Bargaining in a COVID Economy. Get Informed – It’s Your Right

For unions, another round of negotiations has often meant getting back into a familiar pattern: deliver notice to bargain, prepare proposals, have a series of sometimes constructive, sometimes frustrating discussions across the bargaining table, perhaps resort to strike or face a lockout, then arrive at a collective agreement. We are living in a different world.  Do not assume same-old is the same old. A union may have a right to... Read More

Supreme Court Finds RCMP Pension Scheme Discriminates Against Women

On October 16, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld a Charter challenge to portions of the RCMP pension plan, which had been applied to prevent employees from buying back periods of service during which they had temporarily reduced hours of work for childcare reasons. In its decision, the majority of the Supreme Court concluded that the pension law had a disproportionate, negative impact on women due to their sex. Particularly,... Read More

Sean McGee Speaks at Human Rights and Labour Conference

On October 20-21, 2020, Sean McGee presented as part of Lancaster House’s annual Ottawa Human Rights and Labour Law Conference. Sean presented as part of the panel “2020 Vision – Key Precedents from an Unprecedented Year,” which reviewed recent, important labour and human rights decisions. Read More

Morgan Rowe Presents on Employers’ Duty to Address Workplace Stress

On October 20, 2020, Morgan Rowe presented as part of a professional learning program presented jointly by Lancaster House and the University of Toronto. The multi-day program addressed managing and promoting mental health in the workplace. Morgan spoke as part of a panel on employers’ legal obligations to address workplace stress and other workplace mental health issues. Read More

The pandemic does not override human rights at work

Ravenlaw gratefully acknowledges the contribution of this post by articling student Simcha Walfish. When the land border between Canada and the United States closed in March, thousands of people who make the daily commute to work across the border were left in a difficult situation. United Steelworkers Local 2251 v Algoma Steel Inc. deals with one such person, a machinist apprentice at a steel plant in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.... Read More

Jessica Greenwood to Speak on Employment Issues during COVID-19

On September 25, 2020, Jessica Greenwood will speak at the annual Kingston and the 1000 Islands Legal Conference. She will participate in a panel addressing employment litigation issues arising due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s conference is proceeding virtually. The conference is hosted by the Frontenac Law Association.   Read More

Alison McEwen Presents on Wrongful Termination Notice Periods

On September 10, 2020, Alison McEwen spoke at the Ottawa Six-Minute Employment Lawyer workshop, presented by the County of Carleton Law Association. Alison spoke on trends in the notice periods awarded in wrongful dismissal cases, including increases in notice periods for older workers. Read More

Andrew Astritis Speaks at Osgoode Hall Class Actions Conference

On September 17, 2020, Andrew Astritis spoke at the Osgoode Hall Professional Development conference on Class Actions: Critical and Emerging Issues. Andrew participated in the panel on “#MeToo Comes to Class Actions”. Andrew is part of the team at RavenLaw that has been representing current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces in the class action involving sexual misconduct in the military, which was settled in 2019. Read More

Even old grievances might not be moot

Ravenlaw gratefully acknowledges the contribution of this post by articling student Karen Sisson. A recent decision of the Ontario Arbitration Board affirms the employee’s right to a hearing for grievances related to systemic issues in the workplace, even where the issue may appear to be moot. In the 2020 CAS v CUPE[1] decision, the employer had made a motion to dismiss an employee’s 2016 grievances, which alleged an incident of... Read More

You don’t need to wait for the pandemic to end to unionize your workplace

Ravenlaw gratefully acknowledges the contribution of this post by articling student Simcha Walfish. Although we may live and work in “unprecedented” times, your rights to unionize your workplace have not changed. In several cases across the country, labour relations boards have rejected employers’ claims that the COVID-19 pandemic is no time to unionize. Even where it is unsafe to hold an in-person vote, the staff was laid off, or the... Read More