GSB#2013-0433
UNION#2013-5105-0033
Additional files listed in Appendix “A”
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION
Under
THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT
Before
THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD
BETWEEN
Ontario Public Service Employees Union
(Alix et al)
Union
- and -
The Crown in Right of Ontario
(Ministry of Government Services)
Employer
BEFORE
Nimal Dissanayake
Vice-Chair
FOR THE UNION
Tim Hannigan
Ryder Wright Blair & Holmes LLP
Barristers and Solicitors
Counsel
FOR THE EMPLOYER
Jonathan Rabinovitch
Ministry of Government Services
Legal Services Branch
Counsel
HEARING
May 2, 2014
Decision
1The Board is seized with some 53 identically worded grievances from individuals (grievors) employed as Pay and Benefits Specialists. The statement of grievance is as follows:
I grieve the employer has violated my rights with regard to, but not restricted to Article 2, 9, Appendix 30, Section 25 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act as well as any other Applicable Articles, Policies or Legislation, including the “Anti-Bulling” Section of Article 3 in the recently ratified Collective Agreement.
The settlement desired is “Full redress. Increased compensation and open dialogue with MERC/CERC”
2The parties agreed to proceed under the mediation-arbitration provision set out in article 22.16 of the collective agreement.
3The employer presented a motion that the grievances should be dismissed on two grounds. First, the employer moves that even if all of the facts asserted in the union’s particulars are accepted as provable, they are not capable of establishing a prima facie violation of any of the collective agreement provisions or the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Secondly, the employer asserts that, the grievances are nothing more than disguised classification grievances over which the Board has no jurisdiction.
4In Re Couture, 2008-3329 (Dissanayake) at para 12 the Board set out the test to be applied in determining a motion that the grievances do not disclose a prima facie case, as follows: “… the Board is required to determine whether the facts asserted, if accepted as true, are capable of substantiating the violation alleged”. The parties agreed that the foregoing test should govern the disposition of the instant motion.
5I have reviewed the detailed particulars submitted by the union and the authorities filed by the employer. On an application of the test set out in Re Couture, I conclude that the facts asserted therein, if accepted as established, are not capable of substantiating a prima facie contravention of any of the collective agreement or statutory provisions relied upon by the union.
6Moreover, the gist of the grievances is to the effect that the grievors are entitled to an increase in pay, commensurate with the increase in their duties as a result of the introduction and subsequent upgrading of the WIN system. Thus it is asserted that the grievors “have increased responsibilities since the introduction of WIN, their duties have increased and the position requires significantly more accountability, knowledge and analytical skills”. The Board concludes that the substance of the grievances is to the effect that the grievors are entitled to an increase in pay in recognition of the changes in their duties and responsibilities. Although no reclassification is explicitly sought, such an increase can be obtained from the Board only through an order for upward reclassification of the grievors’ position. However, section 51 of the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act explicitly prohibits the Board from assuming jurisdiction to make such an order.
7For all of the above reasons, the employer’s motion is upheld and all of the grievances are hereby dismissed.
Dated at Toronto, Ontario this 7th day of May 2014
Appendix “A”
GSB Number
OPSEU File Number
Grievor
2013-0434
2013-5105-0004
Amichand-Mohan, Rose
2013-0435
2013-5105-0005
Boudarga, Saida
2013-0436
2013-5105-0006
Cabral, Teresa
2013-0437
2013-5105-0007
Campbell, Camille
2013-0438
2013-5105-0008
Campbell, Ederle
2013-0439
2013-5105-0009
Cestra, Maria
2013-0440
2013-5105-0010
Collazos, Carlos
2013-0441
2013-5105-0011
Cantos, Corazon
2013-0442
2013-5105-0012
Callos, Eva
2013-0443
2013-5105-0013
Caparas, Michael
2013-0444
2013-5105-0014
Chan, Wai Ning
2013-0445
2013-5105-0015
Chereji, Cristina
2013-0446
2013-5105-0016
Clasadonte, Mary
2013-0447
2013-5105-0017
Daley, Carla
2013-0448
2013-5105-0018
Daniel, Alison
2013-0449
2013-5105-0019
D'Souza, Christopher
2013-0450
2013-5105-0020
Edwards, Sonia
2013-0451
2013-5105-0021
Gocool, Kamal
2013-0452
2013-5105-0022
Gunraj, Justin
2013-0453
2013-5105-0023
Gulapa, Ronald
2013-0454
2013-5105-0024
Harquail, Patricia
2013-0455
2013-5105-0025
Kabani, Hussein
2013-0456
2013-5105-0026
Fernandes, Audrey
2013-0457
2013-5105-0027
Fraser, Corabell
2013-0458
2013-5105-0028
Jindani, Naznin
2013-0459
2013-5105-0029
Kelly, Paula
2013-0460
2013-5105-0030
Kumal, Himowtie
2013-0461
2013-5105-0031
Maciel, Julia
2013-0462
2013-5105-0032
Maharaj, Sue
2013-0463
2013-5105-0033
Manalo, Maria
2013-0464
2013-5105-0034
Mcewen, Joseph
2013-0465
2013-5105-0035
Nagularajah, Vasuki
2013-0466
2013-5105-0036
Nair, Roopesh
2013-0467
2013-5105-0037
Nip-Diep, Tak Oi
2013-0468
2013-5105-0038
Nixon, Kimberly
2013-0469
2013-5105-0039
Owen, Melanie
2013-0470
2013-5105-0040
Ouzounis, Sofija
2013-0471
2013-5105-0041
Patel, Hina
2013-0472
2013-5105-0042
Paes, Xavier
2013-0473
2013-5105-0043
Pereira, Cleone
2013-0474
2013-5105-0044
Rizzi, Teresa
2013-0475
2013-5105-0045
Radolovic, Aggie
2013-0476
2013-5105-0046
Segal, Martine
2013-0477
2013-5105-0047
Shen, Nina
2013-0478
2013-5105-0048
Siochi, Roberto
2013-0479
2013-5105-0049
Stratton, Brenda
GSB Number
OPSEU File Number
Grievor
2013-0480
2013-5105-0050
Tansingco, Leilani
2013-0481
2013-5105-0051
Turner, Karen
2013-0482
2013-5105-0052
Toban, Marvet
2013-0483
2013-5105-0053
Tinio, Rebecca
2013-0484
2013-5105-0054
Wang, Theresa
2013-0485
2013-5105-0055
Wright, Paulene
2013-0486
2013-5105-0056
Yuen, Mei Hung