51.345* Labour Law
Class Notes - November 23, 1998


 


Arbitration: Rights and Remedies

  1. Arbitration: Rights and Remedies
    1. Management Rights
    2. Promissory Estoppel
    3. Remedial Authority of Arbitrator
    4. Courts, Boards, and Arbitration
    5. Reforming the Arbitration Process

      6.  
  2. Management Rights
    1. Gaps in the Collective Agreement
    2. Exercising Discretion Fairly
    3. The Beatty Theses
    4. CUPE v. Metropolitan Toronto

      5.  
  3. Gaps in the Collective Agreement
    1. Russelsteel
      1. Company contracting out trucking services
      2. Reserved rights v. joint sovereignty
      3. The 'boxscore' approach
      4. Industrial meteorology and bargaining climate
      5. Narrow interpretation of CA limits
    2. Langille on Russelsteel
      1. Reserved rights approach gives 'ers rights for free
      2. Statutory regime creates equal partnership
      3. Rights can only flow from the CA
      4. Russelsteel creates incentives for 'er not to bargain
      5. Rejection of Russelsteel forces 'er to bargain during CA

        6.  
  4. Exercising Discretion Fairly
    1. Metro Toronto Police Ass'n
      1. Distribution of overtime work
      2. Management right to decide how distributed
      3. Er picked 'ees on basis of 'attitude'
      4. Arb. required 'er to act without discrimination or arbitrariness
      5. Ont Ct of App. erred in implying term in CA
    2. Council of Printing Industries
      1. 'Er had discretion to permanently classify 'ees
      2. Arb. can review on basis of 'good faith'
      3. Impact on seniority relevant concern

        4.  
  5. Beatty and Liberal Interpretation
    1. Previous two decisions: dramatic conflict
      1. Incoherent and inconsistent
      2. Basic entitlements of liberal justice not universally available
    2. Exclusive management rights clause inevitable
    3. Liberal-democratic theory
      1. Equality of liberty
      2. Right to self-determination
      3. Arbitrariness and discrimination unacceptable
      4. Alternate view - parties have conceded right to decide to management

        5.  
  6. Liberal Theory of Interpretation
    1. Arbitrators often go beyond express terms
    2. Fallacy of 'common intent' theory
    3. Respect for autonomy demands arbitral intervention
    4. Standards based in principles of justice
    5. Interpretation more than narrow reading of CA
    6. Need for a legislated mandate

      7.  
  7. CUPE v. Metro. Toronto
    1. Challenge to unilateral 'er rule
    2. Refusal to obey potentially disciplinable
    3. 'Obey now, grieve later' rule
    4. Scope of other CA provisions relevant

      5.  
  8. Promissory Estoppel
    1. Reliance on oral promises or conduct
    2. Principles of contractual fairness
    3. Originally modifies contractual doctrine of consideration
    4. Used by arbitrators to incorporate past practice
    5. CNR v. Beatty
      1. Arb. has jurisdiction to use estoppel doctrine
      2. Existing practice inconsistent with CA
      3. Arb. can refuse to apply a provision of CA

        4.  
  9. Remedial Authority of Arbitrators
    1. What to do if CA is silent on remedy
    2. Alternative Visions
      1. Arb. as reader of contract
      2. Arb. as dispute settler (Polymer case)
    3. Legislative direction re remedial authority
      1. Extension of time limits (OLRA s. 48(16))
      2. Power to substitute a lesser penalty (OLRA s. 48(17))
      3. Restriction on interim orders (s. 48 (13))
    4. Substituting penalties
      1. From personal to bureaucratic relationships
      2. Common law allowed no midway position
      3. New emphasis on progressive discipline
      4. Variety of factors in measuring appropriateness of discipline

        5.  
  10. Discipline: Assessing Arbitral Role
    1. Relevant Factors
      1. Seriousness of the offence
      2. Conduct premeditated or spontaneous
      3. Ee record of service
      4. 'Er use of progressive, corrective discipline
      5. 'Er consistent in its disciplinary policies
      6. Post discharge conduct of 'ee may be irrelevant
    2. Impact of reinstatement decisions
      1. 56 - 63% of reinstated 'ees had no further discipline
      2. No adverse consequence on discipline

        3.  
  11. Other forums?
    1. If CA, no civil action (Weber v. Ontario)
    2. Exception: injunctions re illegal strike
    3. Judicial review of arb
      1. Close scrutiny or deference?
      2. Correctness or patently unreasonable
      3. Close scrutiny of jurisdictional issues
      4. Deference to decisions within jurisdiction
    4. Overlap with OLRB and other statutory tribunals

      5.  
  12. Reforms to the Arbitration Process
    1. Expedited arbitration
      1. Arb. not living up to its reputed advantages
      2. OLRA s. 49 encourages expedited procedures
      3. Use of single arbitrators
      4. Grievance settlement officers
      5. Highly cost effective and popular
    2. Allow access to a public tribunal
    3. Allow awarding of costs to successful parties

Last modified: November 20, 1998