Shifting Borders of Collective Agreement Arbitration

The "Shifting Borders of Collective Agreement Arbitration" conference was held Friday, November 5, 2004 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, B.C.

Panelists included:

• Damon Bailey, Employer Counsel, McLennan Ross
• Rebecca Murdock, Union Counsel, IBEW, Local 258
• John Steeves, Arbitrator/Mediator

Issues:

The scope of grievance arbitration as it relates to the collective agreement seems to be endlessly in flux. What can be grieved and what will be found arbitrable? What recent decisions provide guidance as to where the outer limits of the collective agreement can be found?

• The enforcement of pre-hire contracts
• Individual contracts outside the collective agreement
• The effect of bankruptcy and successorship on the collective agreement
• Arbitrating issues arising under expired collective agreements
• Grieving rules in the absence of specific contract language
• The arbitrability of pension and benefit changes

For more information, please contact Damon Bailey or any member of our Labour & Employment Practice Group.