COMPLAINT AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 9.01 Where a difference arises between the parties relating to the interpretation, application or administration of this Agreement, including any questions as to whether a matter is arbitrable, or where an allegation is made that this Agreement has been violated or whenever an employee who has completed the required probationary period and has been accepted by the Employer for employment in the permanent service, claims that he/she has been disciplined or discharged without reasonable cause, such difference, allegation or claim being hereinafter referred to as the grievance, the grievance procedure set forth below shall apply. 9.02 The Association shall name, appoint or otherwise select a Grievance Committee of no more than three (3) who shall be members of the Association and shall have reached at least the rank of First Class Fire Fighter and other advisors as deemed necessary at the expense of the Association. The Employer shall recognize and deal with the Grievance committee with respect to any matter or dispute which properly arises from a breach of the Collective Agreement from time to time during its term. This committee shall suffer no loss as a result of their attendance at such grievance meetings, hearings, etc. 9.03 No grievance will be considered where the circumstances giving rise to it occurred or originated more than ten (10) full working days before the submission of the grievance. Step 1 - An employee having a grievance will take the matter up through their Association representative. The President or designate shall contact Fire Management to seek a resolution. Step 2 - If the grievance is not settled within five (5) working days, the Association shall submit the matter in writing to the Fire Chief or designate within five (5) working days of receiving the reply from Step 1. The Fire Chief or designate shall render the written decision to the Association within five (5) working days after receiving the written grievance. In the context of this Article a working day shall be deemed to be Monday to Friday excluding designated holidays. Step 3 - If the reply of the Fire Chief is not acceptable to the Association the grievance may be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) or the Director of Human Resources within five (5) working days of the written decision of the Fire Chief. The CAO or the Director of Human Resources, who together with the Fire Chief and any other advisors deemed necessary, shall meet with the Association Representatives within 5 working days to consider the grievance. Within five (5) working days of the aforesaid, the CAO or the Director of Human Resources will render a written reply to the employee and the Association. Step 4 - If no resolve is reached at Step 3, the matter shall be submitted to arbitration. Notice shall be given within 5 business days. The parties agree that, for the purposes of this collective agreement the words of the expedited arbitration provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 as amended (Section 49), will be deemed to have been incorporated into this collective agreement. Accordingly and notwithstanding any other provisions of this article (the grievance/arbitration provisions); either party may refer a grievance to expedited arbitration in accordance with the provisions of Section 49. The parties further agree that neither party will raise any jurisdictional or other objection to the application of Section 49 to a grievance under this collective agreement as it pertains to the right to an expedited arbitration. Either party is entitled however, to raise any objection, with the arbitrator with respect to whether the provisions of Section 49 have been properly utilized in respect of any specific grievance (e.g. objections with respect to time limits etc.). Such an appointment by the Minister of Labour or his or her designate will be determined to be a joint appointment in accordance with Section 53(3) of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act. 9.04 Extensions to the time limits in 9.03 may not be unreasonably withheld. 9.05 The employee in all steps of the grievance procedure shall be confined to the grievance and redress sought as set forth in the written grievance initially filed as provided.
Group Grievance Where a number of employees have identical grievances and each employee would be entitled to grieve separately they may present a group grievance in writing signed by each employee who is grieving to the Administrator or her designate within ten (10) days after the circumstances giving rise to the grievance have occurred or ought reasonably to have come to the attention of the employee(s). The grievance shall then be treated as being initiated at Step No. 1 and the applicable provisions of this Article shall then apply with respect to the processing of such grievance.
Group Grievances No more than five (5) grievants will be permitted to attend grievance meetings.
Facilities for Grievances The Employer shall supply the necessary facilities for the grievance meetings.
Informal Grievance Procedure Employees are encouraged to act promptly to attempt to resolve disputes with their manager/supervisor through an informal procedure. A meeting between the manager/supervisor and the employee should take place whenever requested by either party to assist, to clarify or resolve the grievance. The employee may be accompanied by his/her Union representative at the informal meeting. Any resolution reached at the informal step must be in accordance with the provisions of this agreement, or other rule or ordinance and shall not set precedent.
Grievance Procedures The AGENCY agrees to establish a formal written grievance process with procedures through which clients and recipients of services may present grievances to the governing authority of the AGENCY regarding services being provided under this Contract. Additionally, the AGENCY agrees to establish fair hearing procedures that ensure all persons will be advised of their rights to a fair hearing to appeal a denial or exclusion from services and/or the failure of staff to take into account the individual’s choice of service. The AGENCY’S internal grievance procedure must document and include, at a minimum, the following: date of grievance, a written response to the applicant sent within thirty (30) days, and the opportunity for the applicant to meet with the AGENCY Executive Director or designee. Upon request by the COUNTY, the AGENCY shall provide a written report as to the grievance outcome within five (5) normal COUNTY working days. The AGENCY will maintain these documents on file for review by the COUNTY.
Settling of Grievances An xxxxxxx effort shall be made to process and settle grievances fairly and promptly in the following manner: It is agreed that an Employee has no grievance until he/she has first given his/her immediate Supervisor an opportunity to adjust his/her complaint within fourteen (14) calendar days of its occurrence or when they ought to have become aware of it. The Employee may request to meet with their Supervisor and is permitted to have a co-worker from their department present at the meeting. Prior approval is required to attend the meeting. The Employee has the option of making a written submission as an alternative to the meeting. The Employer will provide a written response to the complaint and if no satisfactory answer is received within seven (7) calendar days from the time it was first discussed with the Employee’s immediate Supervisor, the Employee may proceed to Step 1 of the grievance procedure. Step 1 Failing satisfactory settlement at the complaint stage the Union may present the grievance to the appropriate Supervisor within seven (7) calendar days following the decision at the complaint stage. The grievance shall be in writing on a mutually approved form and shall include the nature of the grievance, the redress sought and the section or sections of the agreement that are alleged to have been violated. The Supervisor shall deliver his/her decision in writing within seven (7) calendar days following the presentation of the grievance to him/her. Step 2 Failing satisfactory settlement at Step 1, the Union may present the grievance to the Administrator, or designate, in writing within seven (7) calendar days following receipt of the decision at Step 1. A meeting will be held within seven (7) calendar days from receipt of the grievance between the Administrator, or designate, and the Union. The decision of the Administrator, or designate, shall be delivered in writing within seven (7) calendar days of the meeting. Step 3 Failing satisfactory settlement at Step 2, either party may refer the grievance to arbitration within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of the decision at Step 2.
Submission of Grievances A. Any employee or group of employees shall have the right to present a grievance. No employee or group of employees shall be hindered from or disciplined for exercising this right. B. If any two (2) or more employees have essentially the same grievance they may, and if requested by the County must, collectively present and pursue their grievance if they report to the same immediate supervisor. C. If the grievant is a group of more than three (3) employees, the group shall, at the request of the County, appoint one (1) or two (2) employees to speak for the collective group. To be considered a grievant in a group grievance, each employee must be individually identified as a grievant when the grievance is submitted at Step 2.
Grievance on Layoffs and Recalls Grievances concerning layoffs and recalls shall be initiated at Step 2 of the grievance procedure.
Processing Grievances The Association Representative involved and the grieving supervisor shall not leave work or disrupt departmental routine to discuss grievances without first requesting permission from his/her immediate superior, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Association Representative and the grieving supervisor shall be allowed a reasonable amount of time during working hours while on the Appointing Authority's premises when a grievance is investigated or presented in Steps 1 and 2.