Matthew Wilson

The union filed a grievance alleging the employer breached the collective agreement and the Human Rights Code by placing the grievor on an unpaid leave of absence for failing to comply with its mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy.

The grievor objected to the vaccine on religious grounds but deliberately chose not to apply for an exemption because he believed he should not have to share his religious beliefs with the employer.

The arbitrator dismissed the grievance, finding that the employer's duty to accommodate was not triggered because the grievor failed to make his need for a religious exemption known.

The Union filed a grievance alleging the Employer failed to accommodate the grievor's medical inability to wear a mask.

In a pre-hearing conference, the Grievance Settlement Board ordered the Employer to produce the grievor's occupational health file to Union counsel.

The Board also ordered the Union to produce all relevant medical records, communications, and particulars regarding the grievor's claimed inability to wear a mask and the nature of the mask that allegedly addressed his medical needs.

The union filed a policy grievance regarding the employer's mandatory vaccination and vaccination disclosure announcements.

The parties appeared before the arbitrator to set a litigation schedule.

The employer raised a preliminary issue regarding the timeliness of the referral to arbitration, which will be argued based on an agreed statement of facts.

The arbitrator also set deadlines for the production of documents and the exchange of particulars, and scheduled a further conference call to determine next steps.