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…
Tag: Police
Consultations on Public Sector Compensation Begin
On July 20, 2010, the Ontario government initiated a consultation process designed to address upcoming compensation negotiations for “bargaining” employees not caught by the Compensation Restraint Act. In this FTR Now, we discuss the potential implications of this process for public sector employers. BACKGROUND In March, as part of its 2010 Budget, the government introduced…
New Regulations Published under Police Services Act
On July 17, 2010, the following regulations made under the Police Services Act were published in the Ontario Gazette: O. Reg. 268/10, dealing, in part, with the duties of police officers, unsatisfactory work performance and a code of conduct; O. Reg. 267/10, which relates to the conduct and duties of police officers respecting investigations…
Ban on Hand-Held Devices And Display Screens Starts In October
In our FTR Now of September 24, 2009, “Cell Phone and Blackberry Restrictions For Drivers Are Coming Into Force: Is Your Workplace Ready?,” we provided you with a detailed overview of the new legislation restricting the use of hand-held mobile technology devices and presence of display screens while driving. Yesterday, the Ontario Government announced that…
Supreme Court Speaks on School Searches
On April 25th the Supreme Court of Canada issued a much anticipated decision concerning a sniffer dog search of a high school that led to drug related charges against a student. A 6-3 majority of the Court held that the police violated the student’s Charter right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure and…
OMERS Supplemental Benefits: Bargaining Issues & Strategies for the Emergency Services Sector
With the passage of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System Act, 2006 (“OMERS Act 2006”), police [1], firefighters [2] and paramedics [3] are now able to bargain additional OMERS pension benefits, called “supplemental benefits”. This ability to bargain supplemental benefits will have a dramatic impact on local labour relations and related costs. The OMERS Act…