Evidence of meeting #86 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was parties.
A video is available from Parliament.
Acting Chairperson, Public Service Labour Relations Board
Sure.
In another lifetime I was part of that. Treasury Board is the employer, for collective bargaining purposes, under the public service labour relations regime. The Department of Justice has always had a unit at the Treasury Board that provides legal representation to the Treasury Board in its capacity as employer. Those Department of Justice lawyers are the lawyers who would appear before this board representing the interests of the employer.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Thank you very much.
For my second question, I'm looking at your message and picking up on something you spoke to when you stated that you would continue to enhance your information management framework to ensure that you efficiently retrieve, manage, and dispose of your information assets. You also speak to the fact that some initiatives will involve launching an updated records management system—I know you've been asked questions about that—and creating an IM centre of expertise.
I'm wondering if you could tell us if you're currently working with Shared Services Canada to develop some of your systems...as well as some of the questions that came out of the teleconference-video conference capabilities.
Executive Director of the Board, Public Service Labour Relations Board
As far as Shared Services Canada goes, we were already well ahead in the development of our systems, so the government, Shared Services and those involved then, agreed that we should just pursue the initiative that we'd already launched. In fact, we're launching it this coming month.
There are a number of other agencies that I'm aware of that are looking at working together to develop a case management system. Ours was already nearing completion. That's why we proceeded and completed it.
Both the information management system and our case management system will be launched.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Okay.
Are you working at all with them on the teleconference and video conference capabilities?
Acting Chairperson, Public Service Labour Relations Board
Perhaps I could answer that.
I was previously a member of the Canada Industrial Relations Board. As I mentioned in my presentation, it has regional offices, and it has video conferencing facilities in Ottawa at its head office, which is in the same building where we're located, and in its regional offices.
This board does not have video conferencing facilities, so when I was appointed to the board, ultimately we were able to enter into an agreement with the Canada Industrial Relations Board to use their facilities, where appropriate, for video conferencing.
Does that help?
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Peter Braid
Thank you very much, Madam Block.
Our next questioner is Mr. McCallum.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Thank you, Chair.
Welcome to all of you.
I was very struck by your statement that approximately half of your caseload is from Correctional Services, which is hugely disproportional in terms of the size of Correctional Services relative to the total public service.
Can you tell us something about the nature of these grievances? It must be a huge issue.
Sylvie Guilbert General Counsel, Legal Services, Public Service Labour Relations Board
The cases mainly have to do with collective agreement interpretations. The task force so far has been focusing on overtime grievances, scheduling grievances, and other allowances that have more of a monetary component to them.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
But why is this relatively small group so hugely engaged with your group?
Executive Director of the Board, Public Service Labour Relations Board
I think the question should be put to the parties themselves. I think it's a matter of process.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Well, does this indicate a very bad state of labour relations? It would seem, to an outsider, to point in that direction.
Executive Director of the Board, Public Service Labour Relations Board
I don't think that's for the board to comment. Again, the parties would be better able to answer that question.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Can you elaborate a bit on the nature of the grievances you mentioned earlier?
General Counsel, Legal Services, Public Service Labour Relations Board
What we have issued so far are decisions that are principle-based. Because they're part of that task force, they do lead the way on what should be implemented on a go-forward basis. We're working closely with the parties to make that happen.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
All right. You said a lot of it is related to overtime issues?
General Counsel, Legal Services, Public Service Labour Relations Board
Yes.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
So this group seems to have way more overtime concerns than other groups.
General Counsel, Legal Services, Public Service Labour Relations Board
The decisions will have to speak for themselves, but the decisions do deal with the application of overtime entitlements under the collective agreements to particular fact situations in various institutions across the country.
Liberal
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Peter Braid
Thank you, Mr. McCallum.
Next we have the Honourable Ron Cannan.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for being here today to take questions on the main estimates.
Your report on plans and priorities, section I, states that you represent approximately 244,000 public officials who fall within the Financial Administration Act under schedule 1.
Could you maybe clarify what role you play when there's a disagreement with a public service union?
Acting Chairperson, Public Service Labour Relations Board
Disagreements can take two forms. There are interest disputes, which are otherwise known as collective bargaining disputes. The act sets out a process for the resolution of collective bargaining disputes.
Of course, you can go down one of two processes. The trade union can either elect to go to binding arbitration or go through the public interest commission dispute resolution process, which would ultimately lead to the right to strike. So there are two processes for resolving interest disputes.
The other type of disputes we deal with, of course, are the grievance adjudication disputes. These are disputes arising under the collective agreements that have been signed relating to the interpretation or application of the collective agreement, or discipline, all forms of termination, and so on.
So there are two types of basic disputes—the rights disputes and the interest disputes—and our act sets out processes to deal with both of those, sir.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you.
You talked about finding efficiencies and streamlining, so how do you propose to streamline your adjudication and the mediation process?