As you may be aware, on December 13th, 2024, Minister of labour McKinnon ordered under section 107 of the Canada Labour code for the CIRB to determine if the parties were “likely” to achieve a collective agreement by December 31st, 2024. If the CIRB was to answer negatively to the above question, they were to order the Corporation and its employees to resume and continue their operations and duties until May 22nd, 2025.
The minister also ordered the creation of an industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC) pursuant to section 108 of the Canada Labour Code. We feel these multiple attacks are unfair and a violation of our constitutional rights and we are challenging this at the CIRB.
This IIC will be holding public hearings through in January, February and March. The first hearings for the IIC are set for January 27th and 28th, 2025. Unfortunately, these dates conflict with the CIRB hearing dates for the charter challenge of the 107 process and could not be moved. Due to the need of lawyers, witnesses and representatives in both locations, CUPW was faced with the best option being to ask for the CIRB to reschedule the hearing on 107 at the earliest date possible to allow our full participation in both processes. The hearings at the CIRB are now set for February 18th and March 3rd and 4th, 2025.
Again, in addition to these imposed processes, this set of circumstances is unfair as we believe we have good arguments in our constitutional challenge and are anxious to move forward with it.
We will keep you informed of the developments and outcome of these two proceedings.
In Solidarity,
Carl Girouard
National Grievance Officer