Employee and Labour Relations (10.4%)

Question 1

Labour Relations

Answer 1

relationship between empr, epees, and union representative

Question 2

Employee Relations

Answer 2

relationship between empr and epee

Question 3

Legislation

Answer 3

due to globalization and free trade, legislation abroad has improved to enhance the rights of workers

Federal Legislation –> Canada Labour Code Part 1: Industrial Relations

Provincial/Territorial Labour Relations Codes/Acts

Public Service Labour Relations Act

Question 4

Federal Legislation - Canada Labour Code Part 1: industrial RElations

Answer 4

regulates org under federal jurisdictions (as defined in the Professional Practice module)

Question 5

Provincial / Territorial Labour Relations Codes/Acts

Answer 5

regulate org w/in prov and territorial jurisdiction

Question 6

Public Service Labour Relations Act

Answer 6

gives federal civil servants and individuals working in federal agencies bargaining rights

some provinces, e.g. BC, have special legislation for public servants

Question 7

Characteristics of Canada Labour Relations Legislation

Answer 7

1) The Certification Process
2) Restriction on Management Action to Prevent Unionization
3) Requirement to Bargain in “Good Faith”
4) Extensive Restrictions on Strike Action
5) Compulsory Grievance Arbitration
6) Recognition of the Right to Union Security

Question 8

The Certification Process

Answer 8

virtually all CAD collective-bargaining legislation provides a relatively simple procedure by which unions can acquire collective bargaining rights

Procedure allows union to apply to labour board and to become exclusive bargaining agent for all epees in the bargaining unit

This procedure is the principal method by which trade unions acquire bargaining rights; although they may also be voluntarily recognized by the empr

Question 9

Restriction on Management Action to Prevent Unionization

Answer 9

legislative protection is provided to epee prohibiting certain actions on the part of management to frustrate or prevent unionization

necessary as traditionally mngmt doesn’t support unionization (perceived to erode mngmt freedom while resulting in greater administrative burden)

restricts mngmt from intimidating or coercing epees from joining a union

BC & Quebec –> prohibits the use of replacement workers during a legal work stoppage

Question 10

Requirement to Bargain in “Good Faith”

Answer 10

as part of Canadian legislation the parties are required to bargain with eachother in a sincere and respectful manner and with the honest intention of reaching an agreement

refusing to meet, taking actions that frustrate the process or communicating directly with epees about issues that are at the bargaining table are actions considered to be not in good faith and therefore illegal

Question 11

Extensive Restriction on Strike Action

Answer 11

CAD collective-bargaining legislation (in almost all jurisdictions) severely curtails the use of economic sanctions by either of the parties

strikes for the purpose of gaining recognition are expressly prohibited, as are strikes occurring during the life of a collective agreement and in certain identified essential services

even where the parties are bargaining for a collective agreement, the right to strike is postponed until the parties have exhausted certain dispute-settlement procedures, such as conciliation and meidation

Question 12

Compulsory Grievance Arbitration

Answer 12

the complete restriction upon strikes and lockouts during the life of the collective agreement has created a requirement for a procedure in collective agreements for final and binding resolution of any unresolved disputes related to its interpretation and administration

mandatory arbitration of issues

Question 13

Recognition of the Right to Union Security

Answer 13

unions are permitted by legislation to bargain for such arrangements as the closed shop, union shop, and the dues shop or Rand formula

some jurisdictions go even further by making the Rand formula mandatory, while others only go so far as to require the employer to collect dues on behalf of the union where authorized by the epee

this approach contrasts sharply with some American jurisdictions where “right to work” laws have restricted union-security arrangement

Question 14

Closed Shop

Answer 14

the requirement that a person be a member of the union before being hired

Question 15

Union Shop

Answer 15

the requirement that a person join the union upon being employed

Question 16

Dues Shop or Rand Formula

Answer 16

requirement that a person at least pay union dues as a condition of employment

Question 17

Administration of Labour Legislation in Canada

Answer 17

Administration is through labour relations boards

Boards are public agencies that have some independences from government

two other institutions, ad hoc arbitration boards and the courts also have roles to play in the administration of the legal structure (roles are less prominent than that of the labour relations boards)

depend on eligibility by individual (jobs) to be in the bargaining unit

Question 18

Labour Relations Boards

Answer 18

each of the CAD jurisdictions has established its own structure to administer its collective-bargaining laws

usual structure is the labour-relations boards, although a variation of this pattern can be found in Quebec where the responsibility for administering its collective-bargaining statue is divided btwn public officials called investigative commissioners and a provincial labour court

Boards, as a rule, are tripartite in composition - being composed of

• an independent chairperson
• union representatives
• empr representatives

Chairperson and board members are appointed for either a fixed term or at the pleasure of the government

labour boards employ support staff of civil servants to carry out their administrative function. Their role is to resolve recognition disputes,determine whether a union should be granted certification rights and define the appropriateness of the bargaining unit

they also deal with unfair labour complaints, complaints as to whether a union is fulfilling its obligations to provide fair representation and jurisdictional disputes between unions

Question 19

Courts

Answer 19

courts can play a role in labour relations law because of

• their general jurisdiction to administer civil and criminal law,
• their power to review the decisions of labour boards and arbitration boards, and
• their role as the ultimate interpreter of the CAD constitution

the most common use of the courts is during an illegal work stoppage where mngmt will seek a court injunction against the strike

Question 20

Labour Relations Continuum

Answer 20

relationship btwn mngmt and organized labour exists on a continuum stretching from conflict at one end to collusion at the other with identifiable points between the two extremes: containment-aggression, accommodation, and cooperation

Where the relationship is on the continuum determines to a very large degree the way the parties interact with one another

conflict containment/aggression –> accommodation –> cooperation –> collusion

Question 21

Yellow-dog contracts

Answer 21

anti-union tactics

• agreement between empr and epee in which epee agrees, as a condition of employment, not to be a member of a labour union

Question 22

Blacklisting

Answer 22

list of individuals who are known to be union sympathizers

Question 23

Anti-union tactics

Answer 23

Yellow-dog contracts and blacklisting

emprs would secure signed agreements with epee not to unionize and not hire individuals who were known to be union sympathizers

Question 24

Before current legislation

Answer 24

no regulation prohibiting use of unfair labour practices on part of empr

no restrictions on terms and conditions emprs provided their epees

epees organized in order to change this situation and continue to belong and support their bargaining agents for the same reason today

Question 25

Business unionism

Answer 25

reason for unionization

focus on increased economic benefits, improved treatment and job security

Question 26

Frequent reason for belonging/joining

Answer 26

belong/join due to feeling of unbalanced power either because they feel insecure in their positions, unfairly treated, unheard, or unable to influence their working conditions

Question 27

Reasons join a union

Answer 27

• Influence HR policies and practices affecting them and their co-workers
• Achieve better pay and benefits
• Achieve greater control over the jobs being performed
• Increase job security
• Improve working conditions
• Help achieve greater job satisfaction and meet their affiliation needs
• influence the rules and procedures regarding discipline, transfers, promotions, grievances, and layoffs

Question 28

Nature of Unions

Answer 28

b/c democratic organization, can be highly political depending upon the support of their members in order to continue to exist

political element extends through all aspects of the labour-management relationship from initial organizing through collective bargaining to administering the collective agreement and the union’s “duty to fairly represent” all members of the bargaining unit

Question 29

Certification and Unionization Terms

Answer 29

1) Certification
2) Automatic certification
3) decertification
4) Authorization card / membership card
5) Pre-hearing vote
6) representation vote
7) voluntary recognition

Question 30

Certification

Answer 30

procedure whereby a union is awarded the right to represent a group of epees

Question 31

Automatic certification

Answer 31

occurs when there is such a strong epee support that it negates the need for a certification vote prior to the labour relations board (LRB) granting certification

Question 32

Decertification

Answer 32

occurs when the majority of epees make it known that they do not wish to be represented by a union, they wish to be represented by another union, or the union fails to successfully negotiate a first contract (in jurisdictions where contracts are not imposed by arbitration)

Question 33

Authorization card / membership card

Answer 33

a card signed by epees indicating their willingness to be represented by a union

Question 34

Pre-hearing vote

Answer 34

called by the LRB early in the certification campaign where there appears to be irregularities in the certification process (not applicable in BC)

Question 35

Representation vote

Answer 35

secret ballot vote by members of the bargaining unit resulting in the acceptance or rejection of the union by epees

Question 36

Voluntary Recognition

Answer 36

a procedure, recognized in legislation, where the empr accepts the union without going through a formal certification process

Question 37

Union stakeholders

Answer 37

1) bargaining agent
2) business agent
3) chief steward
4) union steward

Question 38

Bargaining agent

Answer 38

the union that has been certified by the labour relations board to represent the epees in the bargaining unit

Question 39

Business Agent

Answer 39

a paid, full-time, elected or appointed union official involved in negotiating the collective agreement, helping to administer its terms, and handling grievances

Question 40

Chief Steward

Answer 40

the senior union steward for an area

Question 41

Union Steward

Answer 41

a union member and colleague elected by workers to act as their representative.

stewards receive, investigate, and attempt to resolve complaints and grievances, inform members of union policies and meetings, and recruit new members

may have multiple

Question 42

Labour Relations Strategies

Answer 42

1) Union Acceptance Strategy
2) Union Avoidance Strategy
3) Union Suppression Approach
4) Union Substitution
5) Business Unionism
6) Grass Roots Unionism
7) Social / Reform Unionism

Question 43

Union Acceptance Strategy

Answer 43

When the empr views the union and collective bargaining process as legitimate and appropriate for their organization

Question 44

Union Avoidance Strategy

Answer 44

when the empr prefers to be non-union and has developed HR policies and programs that discourage epees from wanting to join a union

this is sometimes referred to as union substitution or proactive HRM

Question 45

Union Suppression Approach

Answer 45

a union avoidance strategy that uses “hard-ball” tactics (e.g. frustrating the successful negotiation of a first contract leading to decertification, using replacement workers during strikes or lockouts when legal, contracting out, etc.)

Question 46

Union Substitution

Answer 46

a term used to describe a proactive, positive strategy whereby the implementation of effective human resource management strategies serves to substitute the desire among epees for a union

provides everything desired w/o union; same/similar to union avoidance strategy

Question 47

Business Unionism

Answer 47

a union philosophy whereby the union recognizes that it is a business and can only survive if it delivers needed services in a business-like manner to its members

the usual focus of a business union is on economic and security issues

Question 48

Grass roots unionism

Answer 48

a socio-political movement that is driven from the bottom up and is characterized by locals having a high degree of autonomy

Question 49

Social / Reform Unionism

Answer 49

union activity directed at influencing the social and economic policies of government

Question 50

Labour Relations Organizations

Answer 50

1) Labour Union
2) Bargaining Unit
3) Local
4) Independent Local Unit
5) Industrial Union
6) Craft Union
7) District Labour Council
8) Employee Associations
9) Industry Bargaining Association
10) Provincial Federation of Labour

Question 51

Labour Union

Answer 51

recognized association of epees who have joined together to deal with mgnmt

labour unions have
- charters
- constitutions
- by-laws
and are governed by legislation

Question 52

Bargaining Unit

Answer 52

a group of epees recognized by the labour relations board as an appropriate “unit” for the purpose of certification and collective bargaining

Question 53

Local

Answer 53

Smallest unit within a union representing a group of epees, usually in a particular geographic area or location

Question 54

Independent Local Union

Answer 54

a union not affiliated with a larger labour org’n such as a national union (e.g. Canadian Autoworkers or the Canadian Union of Public Employees) or with a provincial federation of labour or the Canadian Labour Congress

Question 55

Canadian Labour Congress

Answer 55

national trade union centre, central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated

Question 56

Industrial Union

Answer 56

A union representing all epees in a particular organization or industry

Question 57

Craft Union

Answer 57

a union limited to represent skilled epees practicing the same craft or trade (e.g. electricians, plumbers, etc) resulting in eachcraft having their own union, focused on representing their uniqueneeds

Question 58

District Labour Council

Answer 58

a regional structure or association whereby unions that are part of the Canadian Labour Congress and the Provincial Federation of Labour can come together to work on local issues of common concern

Question 59

Employee Associations

Answer 59

normally represent white collar or professional employees

they also include epee groups that are not certified as bargaining units under the labour code but carry out negotiations with emprs on behalf of epees (e.g. doctors)

Question 60

Industry Bargaining Association

Answer 60

in certain circumstances, companies may decide to band together to bargain “collectively” with the union that is certified as the bargaining unit at each of their operations

Question 61

Provincial Federation of Labour

Answer 61

a province-based structure that allows unions associated with the Canadian Labour Congress to come together around provincial issues

Question 62

Unethical Practices

Answer 62

1) Blacklist
2) Unfair Labour Practices
3) Yellow dog contract

Question 63

Blacklist

Answer 63

an empr’s list of ppl known to be union organizers or sympathizers that is circulated to ensure they are not hired

Question 64

Unfair Labour Practice

Answer 64

an action by an empr or union that unfairly affects an epee in making a free choice to unionize

unfair labour practices include TIPs - threats, intimidation, promises (unrealistic), or spying when certification process is under way

Question 65

TIPS

Answer 65

• Threats
• Intimidation
• Promises (unrealistic)
• Spying

once certification process is under way

Question 66

Yellow Dog Contracts

Answer 66

a former practice regarding epees to sign agreements indicating that they were not members of the union, nor would they become members while employed

today this is illegal

Question 67

Certification Process

Answer 67

1) Employees desire collective representation

2) Organizing campaign is launched

Question 68

Employees Desire Collective Representation

Answer 68

union representatives (union organizers) meet with epees to assess desire

Question 69

Organizing campaign is launched

Answer 69

1) initial organizing meeting is held
2) in-house organizing committee is established
3) information is gathered (e.g. list of epees, etc); the empr is under no obligation to provide information
4) epees are contacted; this activity is not allowed to be conducted during regular work shifts/hours
5) Authorization cards are signed indicating that the epee is willing to have the union act on his/her behalf
6) If minimum number of cards are signed, the union may apply to have a vote held (per ranges from 25% to 60% depending on jurisdiction), sometimes taking place after a “quiet period”
7) LRB reviews and determines the appropriateness of the bargaining unit by considering
a) wishes of empr and trade union
b) commonality of interest among epees
8) once bargaining unit has been determined, level of membership support is determined as indicated through signed authorization cards
9) Pre-hearing votes can be called by the LRB if there is a sense that unfair or irregular practices by either side have taken place. A pre-hearing votes is conducted prior to the determination of the appropriate bargaining unit. The ballot box is sealed until the appropriate bargaining unit is defined, and only ballots of eligible bargaining unit members are counted
10) automatic certification can occur in some jurisdictions if the union can demonstrate a high enough level of support (generally 50% to 55%) or if the LRB determines there has been an unfair labour practice on the part of the empr
11) representation vote is supervised by the LRB
12) depending on the jurisdiction, either 50% + 1 of the potential bargaining unit members or 50% +1 of those voting is required for the vote to be successful
13) Voluntary recognition can occur if the LRB considers the bargaining unit to be appropriate and that the majority of epees desire it

Question 70

Collective Bargaining Terms

Answer 70

1) collective agreement
2) collective bargaining
3) bargaining zone
4) cooling off period
5) work stoppage
6) lockout
7) strike
8) wildcat strike
9) picketing
10) secondary picketing
11) replacement workers (scabs)
12) good faith bargaining
13) concessionary bargaining
14) distributive bargaining
15) integrative, mutual gains, or interest based bargaining
16) productivity bargaining
17) pattern bargaining
18) surface bargaining
19) whipsaw
20) mediation
21) conciliation
22) interest arbitration
23) final offer arbitration
24) ratification
25) strategic choice model

Question 71

Collective Agreement

Answer 71

a signed agreement btwn an empr and a union outlining terms and conditions of work

(essentially the emp’t contract)

Question 72

Collective Bargaining

Answer 72

the process used by the bargaining agent (union) to reach a collective agreement with an empr

under collective bargaining individual epees surrender their rights to negotiate individual conditions of employment with their empr

any and all changes to conditions of emp’t have to be negotiated/agreed to by the union/collective bargaining agent

Question 73

Bargaining Zone

Answer 73

the area defined by the bargaining limits of each side

it is the zone within which both parties are willing to negotiate/concede

max of empr and min of bargaining unit

Question 74

Cooling Off Period

Answer 74

a mandatory provision in a number of jurisdictions whereby the parties must wait a prescribed period of time before taking action in the event of negotiations breaking down

Question 75

Work Stoppage

Answer 75

a neutral term used to refer to strikes and lockouts, which does not assign responsibility for the breakdown in labour-management relations

Question 76

Lockout

Answer 76

occurs when empr temporarily refuses to provide work to bargaining unit epees

Question 77

Strike

Answer 77

a temporary refusal to work following a successful strike vote

95% of labour negotiations are settled w/o a work stoppage

to be lawful, strikes must occur in accordance with the provisions of the jurisdiction and LR statutes

Question 78

Wildcat strike

Answer 78

a spontaneous walkout not sanctioned by the unions

they may be legal or illegal depending on the timing

in certain instances, management will seek an injunction from the courts requiring the union and epees to end the strike

Question 79

Picketing

Answer 79

sometimes referred to as “information picketing” conducted by striking epees and sympathizers to make their displeasure known

primary picketing is limited to the place of emp’t or to the place where the “struck” work is being performed

it is illegal to picket on private property without permission or to block business entrances and exits

Question 80

Secondary picketing

Answer 80

picketing directed at other org’ns such as the suppliers or customers of the primary org’n undergoing the work stoppage

Question 81

Replacement workers (scabs)

Answer 81

are hired by the empr to perform the duties of epees who are on strike

not allowed in BC - exception

Question 82

Good Faith Bargaining

Answer 82

the union and empr make reasonable efforts to arrive at an agreement

it suggests an iterative process of proposals, negotiations, and willingness to compromise

refusing to bargain or delay the process can be seen as bad-faith bargaining

making unilateral changes to the conditions of emp’t during negotiations or by-passing the epees representatives is considered to be bad-faith bargaining

Question 83

Concessionary Bargaining

Answer 83

a form of bargaining involving concessions being made by the union (rollbacks) or an agreement to freeze monetary rewards in return for job security

usually occurs during sever economic downturns

Question 84

Distributive Bargaining

Answer 84

a win-lose negotiation strategy

it is most appropriate when the issues being negotiated are measured in finite terms (e.g. monetary items such as wages and benefits)

this is the most common form of bargaining used today

Question 85

Integrative, Mutual Gains, or Interest-based Bargaining

Answer 85

win-win outcomes are the desired result

this approach requires a genuine interest in both sides to jointly explore issues and develop mutually beneficial solutions

involves joint fact finding and information collection, the use of brainstorming for possible solutions, and a commitment to open communication and mutual respect between parties

Question 86

Productivity bargaining

Answer 86

a form of integrative bargaining geared to improve productivity resulting in new work practices

Question 87

Pattern Bargaining

Answer 87

where the union uses the settlement made with another empr as a model to follow

follow what the industry is doing

Question 88

Surface Bargaining

Answer 88

going through the motions without real intent to reach an agreement

can be unfair labour practices

Question 89

Whipsaw

Answer 89

union strategy for using the settlements of others to gain ground (e.g. threaten to strike unless the same deal as provided by a competitor is provided)

use other settlement to better self (reciprocal –> back and forth)

Question 90

Mediation

Answer 90

way of resolving disputes in which an independent third party is engaged to help the parties come to a final decision based on the facts given through the discussion

mediation is not legally binding so it does not have to be following

non-binding

Question 91

Conciliation

Answer 91

neither arbitration or mediation

involves the parties choosing an independent third party who hears both sides, either privately or together, and the prepares a compromise which the conciliator believes is a fair disposition of the matter

the conciliator’s report or conclusions are then put to both side, who may agree or disagree with it

it is not binding not is it enforceable unless the parties adopt it

non binding, parties choose person

conciliation may not follow structured process

Question 92

Interest arbitration

Answer 92

the use of a third party arbitrator to decide upon the terms of a collective agreement

arbitrator determine interests to form collective agreement

Question 93

Rights arbitration

Answer 93

occurs during the life of a collective agreement as it pertains to disagreements about the content of the contract, not the negotiation of the contract

Question 94

Final offer arbitration

Answer 94

restricts the arbitrator to selecting one of the final offers made by the parties unlike the other forms of arbitration where the arbitrator must craft the settlement

this encourages the parties to be reasonable, since the arbitrator is forced to choose one or the other’s last offer

typically, it results in one entire offer package being accepted

however in some instances, can result in the arbitrator choosing issue by issue as presented by the parties

happens during negotiation of collective agreements

Question 95

Ratification

Answer 95

the formal approval required from the bargaining unit members for a proposed settlement

union takes agreement back to members and ask if agree

not always required by law but is a requirement of most union constitutions

approval is achieved when the majority of epees voting are in favour of accepting the negotiated agreement

Question 96

Strategic choice model

Answer 96

taking a “big picture” perspective and approaching negotiation with an understanding about how the labour relations environment will support or integrate with the performance of the org and the achievement of its strategic goals

Question 97

Collective Agreement Standard Terms

Answer 97

• Union Recognition
• Union Security
• Closed Shop
• Union Shop
• Modified Union Shop
• Maintenance of Membership
• Rand Formula
• Open Shop
• Check off of dues
• Automatic or compulsory check off
• voluntary check off
• contract expiration date
• management rights
• acquired rights
• no strike or lockout provision
• seniority and job security
• hours of work and overtime
• compensation and benefits
• vacation, holiday and paid/unpaid leave benefits
• occupational health and safety
• grievance and arbitration procedure

Question 98

Union recognition

Answer 98

recognizing the union as the exclusive bargaining agent for the employees in the bargaining unit

Question 99

Union security

Answer 99

dealing with membership issues and the collection of union dues and specifying one of the following provisions

• closed shop
• union shop
• modified union shop
• maintenance of membership
• rand formula
• open shop

NOTE: HuRi always allows opt out for rligious reasons; pay equivalent dues –> go to charity; can cross strike but cannot vote

Question 100

Closed shop

Answer 100

indicating that only union members in good standing may be hired.

the most restrictive form of union security clause (have to be a member before hired)

hiring call (?)

Question 101

Union shop

Answer 101

another form of union security indicating that membership and that payment of dues are mandatory conditions of employment

once employed, you become a member

union obligated to rep epee

Question 102

Modified union shop

Answer 102

indicating that employees do not need to join the union if they were employed at the time of certification, although they must pay dues

can elect not to join if hired before certification; still have to pay dues

Question 103

Maintenance of membership

Answer 103

indicating that once the epee is a member of the union, they must remain a member of the union through to the end of the contract

once member, always member until agreement expires

Question 104

Rand formula

Answer 104

a form of union security clause indicating that union membership is not mandatory but that paying union dues is mandatory

because unions are reuired to represent all epees fairly and eually (even those who have chosen not to be members) the Rand Formula ensures that the union benefits from everyone’s financial support in return for the gains received as a result of the union’s efforts.

this formula is also known as “dues shop” and “automatic check off”

become member when hired unless elect not to but still pay dues

Question 105

Open shop

Answer 105

the weakest form of union security clause, in which membership is voluntary

Question 106

Despite union security clause

Answer 106

unions have the duty to fairly represent all bargaining unit members even if they are not members of the union

individuals always have the right to refrain from being a member on the grounds of religious objections (when this occurs, they pay the equivalent amount of dues to a charity)

Question 107

Check off of duties

Answer 107

refers to the collection of union membership dues by the employer

automatic or compulsory check off
OR
voluntary check off

Question 108

Automatic or compulsory check off

Answer 108

stipulates that the employer must deduct union due from epee

Question 109

Voluntary check off

Answer 109

allows the employer to deduct union dues only from those epees who authorize such deductions

Question 110

Contract expiration date

Answer 110

will deal with not only the date of expiry but notice periods for opening negotiations and provisions for the agreement to remain in effect beyond termination if negotiations are taking place

Question 111

Management rights

Answer 111

defined in terms of RESIDUAL RIGHTS

whereby all rights held by mngmt prior to existence of the collective ag’t continue in effect unless abrogated or modified by a provision in the agreement or are specifically outlined in the wording in the management rights clause in the agreement

Question 112

Acquired Rights

Answer 112

refers to the rights that have been acquired by the union that may not be covered in the collective ag’t but can be demonstrated and have been acted upon by the union and employees

e.g., if granting vacation with just 2 days’ notice has been a common practice, then the union has acquired that right and the employer could not unilaterally change it without notice or negotiation

also referred to as DEFINED RIGHTS

Question 113

No Strike or Lockout Provision

Answer 113

it is a requirement in virtually all jurisdictions in Canada that a collective ag’t contain a provision prohibiting strikes or lockouts during the term of the agreement

Question 114

Seniority and Job Security

Answer 114

will cover items related to transfers, promotions, lay-off and recall, job posting and severance benefits

seniority is viewed as a important issue by unions

Question 115

Hours of work and overtime

Answer 115

will cover shift scheduling length of shifts, breaks and methods for awarding overtime work

Question 116

Compensation and benefits

Answer 116

will be coverd by a number of articles and clauses in the agreement and will deal with everything from insurance and pensions to actual pay rates, job evaluation methods, and cost-of living based changes in wages

Question 117

Vacation, Holiday and Paid/Unpaid leave benefits

Answer 117

in addition to wage compensation and benefits the agreement will include all of the negotiated items dealing with vacation entitlement, paid holidays, and the various kinds of paid and unpaid leave employees are eligible for - such as parental and maternity, educational, political, jury duty, and bereavement leave

Question 118

Occupational health and safety

Answer 118

depending upon the nature of the industry the agreement will contain more or less language related to health and safety and may include items such as:

• the OH&S committee
• right to refuse unsafe work
• clothing
• limits to hours of work in safety sensitive areas
• drug testing
• wellness initiatives

Question 119

Grievance and arbitration procedure

Answer 119

is required by law and outlines the steps, time limits and mechanism for arbitrator selection

Question 120

Clauses in Collective Agreement

Answer 120

labour and management can writer into collective ag’t anything that they want to, as long as it is mutually agreed and does not contravene the law