Operational Services Group (SV) - Table 2

1.01 The purpose of this Agreement is to maintain harmonious and mutually beneficial relationships between the Employer, the Alliance and the employees and to set forth herein certain terms and conditions of employment upon which agreement has been reached through collective bargaining.

1.02 The parties to this Agreement share a desire to improve the quality of the Public Service of Canada and to promote the well-being and increased efficiency of its employees to the end that the people of Canada will be well and efficiently served. Accordingly, they are determined to establish, within the framework provided by law, an effective working relationship at all levels of the Public Service in which members of the bargaining units are employed.

ARTICLE 2
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS

Exceptions

Refer to the appropriate Appendix for group specific alternate or additional interpretations or definitions.

(b) "allowance" means compensation payable for the performance of special or additional duties; (indemnité);

(c) "alternate provision" means a provision of this Agreement that has application to certain specific employees (disposition de dérogation);

(d) "bargaining unit" means the employees of the Employer in the group described in Article 9 (unité de négociation);

(e) "common-law partner" means a person living in a conjugal relationship with an employee for a continuous period of at least one (1) year (conjoint de fait);

(f) "compensatory leave" means leave with pay in lieu of cash payment for overtime, for time worked on a designated paid holiday, travelling time compensated at overtime rate, call back pay, reporting pay, and standby pay. The duration of such leave will be equal to the time compensated or the minimum time entitlement, multiplied by the applicable overtime rate. The rate of pay to which an employee is entitled during such leave shall be based on the employee's hourly rate of pay as calculated from the classification prescribed in the employee's certificate of appointment on the day immediately prior to the day on which leave is taken (congé compensateur);

(g) "continuous employment" has the same meaning as specified in the existing Public Service Terms and Conditions of Employment Regulations of the Employer on the date of signing of this Agreement (emploi continu);

(h) "day of rest" in relation to a full-time employee means a day other than a holiday on which that employee is not ordinarily required to perform the duties of his or her position other than by reason of the employee being on leave or absent from duty without permission (jour de repos);

(i) "double time" means two (2) times the employee's hourly rate of pay (tarif double);

(j) "employee" means a person so defined in the Public Service Staff Relations Act and who is a member of the bargaining unit specified in Article 9 (employé-e);

(k) "Employer" means Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Treasury Board, and includes any person authorised to exercise the authority of the Treasury Board (Employeur);

(l) "excluded provision" means a provision of this Agreement which has no application to certain specific employees and for which there are no alternate provisions (disposition exclue);

(i) the twenty-four (24)-hour period commencing at 00:01 hours of a day designated as a paid holiday in this Agreement;

(ii) however, for the purpose of administration of a shift that does not commence and end on the same day, such shift shall be deemed to have been entirely worked:

(A) on the day it commenced where half (1/2) or more of the hours worked fall on that day,

(B) on the day it terminates where more than half (1/2) of the hours worked fall on that day;

(n) "lay-off" means the termination of an employee's employment because of lack of work or because of the discontinuance of a function (mise en disponibilité);

(o) "leave" means authorised absence from duty by an employee during his or her regular or normal hours of work (congé);

(p) "membership dues" means the dues established pursuant to the constitution of the Alliance as the dues payable by its members as a consequence of their membership in the Alliance, and shall not include any initiation fee, insurance premium, or special levy (cotisations syndicales);

(i) in the case of a full-time employee, authorised work in excess of the employee's scheduled hours of work;

(ii) in the case of a part-time employee, authorised work in excess of the normal daily or weekly hours of work of a full-time employee specified by the relevant Group Specific Appendix but does not include time worked on a holiday;

(r) "spouse" will, when required, be interpreted to include "common-law partner" except, for the purposes of the Foreign Service Directives, the definition of "spouse" will remain as specified in Directive 2 of the Foreign Service Directive (époux);

(s) "straight-time rate" means the employee's hourly rate of pay (tarif normal);

(t) "time and one-half" means one and one-half (1 1/2) times the employee's hourly rate of pay (tarif et demi);

(u) "time and three-quarters" means one and three-quarters (1 3/4) times the employee's hourly rate of pay (tarif et trois quarts).

2.02 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, expressions used in this Agreement:

(a) if defined in the Public Service Staff Relations Act, have the same meaning as given to them in the Public Service Staff Relations Act,

(b) if defined in the Interpretation Act, but not defined in the Public Service Staff Relations Act, have the same meaning as given to them in the Interpretation Act.

ARTICLE 3
APPLICATION

3.01 The provisions of this Agreement apply to the Alliance, employees and the Employer.

ARTICLE 4
STATE SECURITY

4.01 Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to require the Employer to do or refrain from doing anything contrary to any instruction, direction or regulations given or made by or on behalf of the Government of Canada in the interest of the safety or security of Canada or any state allied or associated with Canada.

ARTICLE 5
PRECEDENCE OF LEGISLATION AND
THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT

5.01 In the event that any law passed by Parliament, applying to Public Service employees covered by this Agreement, renders null and void any provision of this Agreement, the remaining provisions of the Agreement shall remain in effect for the term of the Agreement.

ARTICLE 6
MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

6.01 Except to the extent provided herein, this Agreement in no way restricts the authority of those charged with managerial responsibilities in the Public Service.

ARTICLE 7
NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL AGREEMENTS

7.01 Agreements concluded by the National Joint Council (NJC) of the Public Service on items which may be included in a collective agreement, and which the parties to this Agreement have endorsed after December 6, 1978 will form part of this Agreement, subject to the Public Service Staff Relations Act (PSSRA) and any legislation by Parliament that has been or may be, as the case may be, established pursuant to any Act specified in Schedule II of the PSSRA.

7.02 The NJC items which may be included in a collective agreement are those items which the parties to the NJC agreements have designated as such or upon which the Chairperson of the Public Service Staff Relations Board has made a ruling pursuant to clause (c) of the NJC Memorandum of Understanding which became effective December 6, 1978.

(a) The following directives, as amended from time to time by National Joint Council recommendation and which have been approved by the Treasury Board of Canada, form part of this Agreement:

Boiler and Pressure Vessels Directive

Committees and Representatives Directive

Hazardous Substances Directive

Electrical Directive

Elevated Work Structures Directive

Elevating Devices Directive

First-Aid Allowance Directive

First-Aid Safety and Health Directive

Hazardous Confined Spaces Directive

Materials Handling Safety Directive

Motor Vehicle Operations Directive

Noise Control and Hearing Conservation Directive

Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing Directive

Pesticides Directive

Refusal to Work Directive

Sanitation Directive

Tools and Machinery Directive

Use and Occupancy of Buildings Directive

(b) During the term of this Agreement, other directives may be added to the above noted list.

7.04 Grievances in regard to the above directives shall be filed in accordance with clause 18.01 of the Article on grievance procedure in this Agreement.

**ARTICLE 8
DENTAL CARE PLAN

8.01 The Dental Care plan as contained in the Master Agreement between the Treasury Board and the Public Service Alliance of Canada, with an expiry date of June 30, 1988, and as subsequently amended from time to time, shall be deemed to form part of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 9
RECOGNITION

9.01 The Employer recognizes the Alliance as the exclusive bargaining agent for all employees of the Employer described in the certificate issued by the Public Service Staff Relations Board on June 16, 1999 covering employees of the Operational Services Group.

ARTICLE 10
INFORMATION

10.01 The Employer agrees to supply the Alliance each quarter with the name, geographic location and classification of each new employee.

10.02 The Employer agrees to supply each employee with a copy of this Agreement and will endeavour to do so within one (1) month after receipt from the printer.

ARTICLE 11
CHECK-OFF

11.01 Subject to the provisions of this Article, the Employer will, as a condition of employment, deduct an amount equal to the monthly membership dues from the monthly pay of all employees in the bargaining unit. Where an employee does not have sufficient earnings in respect of any month to permit deductions made under this Article, the Employer shall not be obligated to make such deduction from subsequent salary.

11.02 The Alliance shall inform the Employer in writing of the authorized monthly deduction to be checked off for each employee.

11.03 For the purpose of applying clause 11.01, deductions from pay for each employee in respect of each calendar month will start with the first (1^st) full calendar month of employment to the extent that earnings are available.

11.04 An employee who satisfies the Employer to the extent that he or she declares in an affidavit that he or she is a member of a religious organization whose doctrine prevents him or her as a matter of conscience from making financial contributions to an employee organization and that he or she will make contributions to a charitable organization registered pursuant to the Income Tax Act, equal to dues, shall not be subject to this Article, provided that the affidavit submitted by the employee is countersigned by an official representative of the religious organization involved.

11.05 No employee organization, as defined in Section 2 of the Public Service Staff Relations Act, other than the Alliance, shall be permitted to have membership dues or other monies deducted by the Employer from the pay of employees in the bargaining unit.

11.06 The amounts deducted in accordance with clause 11.01 shall be remitted to the Comptroller of the Alliance by cheque within a reasonable period of time after deductions are made and shall be accompanied by particulars identifying each employee and the deductions made on the employee's behalf.

11.07 The Employer agrees to continue the past practice of making deductions for other purposes on the basis of the production of appropriate documentation.

11.08 The Alliance agrees to indemnify and save the Employer harmless against any claim or liability arising out of the application of this Article, except for any claim or liability arising out of an error committed by the Employer limited to the amount actually involved in the error.

ARTICLE 12
USE OF EMPLOYER FACILITIES

12.01 Reasonable space on bulletin boards in convenient locations will be made available to the Alliance for the posting of official Alliance notices. The Alliance shall endeavour to avoid requests for posting of notices which the Employer, acting reasonably, could consider adverse to its interests or to the interests of any of its representatives. Posting of notices or other materials shall require the prior approval of the Employer, except notices related to the business affairs of the Alliance, including the names of Alliance representatives, and social and recreational events. Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

12.02 The Employer will also continue its present practice of making available to the Alliance specific locations on its premises, and where it is practical to do so on vessels, for the placement of reasonable quantities of literature of the Alliance.

12.03 A duly accredited representative of the Alliance may be permitted access to the Employer's premises, which includes vessels, to assist in the resolution of a complaint or grievance and to attend meetings called by management. Permission to enter the premises shall, in each case be obtained from the Employer. In the case of access to vessels, the Alliance representative upon boarding any vessel must report to the Master, state his or her business and request permission to conduct such business. It is agreed that these visits will not interfere with the sailing and normal operation of the vessels.

12.04 The Alliance shall provide the Employer a list of such Alliance representatives and shall advise promptly of any change made to the list.

ARTICLE 13
EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES

13.01 The Employer acknowledges the right of the Alliance to appoint or otherwise select employees as representatives.

13.02 The Alliance and the Employer shall endeavour in consultation to determine the jurisdiction of each representative, having regard to the plan of organization, the number and distribution of employees at the work place and the administrative structure implied by the grievance procedure. Where the parties are unable to agree in consultation, then any dispute shall be resolved by the grievance/adjudication procedure.

13.03 The Alliance shall notify the Employer in writing of the name and jurisdiction of its representatives identified pursuant to clause 13.02.

13.04

(a) A representative shall obtain the permission of his or her immediate supervisor before leaving his or her work to investigate employee complaints of an urgent nature, to meet with local management for the purpose of dealing with grievances and to attend meetings called by management. Such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld. Where practicable, the representative shall report back to his or her supervisor before resuming his or her normal duties.

(b) Where practicable, when management requests the presence of an Alliance representative at a meeting, such request will be communicated to the employee's supervisor.

13.05 The Alliance shall have the opportunity to have an employee representative introduced to new employees as part of the Employer's formal orientation programs, where they exist.

ARTICLE 14
LEAVE WITH OR WITHOUT PAY FOR ALLIANCE BUSINESS

Complaints made to the Public Service Staff Relations Board Pursuant to Section 23 of the Public Service Staff Relations Act

14.01 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave with pay:

(a) to an employee who makes a complaint on his or her own behalf, before the Public Service Staff Relations Board,

(b) to an employee who acts on behalf of an employee making a complaint, or who acts on behalf of the Alliance making a complaint.

Applications for Certification, Representations and Interventions with respect to Applications for Certification

14.02 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave without pay:

(a) to an employee who represents the Alliance in an application for certification or in an intervention,

(b) to an employee who makes personal representations with respect to a certification.

(a) to an employee called as a witness by the Public Service Staff Relations Board,

(b) when operational requirements permit, to an employee called as a witness by an employee or the Alliance.

Arbitration Board Hearings, Conciliation Board Hearings and Alternate Dispute Resolution Process

14.04 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave with pay to a reasonable number of employees representing the Alliance before an Arbitration Board, Conciliation Board or in an Alternate Dispute Resolution Process.

14.05 The Employer will grant leave with pay to an employee called as a witness by an Arbitration Board, Conciliation Board or in an Alternate Dispute Resolution Process and, when operational requirements permit, leave with pay to an employee called as a witness by the Alliance.

Adjudication

14.06 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave with pay to an employee who is:

Meetings During the Grievance Process

14.07 Where an employee representative wishes to discuss a grievance with an employee who has asked or is obliged to be represented by the Alliance in relation to the presentation of his or her grievance, the Employer will, where operational requirements permit, give them reasonable leave with pay for this purpose when the discussion takes place in their headquarters area and reasonable leave without pay when it takes place outside their headquarters area.

(a) when the Employer originates a meeting with a grievor in his headquarters area, he or she will be granted leave with pay and "on duty" status when the meeting is held outside the grievor's headquarters area,

(b) when a grievor seeks to meet with the Employer, he or she will be granted leave with pay when the meeting is held in his or her headquarters area and leave without pay when the meeting is held outside his or her headquarters area,

(c) when an employee representative attends a meeting referred to in this clause, he or she will be granted leave with pay when the meeting is held in his or her headquarters area and leave without pay when the meeting is held outside his or her headquarters area.

Contract Negotiation Meetings

14.09 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave without pay to an employee for the purpose of attending contract negotiation meetings on behalf of the Alliance.

Preparatory Contract Negotiation Meetings

14.10 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave without pay to a reasonable number of employees to attend preparatory contract negotiation meetings.

Meetings Between the Alliance and Management Not Otherwise Specified in this Article

14.11 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave with pay to a reasonable number of employees who are meeting with management on behalf of the Alliance.

14.12 Subject to operational requirements, the Employer shall grant leave without pay to a reasonable number of employees to attend meetings of the Board of Directors of the Alliance, meetings of the National Executive of the Components, Executive Board meetings of the Alliance, and conventions of the Alliance, the Components, the Canadian Labour Congress and the Territorial and Provincial Federations of Labour.

Representatives' Training Courses

14.13 When operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave without pay to employees who exercise the authority of a representative on behalf of the Alliance to undertake training related to the duties of a representative.

Leave without Pay for Election to an Alliance Office

14.14 The Employer will grant leave without pay to an employee who is elected as a full-time official of the Alliance within one month after notice is given to the Employer of such election. The duration of such leave shall be for the period the employee holds such office.

**ARTICLE 15
LABOUR DISPUTES

15.01 If employees are prevented from performing their duties because of a strike or lock-out on the premises of another employer, the employees shall report the matter to the Employer, and the Employer will make reasonable efforts to ensure that such employees are employed elsewhere, so that they shall receive their regular pay and benefits to which they would normally be entitled.

ARTICLE 16
ILLEGAL STRIKES

16.01 The Public Service Staff Relations Act provides penalties for engaging in illegal strikes. Disciplinary action may also be taken, which will include penalties up to and including termination of employment pursuant to paragraph 11(2)(f) of the Financial Administration Act, for participation in an illegal strike as defined in the Public Service Staff Relations Act.

ARTICLE 17
DISCIPLINE

17.01 When an employee is suspended from duty or terminated in accordance with paragraph 11(2)(f) of the Financial Administration Act, the Employer undertakes to notify the employee in writing of the reason for such suspension or termination. The Employer shall endeavour to give such notification at the time of suspension or termination.

17.02 When an employee is required to attend a meeting, the purpose of which is to conduct a disciplinary hearing concerning him or her or to render a disciplinary decision concerning him or her, the employee is entitled to have, at his or her request, a representative of the Alliance attend the meeting. Where practicable, the employee shall receive a minimum of one (1) day's notice of such a meeting.

17.03 The Employer shall notify the local representative of the Alliance as soon as possible that such suspension or termination has occurred.

17.04 The Employer agrees not to introduce as evidence in a hearing relating to disciplinary action any document from the file of an employee the content of which the employee was not aware of at the time of filing or within a reasonable period thereafter.

17.05 Any document or written statement related to disciplinary action, which may have been placed on the personnel file of an employee, shall be destroyed after two (2) years have elapsed since the disciplinary action was taken, provided that no further disciplinary action has been recorded during this period.

ARTICLE 18
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

18.01 In cases of alleged misinterpretation or misapplication arising out of agreements concluded by the National Joint Council (NJC) of the Public Service on items which may be included in a collective agreement and which the parties to this Agreement have endorsed, the grievance procedure will be in accordance with Section 14 of the NJC By-Laws.

18.02 Subject to and as provided in Section 91 of the Public Service Staff Relations Act, an employee who feels that he or she has been treated unjustly or considers himself or herself aggrieved by any action or lack of action by the Employer in matters other than those arising from the classification process is entitled to present a grievance in the manner prescribed in clause 18.05 except that,

(a) where there is another administrative procedure provided by or under any Act of Parliament to deal with the employee's specific complaint, such procedure must be followed,

(b) where the grievance relates to the interpretation or application of this Agreement or an arbitral award, the employee is not entitled to present the grievance unless he or she has the approval of and is represented by the Alliance.

18.03 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, a grievance shall be processed by recourse to the following levels:

(b) levels 2 and 3 - intermediate level(s) where such level or levels are established in departments or agencies;

Whenever there are four (4) levels in the grievance procedure, the grievor may elect to waive either Level 2 or 3.

18.04 The Employer shall designate a representative at each level in the grievance procedure and shall inform each employee to whom the procedure applies of the name or title of the person so designated together with the name or title and address of the immediate supervisor or local officer-in-charge to whom a grievance is to be presented. This information shall be communicated to employees by means of notices posted by the Employer in places where such notices are most likely to come to the attention of the employees to whom the grievance procedure applies, or otherwise as determined by agreement between the Employer and the Alliance.

18.05 An employee who wishes to present a grievance at a prescribed level in the grievance procedure shall transmit this grievance to his or her immediate supervisor or local officer-in-charge who shall forthwith:

(a) forward the grievance to the representative of the Employer authorized to deal with grievances at the appropriate level,

(b) provide the employee with a receipt stating the date on which the grievance was received by him or her.

18.06 Where it is necessary to present a grievance by mail, the grievance shall be deemed to have been presented on the day on which it is postmarked and it shall be deemed to have been received by the Employer on the date it is delivered to the appropriate office of the department or agency concerned. Similarly the Employer shall be deemed to have delivered a reply at any level on the date on which the letter containing the reply is postmarked, but the time limit within which the grievor may present his or her grievance at the next higher level shall be calculated from the date on which the Employer's reply was delivered to the address shown on the grievance form.

18.07 A grievance of an employee shall not be deemed to be invalid by reason only that it is not in accordance with the form supplied by the Employer.

18.08 An employee may be assisted and/or represented by the Alliance when presenting a grievance at any level.

18.09 The Alliance shall have the right to consult with the Employer with respect to a grievance at each level of the grievance procedure. Where consultation is with the deputy head, the deputy head shall render the decision.

18.10 An employee may present a grievance to the First (1^st) Level of the procedure in the manner prescribed in clause 18.05 not later than the twenty-fifth (25^th) day after the date on which he or she is notified orally or in writing or on which he or she first becomes aware of the action or circumstances giving rise to the grievance.

18.11 The Employer shall normally reply to an employee's grievance, at any level in the grievance procedure, except the final level, within ten (10) days after the date the grievance is presented at that level. Where such decision or settlement is not satisfactory to the employee, he or she may submit a grievance at the next higher level in the grievance procedure within ten (10) days after that decision or settlement has been conveyed to him or her in writing.

18.12 If the Employer does not reply within fifteen (15) days from the date that a grievance is presented at any level, except the final level, the employee may, within the next ten (10) days, submit the grievance at the next higher level of the grievance procedure.

18.13 The Employer shall normally reply to an employee's grievance at the final level of the grievance procedure within thirty (30) days after the grievance is presented at that level.

18.14 Where an employee has been represented by the Alliance in the presentation of his or her grievance, the Employer will provide the appropriate representative of the Alliance with a copy of the Employer's decision at each level of the grievance procedure at the same time that the Employer's decision is conveyed to the employee.

18.15 The decision given by the Employer at the Final Level in the grievance procedure shall be final and binding upon the employee unless the grievance is a class of grievance that may be referred to adjudication.

18.16 In determining the time within which any action is to be taken as prescribed in this procedure, Saturdays, Sundays and designated paid holidays shall be excluded.

18.17 The time limits stipulated in this procedure may be extended by mutual agreement between the Employer and the employee and, where appropriate, the Alliance representative.

18.18 Where it appears that the nature of the grievance is such that a decision cannot be given below a particular level of authority, any or all the levels, except the final level may be eliminated by agreement of the Employer and the employee, and, where applicable, the Alliance.

18.19 Where the Employer demotes or terminates an employee for cause pursuant to paragraph 11(2)(f) or (g) of the Financial Administration Act, the grievance procedure set forth in this Agreement shall apply except that the grievance shall be presented at the final level only.

18.20 An employee may abandon a grievance by written notice to his or her immediate supervisor or officer-in-charge.

18.21 An employee who fails to present a grievance to the next higher level within the prescribed time limits shall be deemed to have abandoned the grievance, unless the employee was unable to comply with the prescribed time limits due to circumstances beyond his or her control.

18.22 No person who is employed in a managerial or confidential capacity shall seek by intimidation, by threat of dismissal or by any other kind of threat to cause an employee to abandon his or her grievance or refrain from exercising his or her right to present a grievance as provided in this Agreement.

18.23 Where an employee has presented a grievance up to and including the Final Level in the grievance procedure with respect to:

(a) the interpretation or application in respect of him or her of a provision of this Agreement or a related arbitral award,

and the employee's grievance has not been dealt with to his or her satisfaction, he or she may refer the grievance to adjudication in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Staff Relations Act and Regulations.

18.24 Where a grievance that may be presented by an employee to adjudication is a grievance relating to the interpretation or application in respect of him or her of a provision of this Agreement or an arbitral award, the employee is not entitled to refer the grievance to adjudication unless the Alliance signifies in the prescribed manner:

Expedited Adjudication

18.25 The parties agree that any adjudicable grievance may be referred to the following expedited adjudication process:

(a) At the request of either party, a grievance that has been referred to adjudication may be dealt with through Expedited Adjudication with the consent of both parties.

(b) When the parties agree that a particular grievance will proceed through Expedited Adjudication, the Alliance will submit to the PSSRB the consent form signed by the grievor or the bargaining agent.

(c) The parties may proceed with or without an Agreed Statement of Facts. When the parties arrive at an Agreed Statement of Facts it will be submitted to the PSSRB or to the Adjudicator at the hearing.

(e) The Adjudicator will be appointed by the PSSRB from among its members who have had at least three (3) years experience as a member of the Board.

(f) Each Expedited Adjudication session will take place in Ottawa, unless the parties and the PSSRB agree otherwise. The cases will be scheduled jointly by the parties and the PSSRB, and will appear on the PSSRB schedule.

(g) The Adjudicator will make an oral determination at the hearing, which will be recorded and initialled by the representatives of the parties. This will be confirmed in a written determination to be issued by the Adjudicator within five (5) days of the hearing. The parties may, at the request of the Adjudicator, vary the above conditions in a particular case.

(h) The Adjudicator's determination will be final and binding on all the parties, but will not constitute a precedent. The parties agree not to refer the determination to the Federal Court.

ARTICLE 19
NO DISCRIMINATION

19.01 There shall be no discrimination, interference, restriction, coercion, harassment, intimidation, or any disciplinary action exercised or practiced with respect to an employee by reason of age, race, creed, colour, national or ethnic origin, religious affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, family status, mental or physical disability, membership or activity in the Alliance, marital status or a conviction for which a pardon has been granted.

19.02

(a) Any level in the grievance procedure shall be waived if a person hearing the grievance is the subject of the complaint.

(b) If by reason of paragraph (a) a level in the grievance procedure is waived, no other level shall be waived except by mutual agreement.

19.03 By mutual agreement, the parties may use a mediator in an attempt to settle a grievance dealing with discrimination. The selection of the mediator will be by mutual agreement.

19.04 Upon request by the complainant(s) and/or respondent(s) an official copy of the investigation report shall be provided to them by the Employer subject to the Access to Information and Privacy Act.

ARTICLE 20
SEXUAL HARASSMENT

20.01 The Alliance and the Employer recognize the right of employees to work in an environment free from sexual harassment and agree that sexual harassment will not be tolerated in the work place.

20.02