National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW-Canada) v. St. Mary’s General Hospital
0184-00-R National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW-Canada), Applicant v. St. Mary’s General Hospital, Kitchener Full Time Office & Clerical Employees, Responding Party v. Service Employees International Union, Local 220, Intervenor.
BEFORE: Patrick Kelly, Vice-Chair, and Board Members J. A. Rundle and R. R. Montague.
DECISION OF THE BOARD; April 25, 2000
1This is a displacement application for certification.
2The Board finds that the applicant is a trade union within the meaning of section 1(1) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (the “Act”).
3The employees are currently represented by the intervenor.
4It appears to the Board on an examination of only the information provided in the application and the information and membership evidence filed by the applicant (see section 8(3) of the Act), that not less than forty per cent of the individuals in the bargaining unit proposed in the application for certification were members of the union at the time the application was made.
5The Board directs that a representation vote be taken of the individuals in the following voting constituency:
all lay office and clerical employees at St. Mary’s General Hospital at Kitchener, save and except supervisors, persons above the rank of supervisor, persons regularly employed for not more than 24 hours per week, students employed during the school vacation period and persons covered by subsisting collective agreements.
6The vote will be held on April 27, 2000. Other vote arrangements will be as determined by the Registrar and set out on the attached "Notice of Vote and of Hearing".
7All individuals who had an employment relationship with the responding party in the voting constituency on April 18, 2000, the certification application filing date, are eligible to vote. Employees having an employment relationship on April 18, 2000, the certification application filing date, include employees who were not at work on that date, so long as there is a reasonable expectation of their return to employment.
8Voters will be asked to indicate whether they wish to be represented by the applicant or the intervenor in their employment relations with the responding party.
9The intervenor has filed a number of submissions in respect of unfair labour practices that are alleged to have occurred in respect of this application. In addition, it has filed a copy of a decision and Order of the Superior Court of Justice, dated March 1, 2000, in respect of a motion for injunction brought by the intervenor against certain individuals. It also refers to certain proceedings pertaining to the applicant and intervenor before the Canadian Labour Congress. The intervenor asserts that no representation vote should be held, or, in the alternative, that the ballot box should be sealed pending a hearing into the matters raised.
10The Board (differently constituted) has considered similar objections from the intervenor with respect to a number of other displacement applications by the applicant. In those applications, the ballot box had been sealed pending a hearing. At the hearing held April 6, 2000, the Board ruled that the ballots cast should be counted. At a subsequent hearing on April 11, 2000, the Board declined to adjourn its proceedings pending conclusion of matters before the Canadian Labour Congress.
11The Board is not persuaded that there is a reason to seal the ballot box in the instant application.
12The responding party is directed to post copies of this decision and of the "Notice of Vote and of Hearing" adjacent to each of the posted copies of the "Notice to Employees of Application for Certification". These copies must remain posted for 30 days.
13Any party or person who wishes to make representations to the Board about any issue remaining in dispute which relates to the application for certification, must file a detailed statement of representations with the Board and deliver it to the other parties, so that it is received by the Board within five days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays on which the Board is closed) of the date on which the vote is taken. Representations with respect to any status dispute must be made in accordance with the directions provided in Information Bulletin No. 4: Status Disputes in Certification Applications (Non-Construction).
14The matter is referred to the Registrar.
“Patrick Kelly”
for the Board