreachesshouldbethesubjectofanunfairlabour practicecomplaint,andbethosethatareclearlyprohibitedbythe legislation.Inotherwords,theconductmustbemorethansimply unfairinageneralsense,itmustfitwithinthespecificlegal framework.Onlyclearandblatantviolationsgenerallysucceed. 4. Complainantmusthavecleanhands** ItisnotunknownforcomplainantstobeharshlytreatedbyaBoard. Whentheevidenceismixed,thatis,wherethecomplainantsown conductisopentocriticism,aBoardmaywellcastthefactsinthe worstpossiblelightforthecomplainant.18

*primafacieisaLatintermmeaningonthefaceofitoratfirst appearance. **cleanhandsisalegaltermmeaningthatsomeoneinitiatinga proceedingmustbeinapositionfreeofunfairorquestionableconduct.

Tipsforunionrepresentatives
Therefore,wemustbestrategicinhowweusetheunfairlabourpractice complaint,andbeexploringasmanyoptionsaspossibletopreserveand enhanceourunionrights.Weofferthefollowingsuggestionsfromour experiencewithunfairlabourpracticecomplaints. 1. Yourworkhabitsandcommunicationstyleshouldbeamodel. Alwaystrytoconductyourselfinamannerthatdoesnotinvitewarranted criticism,orareactionfromtheemployerthatcan beexplainedon
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sufficientorreasonablegrounds.Thisdoesntmeantosaythatyoucant makemistakes,butifyourworkhabitsarebeingquestionedoryour communicationstylewithmanagementisbeingchallenged,itlessens youreffectivenessasaunionrepresentative.Itleavesyouopento criticismoranemployeractionthatmightbesuccessfullyarguedas unrelatedtoyourunionactivities. 2. Youhaveobligationstotheemployeraswellastotheunion. Findingjusttherightbalancebetweendischargingyourresponsibilitiesas bothanemployeeandaunionrepresentativewillbeaconstantchallenge. Labourboardsconsistentlyrefertothefactthatanemployeehas 19 obligationstotheemployerwhetherornots/heisaunionrepresentative. Trytoestablishagoodworkingrelationshipwithyoursupervisor. Recognizetheemployersrightsandresponsibilitiestosetandexpect reasonableworkstandards.Acknowledgetherightoftheemployerto grantornotgrantleaveorpermissiontoleaveworkfor unionactivity, subjectofcoursetotherequirementssetoutinthecollectiveagreement. Respecttheneedofyoursupervisortoknowsuchthingsaswhens/he canexpectyoubackfromameetingwithmanagementorwithamember. 3. Beproactiveinidentifyingpossible"pressurepoints"thatmight contributetostrainedunion/managementrelationships. Notwithstandingthepreviouscomments,ifthepriceofgoodworking relationshipsisattheexpenseofourunionrights,thenitsnotacostwe shouldbewillingtopay.Wehavearighttoexpectknowledgeableand welltrainedmanagersandsupervisorswhorecognizethevalueofthe unionandknowbetterthantowastetheirtimeinterferingwithunion representativespursuingthelegitimaterightsandresponsibilitiesofthe union,ormembersexercisingtheirlegalrights. However,workingrelationshipssometimesdeterioratenotbecauseof antiunionanimusorconsciousattemptstorestrainordiscriminateagainst unionrepresentatives,butbecausesupervisorsandmanagersarealso tryingtobalancetheirresponsibilitiesofgettingtheworkdoneand respectingunionrights.Wehavelearnedalotfrompastexperienceswith theresultthatunionandmanagementinmanyworkplaceshave negotiatedtangiblesupportsfortheexercisingofunionrights. Management,inmanycases,recognizethevalueofwelltrainedand accessibleunionrepresentativesandisprovidingmaterialsupportinthe

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formorpaidleaveforunionrepresentativestoworkfulltimeonunion activity,officespaceandequipment,uniontrainingattheworkplaceand unionmeetingsduringworkinghours. Beproactiveinidentifyingpossiblepressurepointsthatmightcontribute toplacingastrainonrelationshipswithinyourworkplaceorworkunit. Workwithothersinthelocaltoidentifypreventativemeasuresand strategies. 4. Youhaveequalstatus. Asaunionrepresentative,alwaysconduct yourselfwiththeknowledgeandconfidencethatyouhavearighttobe treatedbytheemployerasanequalwhenyouareactinginthecapacityof aunionrepresentative.Youshouldnotbetreatedasanemployeein thosesituationsorbeexpectedtoconformtothenormalrulesgoverning theemployeremployeerelationship.Yourresponsibilitiesatthattimeare totheunionmembership.Thelawrecognizestheadversarialnature inherentintheunionmanagementrelationshipandthatassuch,union representativesenjoysubstantialimmunityvisvistheemployer.Ifunion andmanagementcouldmeetasunequals,thentheroleoftheunion representativewouldbeseverelycompromised.Managementcould dictatehowaunionrepresentativecouldbehave.Managementcould muzzleaunionrepresentativeintoquietcomplacency.Ineffect,there wouldbenounionattheworkplace. 5. Beastrategicproblemsolver. Asageneralpractice,trytoresolve problemsatsource.Inotherwords,trytoresolvethematthelowest possiblelevelandasearlyaspossible.Gettoknowtherespective managersandsupervisorsandgenerallytrytoprovidethemwiththe opportunitytoresolveproblemswithintheirareaofjurisdiction.Thesame holdstrueforvariousworkplacecommitteeswithproblemsolving mandates.Gettoknowthevariouscommitteesandwhetherornota particularproblemrightfullybelongswithaparticularcommittee. 6. Avoiddivisionswithinthemembership. Trytoavoidanysituationthat couldpitaunionmemberagainstaunionrepresentativeinrelationshipto theemployer.Whenrepresentingamembersconcernsorinterests,be clearabouttheobjectiveandtheprocess,andthatyouhavethe memberssupport.Plantheapproachtogether,andreportbacktothe memberassoonaspossibleifs/hewasnotpresentwhenthematterwas

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beingdiscussedwiththeemployer.Asageneralrule,donotusethe UnionManagementConsultationCommitteetabletodiscussmatters affectinganindividualemployee.Findoutallyoucanaboutthe organizingmodelwayofworkingandlookforwaystoinvolvemembers in solvingworkplaceproblems. Thesameholdstrueforcollectiveactionoronissueswherethelocal takesastandwiththeemployer.Laythenecessarygroundworkto mobilizemembershipsupportorotherwiseensurethatmembersare supportingunionrepresentatives.Divisionwithinthemembershiphasthe potentialtoleadtosomekindofemployerreactionorinterventionthatmay ormaynotconstituteanunfairlabourpractice. 7. Donttolerateantiunionbehaviour. Asearlyaspossible,dealwithanti unionstatementsorconductonthepartofemployerrepresentatives. Separatethosethataremotivatedbyantiunionanimusormalicefrom thosethatarenot.Distinguishthosethatareintimidatingorthreatening fromthosethatarent.Differentiatebetweenthosemadebysupervisors whoaremembersoftheunionfromthosemadebymanagerswhoare not.Thisisnttosaythattheyallshouldntbedealtwith,butstatements basedonhonestmistakes,faircommentortherightofunionmembers tocriticizeunionpracticesneedtobetreateddifferentlyfromdirectthreats. However,bestrategicinhowyougoaboutit. 8. Keepawrittenrecord. Alwaysrecordtheexactstatementsandafull descriptionofthecircumstances.Includehowyoufeltanditsimpacton you,especiallyifyoufeltthreatenedorintimidated.Askyourselfifa reasonablepersonwouldfeelthreatenedorintimidatediffacedwiththe samesituation.Signitanddateit.Identifyanywitnessesandgetthemto writedownwhattheyobserved.Or,writedownwhattheytoldyouand thenaskthemifitiscorrect.Askthemtosignitanddateit.Contact anotherunionrepresentativewithoutdelayandtalkaboutwhathappened. Discusspossiblestrategiestoeffectivelydealwiththeproblem. 9. Planyourapproach. Dontconfrontthepersonalone,unlessyouve madeaconsciousdecisionthatthisislikelythebestapproachunderthe circumstances.Considerinvolvinganotherunionrepresentative,oritmay bethatthesituationwarrantsameetingbetweentheentireexecutiveand oneormoreappropriatemanagementrepresentatives.Sticktogether.

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Beclearaboutyourobjectives.Planwhowillsaywhatandwhatyour optionsareifyoucannotsecurethedesiredcommitment.Keeparecord ofwhathappenedatthemeeting. 10. Workonyourcommunicationstyleespeciallyindifficult circumstances. Doyourutmosttoengageinrespectfulcommunications atalltimes.Therearetimeswhenthiswillbeextremelydifficult.Trynot tobeeasilyprovoked,reactwithangerorrespondwithapersonalattack. Trytoremaincool,objectiveandfocussedontheissueathand. 11. DevelopaworkingknowledgeofUnfairLabourPractices. Getto knowthelegislationthatappliestothebargainingunitsyourepresent. Findthesectionthatdescribesthecomplaintmechanism,especially whetherornottherearetimelimitsforfilingacomplaint.Alllabourboards nowhaveawebsiteandmanyhaveinformationbulletins,formsand decisionsonline.Considerorganizingaworkshopforalllocal representativesontheserightsandprotectionsandwhattheymeanin practicalterms. 12. Getadvice. Getsoundadviceonwhetherornotparticularcommentsor conductarepracticesprohibitedbythelegislation,andthelikelihoodofa successfulunfairlabourpracticecomplaint.Carefullyweighthe consequencesoffilingacomplaintandassesswhetherornotthedesired outcomewilllikelybeachieved.Considerwhatotheroptionsthereareto achievethedesiredoutcome.Investigatewhetherornotthelabourboard hasarequirementthatotheravenuesmustbepursuedpriortofilinga complaint.Neverconsiderfilingacomplaintsolelyasatactic a complaintmustberootedinsubstancewithsoundevidencetobackitup. Neverthreatentheemployerwithacomplaint,especiallyifyoudontyet haveAllianceagreementtoproviderepresentation. 13. NeverfileacomplaintdirectlywiththeBoard. Notbeforefirstasking forareviewofthecasebytheAlliance. Filingwithouttheendorsementof theunionisveryrisky.TheoutcomemaybethattheAlliancewillnot agreetoproviderepresentationandpossiblycauseembarrassmentand perhapsweakenyourposition.Thequalityofthereviewwilldependonthe qualityoftheevidence.Provideacompletefilewithcleardetails describingeachandeveryincidentandallsupportingdocumentation.The casewillbeanalyzedandreasonsprovidedonwhytheAlliancesupports

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ordoesnotsupportproceedingwithacomplaint.Ifadecisionismadeto notsupportacomplaint,theconsequencesofproceedingaloneneedto beverycarefullyweighed. 14. Findoutabouttherelationshipbetweentherightsandprotectionsin thelegislationandthoseinthecollectiveagreement. MostPSAC collectiveagreementshaveanodiscriminationprovisionlisting membershiporactivityintheAllianceasaprohibitedgroundof discrimination.ThiscouldmeanthatinthecaseofCanadaLabourCode Part1units,theCanadaIndustrialRelationsBoardmayrefusetoheara complaintifitcanbethesubjectofagrievance.InthecaseofPublic ServiceStaffRelationsActunits,giventhecurrentcaselaw,theemployer mayrefusetoacceptagrievancebecausethemattercanbethesubject ofacomplainttothePSSRB.Ifconsideringagrievanceorcomplaint,get advice. 15. Localdevelopmentisyourbestprotection! Investtimeandenergyin localdevelopment.Itskey!GethelpfromtheRegionalVicePresident andPSACRegionalRepresentative.Alocaldevelopmentplanshould resultinallexecutivepositionsbeingfilled,enoughstewardsand functioningjointandlocalcommittees.Buildinatrainingplanforalllocal representatives.Identifytangibleformsofemployersupportforunion representativesbeingabletoperformtheirunionduties,andastrategyto puttheminplace.Invitetheemployertojointhelocalinjointlysupported trainingsessionsontopicssuchasthecollectiveagreementandunion managementconsultation. A unionlocalundertheleadershipofjustoneortwohardworkingunion representativesisnotinthebestinterestsoftheunion.Besides,itcanset thestageforallegationsofunfairlabourpracticesiftheemployertriesto balanceitsobligationsofrespectingunionrightswithitslegitimate interestsofinsistingonreasonableworkstandardsforemployeeswhoare alsounionrepresentatives.Ouraimshouldbetoinvolvemoremembers, spreadtheunionworkaround,anddevelopastrongunionpresence throughateamofknowledgeableandeffectiverepresentatives.
1 2

JoanneHbert,PSSRBfile1612336 RockLalancette,PSSRBfile1612251

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RogerVaillancourt,PSSRBfile1612351 JacobDeGroot,PSSRBfile1612311 5 LorenaConnick,PSSRBfile1612329 6 RaymondTremblay,PSSRBFile1612455 7 RichardMarken,PSSRBfile1612605 8 HellaPrante,PSSRBFile:1612388to393 9 BrendaScruby,PSSRBfile1612420 10 HarveyLinetsky,PSSRBfile1612316FCAfileA148284 11 RexGilbert,PSSRBfile1612712 12 MikeClough,PSSRBfile1612511 13 DonnaWillan,PSSRBfile1612834 14 PIPSCandTreasuryBoard,PSSRBfile16121104 15 GarySmith,PSSRBfile1612344 16 Felix Hanzek,PSSRBfile1612334 17 GwenJackson,PSSRBfile1612399 18 CorinaTobin,PSSRBfile1612438NathanGodfrey,PSSRBfile1612 518 19 LynnFairall,PSSRBfile1612368

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