Public Service Labour Relations Act (S.C. 2003, c. 22, s. 2)

Marginal note:Parties may amend

118. Nothing in this Part prohibits parties from amending any provision of a collective agreement, other than a provision relating to its term.

Marginal note:Application of Division

119. This Division applies to the employer and the bargaining agent for a bargaining unit when the process for the resolution of a dispute applicable to the bargaining unit is conciliation.

Marginal note:Employer determines levels of service

120. The employer has the exclusive right to determine the level at which an essential service is to be provided to the public, or a segment of the public, at any time, including the extent to which and the frequency with which the service is to be provided. Nothing in this Division is to be construed as limiting that right.

Marginal note:Proportion of duties may vary during strike

• 121. (1) For the purpose of identifying the number of positions that are necessary for the employer to provide an essential service, the employer and the bargaining agent may agree that some employees in the bargaining unit will be required by the employer to perform their duties that relate to the provision of the essential service in a greater proportion during a strike than they do normally.

• Marginal note:Determination of number of necessary employees

  (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the number of employees in the bargaining unit that are necessary to provide the essential service is to be determined

  • (a) without regard to the availability of other persons to provide the essential service during a strike; and

  • (b) on the basis that the employer is not required to change, in order to provide the essential service during a strike, the manner in which the employer operates normally, including the normal hours of work, the extent of the employer’s use of overtime and the equipment used in the employer’s operations.

Marginal note:Obligation to negotiate

• 122. (1) If the employer has given to the bargaining agent a notice in writing that the employer considers that employees in the bargaining unit occupy positions that are necessary for the employer to provide essential services, the employer and the bargaining agent must make every reasonable effort to enter into an essential services agreement as soon as possible.

• Marginal note:Timing

  (2) The notice may be given at any time but not later than 20 days after the day a notice to bargain collectively is given.

Marginal note:Application to the Board

• 123. (1) If the employer and the bargaining agent are unable to enter into an essential services agreement, either of them may apply to the Board to determine any unresolved matter that may be included in an essential services agreement. The application may be made at any time but not later than

  • (a) 15 days after the day a request for conciliation is made by either party; or

  • (b) 15 days after the day the parties are notified by the Chairperson under subsection 163(2) of his or her intention to recommend the establishment of a public interest commission.

• Marginal note:Delay

  (2) The Board may delay dealing with the application until it is satisfied that the employer and the bargaining agent have made every reasonable effort to enter into an essential services agreement.

• Marginal note:Powers of Board

  (3) After considering the application, the Board may determine any matter that the employer and the bargaining agent have not agreed on that may be included in an essential services agreement and make an order

  • (a) deeming the matter determined by it to be part of an essential services agreement between the employer and the bargaining agent; and

  • (b) deeming that the employer and the bargaining agent have entered into an essential services agreement.

• Marginal note:Restriction

  (4) The order may not require the employer to change the level at which an essential service is to be provided to the public, or a segment of the public, at any time, including the extent to which and the frequency with which the service is to be provided.

• Marginal note:Proportion of duties may vary during strike

  (5) The Board may, for the purpose of identifying the number of positions that are necessary for the employer to provide an essential service, take into account that some employees in the bargaining unit may be required by the employer to perform those of their duties that relate to the provision of the essential service in a greater proportion during a strike than they do normally.

• Marginal note:Determination of number of necessary employees

  (6) For the purposes of subsection (5), the number of employees in the bargaining unit that are necessary to provide the essential service is to be determined

  • (a) without regard to the availability of other persons to provide the essential service during a strike; and

  • (b) on the basis that the employer is not required to change, in order to provide the essential service during a strike, the manner in which the employer operates normally, including the normal hours of work, the extent of the employer’s use of overtime and the equipment used in the employer’s operations.

• Marginal note:Application relating to specific position

  (7) If the application relates to a specific position to be identified in the essential services agreement, the employer’s proposal in respect of the position is to prevail, unless the position is determined by the Board not to be of the type necessary for the employer to provide essential services.