Complaints Procedure (a) A formal complaint must be submitted in writing within six months of the last alleged occurrence.
(b) A complaint must be submitted through the Union and/or directly to the Executive Director (or the equivalent or designate). When the Executive Director has received a complaint, they will notify the respondent and the union staff representative of the substance of the complaint in writing within 15 days.
(c) The complaint must contain the specific instance(s) and date(s) that the alleged harassment occurred, the names of any witnesses, an explanation of how the action constitutes a violation of Article 29 (Harassment), and the remedy sought.
(d) The Executive Director or their designate will investigate the complaint and will complete their report in writing within 30 days.
(e) The Employer will take action to resolve the complaint within 10 days of receiving the investigator's report.
(f) The Employer will advise the respondent, the complainant and the Union in writing of the substance of the investigator's report and the resolution of the complaint.
(g) If the resolution involves separating employees, reasonable efforts will be made to relocate or reschedule the respondent. The complainant may agree in writing to be transferred or rescheduled.
(h) If the resolution involves separating an employee and a respondent who is not an employee, reasonable efforts will be made to remedy the situation.
(i) If the respondent is the Executive Director (or equivalent), or where there are possible systemic issues or multiple complaints, the following process will be used:
(1) The complainant will contact the Union.
(2) As soon as possible but within 30 days the Union will notify the Executive Director (or equivalent) and CSSEA. Clause 29.4 (a) and (c) apply to the notice. CSSEA will inform the Employer's Board of Directors.
(3) CSSEA and the Union will appoint either ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ or ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ to resolve the complaint. (The person appointed is referred to below as "the Appointee".)
(4) After consultation with the parties involved, the Appointee will establish the process to resolve the complaint. The process may include - at the Appointee's discretion - any of the following (or any combination of them): fact-finding, mediation, making recommendations or a full report, or conducting an expedited arbitration. In exercising their discretion with respect to the process, the Appointee will consider the parties' desire that the process be fair and expeditious, that it minimizes disruption in the workplace, that it respects individual privacy to the degree possible in the circumstances, and that it keeps costs to a reasonable level. The Appointee will submit any report or recommendations to CSSEA and the Union. The report and recommendations will remain confidential, except for distribution to the Employer's Board of Directors, the complainant and the respondent. The Appointee may stipulate conditions she/he deems appropriate with respect to distribution. Any outcomes of the process are without prejudice or precedent for other proceedings.
(5) The Appointee's fees and expenses will be shared by the Employer and the Union.
(j) The Employer may take appropriate action, including discipline, against a complainant if the investigation determines that the complaint is frivolous, vindictive or vexatious.
Procedure for Claims (1) In the event the Indemnitee is named as a party in any action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation upon which the Indemnitee intends to base a claim for indemnification hereunder, the Indemnitee shall give the Indemnitor prompt written notice of such action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation (provided, however, that failure of the Indemnitee to provide such notice shall not relieve the Indemnitor of any liability to the Indemnitee the Indemnitor may have under this Agreement except to the extent that the Indemnitor is materially prejudiced by such failure).
(2) The Indemnitor shall participate in and, assume the defence of any such action, including for certainty any derivative action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation all at the Indemnitor's expense provided, however, that counsel retained by the Indemnitor shall be satisfactory to the Indemnitee in the exercise of his reasonable judgement. Notwithstanding the Indemnitor's assumption of the defense of such action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation, the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel and to participate in, but not control, the defense of such action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation, and the Indemnitor shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel as such fees, costs and expenses are incurred (provided that with respect to any single action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation, the Indemnitor shall not be required to bear the fees, costs and expenses of more than one such counsel in any single jurisdiction) if (a) the use of counsel chosen by the Indemnitor to represent the Indemnitee would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (b) the defendants, respondents or other parties in any such action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation include both the Indemnitee on the one hand and the Indemnitor on the other hand, and the Indemnitee has reasonably concluded that representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them (in which case the Indemnitor shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation on behalf of the Indemnitee); (c) the Indemnitor shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the Indemnitee in the exercise of the Indemnitee's reasonable judgment to represent him, within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action, proceeding or investigation; or (d) the Indemnitor authorizes the Indemnitee to employ separate counsel at the Indemnitor's expense.
(3) The Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Indemnitor in the Indemnitor's defense by providing such information and other assistance which the Indemnitor may reasonably request in connection with such defense.
(4) The Indemnitor shall not, without the Indemnitee's prior written consent, settle, compromise, consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any action, claim, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Indemnitee is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes a release of the Indemnitee from any liabilities arising out of such action, claim, suit or proceeding. The Indemnitee shall not, without the Indemnitor's prior written consent, admit liability, settle, compromise, consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding referred to in the preceding paragraph and the Indemnitee shall not disclose the existence of this Agreement unless required by law, subpoena, court order or upon the advice of counsel.
COMPLAINT AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 9.01 Where a difference arises between the parties relating to the interpretation, application or administration of this Agreement, including any questions as to whether a matter is arbitrable, or where an allegation is made that this Agreement has been violated or whenever an employee who has completed the required probationary period and has been accepted by the Employer for employment in the permanent service, claims that he/she has been disciplined or discharged without reasonable cause, such difference, allegation or claim being hereinafter referred to as the grievance, the grievance procedure set forth below shall apply.
9.02 The Association shall name, appoint or otherwise select a Grievance Committee of no more than three (3) who shall be members of the Association and shall have reached at least the rank of First Class Fire Fighter and other advisors as deemed necessary at the expense of the Association. The Employer shall recognize and deal with the Grievance committee with respect to any matter or dispute which properly arises from a breach of the Collective Agreement from time to time during its term. This committee shall suffer no loss as a result of their attendance at such grievance meetings, hearings, etc.
9.03 No grievance will be considered where the circumstances giving rise to it occurred or originated more than ten (10) full working days before the submission of the grievance.
Step 1 - An employee having a grievance will take the matter up through their Association representative. The President or designate shall contact Fire Management to seek a resolution.
Step 2 - If the grievance is not settled within five (5) working days, the Association shall submit the matter in writing to the Fire Chief or designate within five (5) working days of receiving the reply from Step 1. The Fire Chief or designate shall render the written decision to the Association within five (5) working days after receiving the written grievance. In the context of this Article a working day shall be deemed to be Monday to Friday excluding designated holidays.
Step 3 - If the reply of the Fire Chief is not acceptable to the Association the grievance may be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) or the Director of Human Resources within five (5) working days of the written decision of the Fire Chief. The CAO or the Director of Human Resources, who together with the Fire Chief and any other advisors deemed necessary, shall meet with the Association Representatives within 5 working days to consider the grievance. Within five (5) working days of the aforesaid, the CAO or the Director of Human Resources will render a written reply to the employee and the Association.
Step 4 - If no resolve is reached at Step 3, the matter shall be submitted to arbitration. Notice shall be given within 5 business days. The parties agree that, for the purposes of this collective agreement the words of the expedited arbitration provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 as amended (Section 49), will be deemed to have been incorporated into this collective agreement. Accordingly and notwithstanding any other provisions of this article (the grievance/arbitration provisions); either party may refer a grievance to expedited arbitration in accordance with the provisions of Section 49. The parties further agree that neither party will raise any jurisdictional or other objection to the application of Section 49 to a grievance under this collective agreement as it pertains to the right to an expedited arbitration. Either party is entitled however, to raise any objection, with the arbitrator with respect to whether the provisions of Section 49 have been properly utilized in respect of any specific grievance (e.g. objections with respect to time limits etc.). Such an appointment by the Minister of Labour or his or her designate will be determined to be a joint appointment in accordance with Section 53(3) of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.
9.04 Extensions to the time limits in 9.03 may not be unreasonably withheld.
9.05 The employee in all steps of the grievance procedure shall be confined to the grievance and redress sought as set forth in the written grievance initially filed as provided.