October 3rd 2023 - In my view, there is nothing in Article 40.01 that restricts the entitlement to the overtime rate to circumstances where the Grievor has worked more than 40 hours in a week. The only way to reach such a result would be to alter or add to the language negotiated by the parties. I have no authority to do so. My only role is to give meaning to the language agreed to by the parties.
I note the Company’s concern that employees who have taken unauthorized leave in a given week can make up for the hours missed by volunteering for overtime and benefiting from the overtime rate. However, the issue of unauthorized leave is separate from the interpretation issue that is before me.
For these reasons, I find that the Grievor was entitled to the overtime rate for all hours worked on his scheduled day off, on Thursday, January 27, 2022.
All the details will be distributed in the coming days, including the effective dates of when the various improvements apply and, of course, subject to membership ratification.
Read Bulletin #7... | 760 Negotiations Page...
These two days we were focused on updating, correcting any clauses that did not read as intended so as to ensure the proper meaning, context of the collective agreement language read as it should. There were quite a few changes, additions, amendments to be done.
Read Bulletin #6... | 760 Negotiations Page...
Given the number of issues outstanding, and overall, how things have progressed we have advised the company that if we cannot bargain as we need to be we will then request the assistance of the Quebec Minister of Labour in accordance with the Quebec Labour Code.
Read Bulletin #5... | 760 Negotiations Page...
In sum, BTC did not demonstrate that Mr. Lystukha’s conduct, while deserving of discipline, merited a permanent demotion to his former position of maintainer. His lesser responsibility for the August 7, 2019 incident and his candour, albeit delayed, merits instead a suspension.
The arbitrator accordingly reinstates Mr. Lystukha to his position as conductor.
FBTC made bona fide efforts to accommodate Mr. El Borte during the short 5-day period when he had safety-related limitations. BTC only realized upon Mr. El Borte’s return to work that he could not perform work in a safety sensitive position. This obliged it to deal with the accommodation issue in real time. Despite this challenge, BTC provided Mr. El Borte with a viable partial work option.
The arbitrator also dismisses the TCRC’s argument that BTC had to give Mr. El Borte 5 days notice before offering accommodated work, given the wording in article 12.1 (temporary replacements) of the collective agreement. That article seems to apply to a different scenario than the one raised in this case. In addition, even if it did apply, the accommodation exercise sometimes requires modifications to collective agreements to assist employees. This is especially the case for a short 5-day accommodation following which Mr. El Borte would resume his full-time duties without any restrictions.
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BTC did not demonstrate that it had reached the point of undue hardship when considering accommodation for Mr. Valiquette. BTC will compensate Mr. Valiquette from April 15 to September 30, 2019.
Mr. Valiquette did not abandon his position in October/November 2019 and is accordingly reinstated without loss of seniority. However, due to his conduct, he will not be compensated for the period starting on October 1, 2019.
For these reasons, BTC did not demonstrate it had just cause to terminate Mr. Ouimet’s employment. The arbitrator accordingly orders BTC to reinstate Mr. Ouimet in employment forthwith, without loss of seniority or other benefits, and with full compensation for loss of earnings, less any sums he earned in mitigation.
BTC did not satisfy its burden of proof that it had just cause to terminate Mr. Ouimet. The TCRC did not convince the arbitrator that BTC’s investigation was unfair or that additional damages should be awarded given the overall circumstances of this case.
However, the TCRC will have the option of having this award posted in the workplace to counteract any negative inferences flowing from how BTC conducted Mr. Ouimet’s drug test.
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Montréal, February 17, 2020 – On Thursday, February 13, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and Bombardier Transportation in Montreal reached a tentative agreement to renew the collective agreement for some 200 workers.