Hicks Morley’s Craig Rix was quoted in the December 7, 2010 edition of Globe and Mail Newspaper, in an article entitled “Betting the farm on a Charter ruling.” Craig comments on the possible labour relations implications arising out of a Supreme Court decision due out soon. View Article
Practice Area: Labour Relations
Arbitrator Upholds Right of Fire Department to Alter Service Levels During Statutory Freeze
On November 8, 2010, Arbitrator Chauvin issued a significant award which confirmed a fire department’s right to manage its operations by determining staffing levels. Arbitrator Chauvin also concluded that the statutory freeze imposed by the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 (“FPPA“) preserved this right and permitted the City to make changes to service levels…
ECE Representation Disputes: OLRB Rules on Appropriate Venue
In a decision dated November 9, 2010, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) considered the impact of an ongoing arbitration proceeding on an application for certification by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (“ETFO”) to represent designated early childhood educators (“DECEs”) at the District School Board of Niagara. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (“CUPE”),…
Kathryn Meehan Quoted in HR Professional Magazine
Hicks Morley’s Kathryn Meehan was quoted in the October 4, 2010 edition of HR Professional Magazine in an article entitled “HR 101 – Responding to Union Mobilization”. In the article Kathryn discusses legal issues associated with union organizing drives. View Article
Hicks Morley Named a Leading Labour and Employment Law Firm in Canada by PLC Cross-Border Labour and Employee Benefits Handbook
Hicks Morley has been given the highest ranking and named a leading labour and employment firm in Canada once again in the PLC Cross-Border Labour and Employee Benefits Handbook. The Handbook, published annually by the Practical Law Company, is a guide to the legal markets and legislation governing labour and employee benefits. To view the…
Municipal Elections 2010: Employers’ Obligation to Provide Paid Time Off to Vote
Province-wide municipal elections will be held on October 25, 2010, and voting hours will run from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, all employees who are eligible to vote in the election are entitled to three consecutive hours during voting hours on election day to cast their vote. To be…
Hicks Morley Ranks #1 in Labour and Employment Law
Hicks Morley once again ranked #1 in Canada in the field of Labour and Employment Law in Best Lawyers® in Canada 2012. Hicks Morley has more listed lawyers (25 in total) in this field than any other firm in Canada and is also the #1 ranked firm in Ontario. Toronto John E. Brooks Labour and…
Ontario Government’s March 2010 Budget Directions Considered at Interest Arbitration
Recently, Arbitrator MacDowell released an interest arbitration award involving SEIU Local 2 and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre that considered the impact of the Ontario government’s 2010 Budget directions on collective bargaining. This award is the first of a number of expected interest arbitration decisions addressing the government’s new fiscal directive. We discuss the decision and…
The GTAA Decision: The Principles Relevant to Employers
Earlier this year, Arbitrator Owen Shime issued an award which has garnered much attention on account of the amount of damages assessed against the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) for the wrongful termination of an employee who had been on sick leave. However, the greater potential significance of this award is found in its articulation…
Hicks Morley Introduces Legislative Update Blog
Hicks Morley is pleased to announce the launch of Human Resources Legislative Update, a blog designed to provide human resources professionals with timely information about developments in a range of employment-related areas. In this FTR Now, we highlight the features of this new service. To access the blog click here. BACKGROUND Since 1997, Hicks Morley…