In a recent arbitral award, Arbitrator Goodfellow confirmed that the cancellation of two full-time employee’s shifts during temporary slowdowns constituted a layoff within the meaning of the collective agreement. The Arbitrator agreed with the Union, CUPE, Local 139, that the cancellation of shifts was a layoff because it involved a reduction in a full-time employee’s hours of work below the permissible level in the collective agreement. Under this award, the parties agreed to a protocol to use in such circumstances in the future.
CUPE, Local 139 was represented by Wassim Garzouzi and Amanda Montague-Reinholdt of Raven, Cameron, Ballantyne & Yazbeck LLP.