GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION PROCEDURE 8.01 The parties to this agreement believe it is important to adjust complaints and grievances as quickly as possible as provided for herein. The employee or Union shall first discuss any individual complaint informally with the Director of Care or designate at the first opportunity.
8.02 In all steps of this grievance procedure an aggrieved employee, if she so desires may be accompanied by or represented by her Union Representative. At Step 1 of the grievance procedure a representative of the Ontario Nurses' Association may be present at the request of either party.
8.03 Should any dispute arise between the Employer and an employee, or between the Employer and the Union, as to the interpretation, application, administration or alleged violation of any of the provisions of this Agreement, the employee or Union Representative will bring it to the attention of the immediate supervisor to settle such differences within ten (10) days of the occurrence. If further action is to be taken, then within ten (10) days of the discussion, the employee, who may request the assistance of her Union Representative and/or Labour Relations Officer, shall submit the written grievance to the Administrator or designate. A meeting will be held between the parties within ten (10) days. The Administrator shall give a written decision within ten (10) days of the meeting to the Bargaining Unit President or her designate with a copy to the Labour Relations Officer. Should the Administrator fail to render his decision or failing settlement of any grievance under the foregoing procedure, including any questions as to whether a matter is arbitrable, the grievance may be referred to arbitration by either party. If no written notice of intent to submit the matter for arbitration is received within ten (10) days after the decision under Step No. 1 is received, the grievance shall be deemed to have been settled or abandoned.
8.04 A written grievance will indicate the nature of the grievance and the remedy sought by the grievor. Union grievances shall be set out on the union grievance form. Alternately, the parties may agree to an electronic version of this form and a process for signing.
8.05 Time limits fixed in the grievance and arbitration procedures may be extended only by written, mutual consent of the parties. Should the Employer not respond within the time limit(s) fixed, such failure to respond shall be deemed to be a denial of the grievance. Should a grievance not be submitted within the various time limits specified in this Agreement, unless mutually extended, it shall be considered to have been settled or abandoned.
GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION PROCEDURES 8.01 Any employee(s) or the Union may present a complaint at any time without recourse to the formal written procedure contained herein. Failure to comply with this step, or the manner in which it is complied with shall not interfere with the formal grievance procedure, nor shall this step be subject of preliminary objections in any arbitration hearing.
8.02 At any step in the grievance procedure, including the complaint stage, the employee may be accompanied by his/her employee representative.
8.03 Grievances shall be registered with the Employer as follows: Step No. 1 An employee(s) or the Union on his/her/their behalf or in its own stead may present a grievance in writing to the Director of Care. Such grievance must be presented within ten (10) days of the date of its occurrence or when the employee or the Union reasonably ought to have been aware of this occurrence. The Director of Care shall render a decision in writing in ten (10) days following the day on which the grievance was submitted. If this decision is unsatisfactory to the employee(s) or the Union, Step No. 2 may be followed within ten (10) days. The grievance in writing shall be referred to the Administrator of the Home or designate who shall call a meeting of the Grievance Committee at the request of either party within seven (7) days of the filing of the grievance or such further period as the parties may agree. Within three (3) days following this meeting or within ten (10) days following the submission to the Administrator of the Home or designate if no such meeting is held, the Administrator of the Home or designate shall reply in writing to the employee(s) and the Chairperson of the Grievance Committee. If this decision is unsatisfactory to the employee(s) or the Union, Step No. 3 may be followed within ten (10) days. Within ten (10) days after the decision is given at Step No. 2 the grievance may be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer of the County or designate and the employee accompanied by his/her representative shall meet within ten (10) working days with the Chief Administrative Officer and Committee of Management or their designates. The employee may also be accompanied by a full-time representative of the Union if so desired at this stage. The Employer will render a decision in writing within ten (10) days following such meeting. If the decision is unsatisfactory to the employee(s) or the Union, it may be referred to arbitration.
8.04 A policy grievance may be presented by either the Union or the Employer at Step 2 of the Grievance Procedure.
8.05 Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, should the Employer discharge, suspend or discipline an employee or employees, notification by the Employer to such employee or employees shall be made in the presence of a member of the Union. Should the employee(s) or the Union on his/her/their behalf file a grievance against the discharge, suspension or discipline, it shall be reduced to writing and filed within ten (10) days under Step No. 3 of the Grievance Procedure.
8.06 Before any grievance is submitted to arbitration, the parties may meet with a Grievance Mediator in order to attempt to resolve such grievance. The parties may refer any number of outstanding grievances to the Grievance Mediator for possible resolution. Each party shall pay one-half (1/2) of the fees and expenses of the Grievance Mediator.
8.07 When either party requests that a grievance be submitted to arbitration, the grievance shall be submitted to one of the following panel of sole Arbitrators: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ If a grievance has already been submitted to one of the Panel of Arbitrators, then any subsequent grievances shall be submitted to the next Arbitrator on the Panel. In order to accept an appointment, the Arbitrator must agree to render an award within thirty (30) days of the last day of hearing.
8.08 In the event that the parties mutually agree to refer a grievance to a tripartite Arbitration Board, the party requesting arbitration shall advise the other of its nominee to the Arbitration Board. Within ten (10) days thereafter, the other party shall answer, in writing, indicating the name and address of its appointee to the Arbitration Board. The Chair shall be selected from the Panel of Arbitrators set out in paragraph 8.07 above.
8.09 Once appointed, the Arbitration Board or single Arbitrator shall have all the powers set out in Section 50 of the Labour Relations Act including the power to mediate/arbitrate the grievance and to limit evidence and submissions.
8.10 Each party shall pay the costs and expenses of its appointees and the costs and expenses of the Chairperson shall be borne equally by the parties. Arbitration hearings shall be held in the community of the Employer or at such other places as may be agreed upon by the Union and the Employer.
8.11 The Arbitration Board shall not have jurisdiction to amend or add to any of the provisions of this Agreement, or to substitute any new provisions in lieu thereof, nor to give any decision inconsistent with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
8.12 No person may be appointed as an arbitrator who has been involved in an attempt to negotiate or settle the grievance.
8.13 Any time limit referred to in the Grievance and Arbitration Procedures shall be exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and holidays observed by the Employer and the days off of the aggrieved employee including vacation, and such limits may be extended with the agreement of both parties.
Referral to Arbitration: Provincial Matters a. If the grievance is not resolved at Step Three within ten (10) working days of the meeting referred to in Article A.6.4, the BCTF or BCPSEA where applicable may refer a “provincial matters grievance,” as defined in Appendix 1 and Addenda, to arbitration within a further fifteen (15) working days.
b. The referral to arbitration shall be in writing and should note that it is a “provincial matters grievance.” The parties shall agree upon an arbitrator within ten (10) working days of such notice.
GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION PROCEDURE 8.01 For purposes of this Agreement, a grievance is defined as a difference arising between the parties relating to the interpretation, application, administration or alleged violation of the Agreement, including any question as to whether a matter is arbitrable.
8.02 In all steps of this Grievance Procedure, the aggrieved nurse, if desired, may be accompanied by or represented by a nurse representative.
8.03 It is the mutual desire of the parties hereto that complaints of the nurses shall be adjusted as quickly as possible, and it is understood that a nurse has no grievance until she has first given the Unit Manager the opportunity of adjusting her complaint. Such complaint shall be discussed with the Unit Manager within ten (10) days after the circumstances giving rise to it have occurred or ought reasonably to have come to the attention of the nurse and failing settlement within five (5) days, it shall then be taken up as a grievance within ten (10) days following the Unit Manager's decision in the following manner and sequence: The nurse may submit a written grievance on the form set out in Appendix "A", signed by her, to the Unit Manager. The grievance shall identify the nature of the grievance and the remedy sought and should identify the provisions of the Agreement which are alleged to be violated. The Unit Manager will deliver her decision in writing within five (5) days of the submission of the grievance. Failing settlement, then: Within five (5) days following the decision in Step No. 1, the nurse may submit the written grievance to the Director of Resident Care who will deliver her decision, in writing, within five (5) days from the date on which the written grievance was presented to her. The parties may, if they so desire, meet to discuss the grievance at a time and place suitable to both parties. Failing settlement, then: Within ten (10) days of receiving the decision under Step 2, the grievance, in writing, may be referred to the Chief Executive Officer who shall call a meeting of the Grievance Committee within five (5) days of receipt of same. Within five (5) days following the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer shall reply, in writing, to the nurse and the Chairperson of the Grievance Committee. If the decision is unsatisfactory to the nurse, it may be referred to arbitration within fifteen (15) days and the Chief Executive Officer so notified, in writing.
Arbitration Procedure The following procedures shall govern the conduct of any arbitration under this section. All procedural matters relating to the conduct of the arbitration other than those specified below shall be discussed among counsel for the parties and the arbitrator. Subject to any agreement of the parties, the arbitrator shall determine all procedural matters not specified herein.
(a) Within 30 days after the delivery of a Notice of Arbitration, each party shall afford the other, or its counsel, with reasonable access to documents relating directly to the issues raised in the Notice of Arbitration. All documents produced and all copies thereof shall be maintained as strictly confidential, shall be used for no purpose other than the arbitration hereunder, and shall be returned to the producing party upon completion of the arbitration. There shall be no other discovery except that, if a reasonable need is shown, limited depositions may be allowed in the discretion of the arbitrator, it being the expressed intention and agreement of each party to have the arbitration proceedings conducted and resolved as expeditiously, economically and fairly as reasonably practicable, and with the maximum degree of confidentiality.
(b) All written communications regarding the proceeding sent to the arbitrator shall be sent simultaneously to each party or its counsel, with a copy to the Additional Notice Parties. Oral communications between any of the parties or their counsel and the arbitrator shall be conducted only when all parties or their counsel are present and participating in the conversation.
(c) Within 20 days after selection of the arbitrator, the Claimant shall submit to the arbitrator a copy of the Notice of Arbitration, along with a supporting memorandum and any exhibits or other documents supporting the Claim.
(d) Within 20 days after receipt of the Claimant’s submission, the Opposing Party shall submit to the arbitrator a memorandum supporting its position and any exhibits or other supporting documents. If the Opposing Party fails to respond to any of the issues raised by the Claimant within 20 days of receipt of the Claimant’s submission, then the arbitrator may find for the Claimant on any such issue and bar any subsequent consideration of the matter.
(e) Within 20 days after receipt of the Opposing Party’s response, the Claimant may submit to the arbitrator a reply to the Opposing Party’s response, or notification that no reply is forthcoming.
(f) No later than twenty (20) days prior to the hearing date scheduled by the arbitrator each party shall provide the other, and the arbitrator, with a list and copies of the documents upon which they may rely and/or submit as exhibits at the hearing and a list of the witnesses they may present, with a reasonably detailed summary of the testimony that each witness may give.
(g) Within 10 days after the last submission as provided above, the arbitrator shall notify the parties and the Additional Notice Parties of the date of the hearing on the issues raised by the Claim. Scheduling of the hearing shall be within the sole discretion of the arbitrator, but in no event more than 30 days after the last submission by the parties, and shall take place within 50 miles of the corporate headquarters of the Company at a place selected by the arbitrator or such other place as is mutually agreed. Both parties shall be granted substantially equal time to present evidence at the hearing. The hearing shall not exceed one business day, except for good cause shown.
(h) Within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing, the arbitrator shall issue a written decision to be delivered to both parties and the Additional Notice Parties (the “Final Determination”). The Final Determination shall address each issue disputed by the parties, state the arbitrator’s findings and reasons therefor, and state the nature and amount of any damages, compensation or other relief awarded.
(i) The award rendered by the arbitrator shall be final and non-appealable, except as otherwise provided under the applicable Arbitration Act, and judgment may be entered upon it in accordance with applicable law in such court as has jurisdiction thereof.