FortisBC has filed an application to have certain work functions designated as essential services under the BC Labour Relations Code.

This is the second BC utility to file such an application in the last few months. Back in April 2012, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia ("ICBC") - the province's "basic insurance" vehicle insurer - also filed an essential services application. More information about that application, including the application itself,  can be found on COPE 378's website here.

FortisBC's May 31, 2012 news release states as follows:  read more »

United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 401 v Alberta (Attorney General), 2012 ABCA 130

In Great Canadian Railtour Company Ltd. v. Teamsters Union, Local 31, 2012, BCSC 632 the BC Supreme Court imposed $25,000 fine on the union for its role picketing activities in contempt of a court order. The court gave the union the option of paying the funds to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.

My previous post on this case can be found here: "Teamsters Local 31 in contempt of court for impeding traffic during Rocky Mountaineer labour dispute".

In Great Canadian Railtour Company Ltd. v. Teamsters Local Union No. 31 2011 BCSC 1720, the court found that the Teamsters Local Union 31, through its officers, had deliberately disobeyed a previous court order (as it relates to not impeding traffic) and thus the union was in contempt of court.

This was the second time the union had been found to be in contempt of a court order during the Rocky Mountaineer labour dispute. The first time is detailed in this decision: Great Canadian Railtour Company Ltd. v. Teamsters Local Union No. 31, 2011 BCSC 1149.

Federal Labour Minister, Lisa Raitt, issued a media release today urging Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) to reach a renewal of their collective agreement.

As set out in the release:

• The collective agreement covers a unit of approximately 50,000 postal workers;
• The agreement expired on January 31, 2011;
• Negotiations between Canada Post and CUPW - Urban Operations Unit started in October 2010; and
• The parties will acquire the legal right to strike or lockout on May 25, 2011, at 12:01 a.m.  

The Metro Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau released a report today on its future mandate in light of pending key defections among its member municipalities.

Metro Vancouver

Metro Vancouver encompasses 21 municipalities, one electoral district and one treaty first nation.The resident population of Metro Vancouver is 2.3 million.

Metro Vancouver (still officially called the Greater Vancouver Regional District) was given a "labour negotiations and related ancillary services" function for its members back in 1973.

Metro Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau

The Metro Vancouver committee that exercises "the executive and administrative aspects" of the function is called the Metro Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau.

Municipalities within Metro Vancouver can choose whether they want to be participating members in the Bureau. Surrey, Richmond and Port Coquitlam are currently not participating members. And in the past two years, Burnaby, Vancouver, Delta and West Vancouver have given notice of withdrawal.  read more »

Ontario (Attorney General) v. Fraser, 2011 SCC 20

The Health Employers Association of BC ("HEABC") has ratified a two year collective agreement with the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA).

The ratification was announced in a March 2, 2011 news release by BC Ministry of Finance. The news release stated that:  read more »

The table below contains a comprehensive list of the upcoming workplace law (employment, labour, human rights, pensions, privacy and immigration) conferences in Canada in 2011. The full names of the service providers, and links to their sites, are at the bottom of the page.

 read more »

Lancaster House is continuing its "Top 10" theme for audioconferences. This time its an audioconference on March 3, 2011 addressing The Top 10 Human Rights Cases. The cases and the issues they address (quoted from Lancaster) are:  read more »