Bill 12: Education Services Settlement Act (2002)
Text and ATA Analysis of Bill 12
Bill 12, the Education Services Settlement Act (ESSA), was read for the first time in the provincial legislature on Monday, March 11, 2002. The legislature's normal rules of procedure were changed to prevent extended debate and speed passage of the bill. By Wednesday, March 13, the bill had passed through second reading, committee of the whole and third reading. The bill was assented to and became law on Thursday, March 14, 2002. Featured here in its entirety is Bill 12. The ATA's analysis of the bill is in bold.
Table of Contents
Preamble
1 Interpretation
Part 1
Dispute Settlement Process
Division 1
Establishment and Operation of Arbitration Tribunal
2 Status report
3 Establishment of arbitration tribunal
4 Revocation of appointments
5 Methods of dispute resolution
6 Matters to be considered
7 Award
8 Majority award
9 Composition of collective agreement
10 Incorporation of award
11 Reconvening arbitration tribunal
12 Filing and sending of award
13 Judicial review
Division 2
Authority and Administrative Procedures
14 Arbitration tribunal procedure
15 Deciding on arbitrability
16 Evidence and court assistance
17 Meetings
18 Remuneration and expenses
19 Privileged information
20 Persons who are not compellable witnesses
21 Protection from liability
Division 3
Effect of Operation of a Collective Agreement
22 Binding effect of collective agreement
23 Limit on contents of collective agreement
24 Bridging of collective agreements
Part 2
Employment Relations
25 Strikes and lockouts
26 No slowdown
27 Notice to employees
28 Employees not to be impeded in complying with their obligations
Part 3
Application of Other Provisions of the Labour Relations Code
29 Labour Relations Code – other provisions
30 Conflicts between enactments
31 Application of the Labour Relations Code
32 Jurisdiction of the Labour Relations Board
Part 4
Offences and Penalties
33 Offences and penalties – strikes
34 Offence and penalties – lockouts
35 General offence
36 Minister's consent
Part 5
Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments
37 Existing proceedings
38 Elk Island Catholic Separate Regional Division and ATA
39 Consequential amendments
40 Repeal
Schedule
Preamble
WHEREAS the Government has made a commitment to examine the learning system in Alberta; and
WHEREAS that examination will include, but not be limited to, a study of the number of students in a class, pupil-to-teacher ratios and the maximum time a teacher may be required to instruct students enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 12, and therefore these items should not be the subject of further negotiation or included in a collective agreement between the employers subject to this Act and The Alberta Teachers' Association;
THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows:
ATA ANALYSIS: The preamble establishes the political pretext for some of the most objectionable provisions of the bill. The government states that its planned review of the learning system will address issues relating to classroom conditions and hence, that these issues should not be considered in arbitration. The preamble also attempts to justify contract-stripping stating that class-size, student-teacher ratio and instructional hours clauses should not be included in collective agreements swept up under the act.
Interpretation
1(1) In this Act,
(a) "ASBA" means the Alberta School Boards Association under the Alberta School Boards Association Act;
(b) "ATA" means The Alberta Teachers' Association in its capacity as bargaining agent for employees;
(c) "employee" means a teacher employed by an employer whose terms and conditions of employment are governed by a collective agreement;
(d) "employer" means an employer named in the Schedule;
ATA ANALYSIS: The Schedule lists the 48 jurisdictions that are affected by the act. This includes all jurisdictions that, as of March 11, did not have signed collective agreements for the current school year. As a result, all locals that had been bargaining are affected, regardless of whether they had been on strike or had taken strike votes.
(e) "parties" means each employer and the ATA;
(f) "strike" includes
(i) a cessation of work;
(ii) a refusal to work or to continue to work by 2 or more employees acting in combination or in concert or in accordance with a common understanding;
(iii) a concerted activity by 2 or more employees to refuse to comply with responsibilities assigned by their principal or their employer;
ATA ANALYSIS: The definition of what constitutes a strike within the meaning of this act is exceedingly broad and contains provisions not found elsewhere in labour law. According to the definition contained in the Labour Relations Code, a strike is a cessation of work by 2 or more employees specifically ". . . for the purpose of compelling their employer . . . to agree to terms or conditions of employment . . ." Under the ESSA, any cessation or refusal to work by 2 or more teachers acting in concert for any reason whatsoever can be considered to be a strike.
The ESSA further defines as a strike a concerted refusal by 2 or more employees to refuse to comply with responsibilities assigned by their principal or their employer. This effectively eliminates organized work-to-rule as a legal option and raises the question what activities undertaken by teachers amount to assigned responsibilities. By identifying principals along side employers, paragraph iii may signal the government's intention to establish principals primarily as managers rather than as teachers.
(g) "teacher" means an individual who holds a certificate of qualification as a teacher issued under the School Act.
(2) The following words have the same meaning as they have in the Labour Relations Code:
(a) collective agreement;
(b) collective bargaining;
(c) dispute;
(d) lockout.
Part 1
Dispute Settlement Process
Division 1
Establishment and Operation of Arbitration Tribunal
Status report
2(1) On or before the 5th day after this Act comes into force, or any later date authorized by the Minister of Learning, the ATA and ASBA jointly, if they agree, or if they do not agree, the ATA and ASBA separately, must submit to the Minister a status report stating for the ATA and each employer named in the Schedule
(a) the items the parties have resolved, and
(b) the items the parties have not resolved.
(2) If the ATA and ASBA cannot agree to submit a status report jointly and if only one of them submits a status report, that status report is considered to be the status report for the purposes of this Act.
(3) A status report must not include any items that relate to matters described in section 23.
ATA ANALYSIS: Both the ATA and Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) must submit a status report for each jurisdiction indicating that each dispute will be individually arbitrated. While issues such as salary, benefits, leaves and the like may be submitted to arbitration, the ESSA specifically prevents consideration of key issues relating to classroom conditions.
(4) On expiration of the time allowed or extended under subsection (1), the Minister of Learning must send any status report or reports received to the Minister of Human Resources and Employment.
Establishment of arbitration tribunal
3(1) On or before the 5th day after this Act comes into force, or any later date authorized by the Minister of Human Resources and Employment, the ATA and ASBA must, by notice in writing to the Minister, each nominate one person as a member of the arbitration tribunal referred to in subsection (2).
ATA ANALYSIS: The ESSA effectively establishes the ASBA as the provincial bargaining representative for all school boards. Individual boards will not be able to appointment a panel member of their own choosing. In effect, this act brings us closer to provincial bargaining with the ASBA as the mandated employers' representative.
(2) As soon as possible after the receipt of a status report that the ATA and an employer have an unresolved item in dispute, the Minister of Human Resources and Employment must
(a) by order, establish one arbitration tribunal,
(b) appoint the nominees of the ATA and ASBA as members of the tribunal,
(c) appoint one additional person as member and chair of the tribunal, and
(d) send to the chair the status report or reports received for appropriate distribution.
(3) If the ATA or ASBA or both fails to nominate a person as a member of the arbitration tribunal, the Minister of Human Resources and Employment may do so on behalf of either or both of them.
(4) On receipt of the status report or reports from the Minister of Human Resources and Employment, the arbitration tribunal
(a) assumes jurisdiction in respect of all items in dispute referred to it, subject to section 23, and
(b) must make an award in respect of the ATA and each employer named in the Schedule for each item in dispute.
(5) If a vacancy occurs on the arbitration tribunal, a new member may be appointed in the same way the original member to be replaced was appointed.
ATA ANALYSIS: Subsections 2 and 3 set up a three-person arbitration panel with one member appointed by the ATA, a second by the ASBA and the third by the government. The government appointee will act as the chair of the panel and, for all practical purposes, has the power to dictate both the process and the outcome of each arbitration. Under subsection 4, the tribunal is required to make decisions regarding each issue in dispute.
As of March 14, 4 p.m., the government had not announced who was to chair the tribunal. There has been speculation in the media that the government may have difficulty finding a professional arbitrator willing to administer such a contentious and biased process.
Revocation of appointments
4 If in the opinion of the Minister of Human Resources and Employment a member of the arbitration tribunal is unduly or unnecessarily delaying proceedings, the Minister may
(a) revoke the appointment of the member, and
(b) appoint another person in the member's place.
ATA ANALYSIS: Throughout the first part of the act are provisions intended to prevent the ATA or board from attempting to delay or in any way impede the arbitration. This particular section raises the question of whether legitimate attempts to raise issues and bring forward relevant evidence might be construed as "unnecessarily delaying proceedings."
Methods of dispute resolution
5(1) The arbitration tribunal must endeavour to effect a settlement of the items in dispute between the ATA and each employer named in the Schedule.
(2) If the arbitration tribunal is unable to effect a settlement, it must consider the position of the parties on each item in dispute and determine what method or combination of methods of dispute resolution are to be used to resolve it.
(3) Without restricting the generality of subsection (2), the arbitration tribunal may use arbitration, mediation, a combination of mediation and arbitration and the method of arbitration known as "final offer selection" as methods of dispute resolution.
ATA ANALYSIS: Section 5 gives the tribunal broad powers to determine the processes that will be used to render a decision. "Mediation" refers to the practice of assisting both parties to reach agreement, "arbitration" refers to the imposition of a settlement that may represent a compromise position, "final offer selection" entails having the arbitrators select without modification either the employer's or the employee's recommendation for resolving an issue in dispute. The arbitrators need not use the same approach when resolving the different issues that make up a given dispute. Nor are the arbitrators required to use a consistent process to deal with each of the disputes brought before them.
Matters to be considered
6(1) To ensure that wages and benefits are fair and reasonable to employees and employers and are in the best interest of the public, the arbitration tribunal
(a) must consider, for the period with respect to which the award will apply, the following:
(i) wages and benefits in private and public, and unionized and non-unionized, employment, including the wages and benefits of teachers in the other provinces and territories of Canada;
(ii) the continuity and stability of private and public employment, including
(A) employment levels and incidence of layoffs,
(B) incidence of employment at less than normal working hours, and
(C) opportunity for employment;
(iii) the general economic conditions in Alberta;
(iv) the local economic conditions within the geographic location of the dispute;
(b) may consider, for the period with respect to which the award will apply, the following:
(i) the terms and conditions of employment in similar occupations outside the employer's employment, taking into account any geographic, industrial or other variation that the arbitration tribunal considers relevant;
(ii) the need to maintain appropriate relationships in terms and conditions of employment between different classification levels within an occupation and between occupations in the employer's employment;
(iii) the need to establish terms and conditions of employment that are fair and reasonable in relation to the qualifications required, the work performed, the responsibility assumed and the nature of the services rendered;
(iv) any other factor that the arbitration tribunal considers relevant to the items in dispute.
ATA ANALYSIS: With the exception of the requirement that the arbitrators consider ". . .the wages and benefits of teachers in the other provinces and territories of Canada," an issue that has never been a significant factor in teacher negotiations in Alberta, the matters for consideration identified here are consistent with the terms of reference outlined in the back-to-work orders overturned by the court and parallel the guidelines set out in the Labour Relations Code. The provision that "the local economic conditions within the geographic location of the dispute" be considered may provide the ATA with an opportunity to highlight the high cost of living in communities such as Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie and Canmore.
The reference to the "incidence of employment at less than normal working hours is lifted from the Labour Relations Code and usually applies to issues affecting part-time workers. Despite Premier Klein's stated conviction that teachers only work "4 or 5 hours a day," this provision is not likely to be relevant to this arbitration.
(2) The arbitration tribunal must be satisfied that an award can be implemented without an employer incurring a deficit, or if the employer already has a deficit, without incurring any greater deficit, over the period during which the collective agreement has effect.
ATA ANALYSIS: By preventing the arbitration tribunal from making awards that would cause boards to run or increase their deficits, the government taints the entire arbitration process. The current financial position of individual school boards is the result of inadequate financial resources being allocated through a biased provincial funding formula. Continuing government mismanagement has forced some large urban boards to run deficits in order to continue their operations while providing other jurisdictions with millions of dollars surplus to their needs. Furthermore, experience has shown that school boards have great expertise in making embarrassing surpluses quickly disappear. In the end, the salary awards made through this process will have little to do with what is fair and reasonable and a lot to do with arbitrary policy and spending decisions made by government and school boards.
(3) The Minister of Learning may make available to the arbitration tribunal any information requested by the tribunal in order for it to consider the matters described in subsection (1).
Award
7(1) The arbitration tribunal must issue its award by August 31, 2002 on all items in dispute over which it has jurisdiction.
(2) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the chair of the arbitration tribunal, extend the date under subsection (1).
(3) The award of the arbitration tribunal is binding on the parties to the dispute and must be included in the terms of a collective agreement.
Majority award
8 An award of a majority of the arbitration tribunal is an award of the tribunal, but if there is no majority, the award of the chair is the award of the tribunal.
ATA ANALYSIS: This section confirms the pivotal role played by the government's appointee.
Composition of collective agreement
9 The parties must enter into a collective agreement consisting of
(a) the items agreed on by the parties, except the matters described in section 23, and
(b) the award of the arbitration tribunal.
Incorporation of award
10(1) If either of the parties fails or refuses to participate in the preparation of a collective agreement in accordance with section 9, the other party may prepare the collective agreement and must submit it to the tribunal for the tribunal to certify that the collective agreement accurately incorporates the tribunal's award.
(2) When the arbitration tribunal receives a collective agreement under subsection (1) and is satisfied that the collective agreement gives effect to its award, the tribunal must certify the collective agreement as accurate, and on being certified the collective agreement takes effect.
Reconvening arbitration tribunal
11(1) If, within 30 days after the date on which the arbitration tribunal's award is made, a question arises, the Minister of Learning, at the request of one or both of the parties, may direct the chair of the tribunal to reconvene the tribunal for the purpose of deciding the question.
(2) When the arbitration tribunal makes a decision under subsection (1), it must forward a copy of the decision to the Minister of Learning and the parties to the dispute, and the decision is binding on the parties and forms part of the terms of the collective agreement.
Filing and sending of award
12(1) When it makes an award, the arbitration tribunal must
(a) file a copy of it with the Minister of Learning, and
(b) send a copy of it to the parties.
(2) The Minister of Learning may publish an award in any manner the Minister considers appropriate.
Judicial review
13(1) Subject to subsection (2), no decision, order, directive, ruling, award or proceeding of the arbitration tribunal is to be questioned or reviewed in any court by application for judicial review or otherwise, and no order is to be made or process entered or proceedings taken in any court, whether by way of injunction, declaratory judgment, prohibition, quo warranto or otherwise, to question, review, prohibit or restrain the tribunal or any of its proceedings.
(2) A decision, order, directive, ruling, award or proceeding of the arbitration tribunal may be questioned or reviewed by way of an application for judicial review seeking an order in the nature of certiorari or mandamus if the originating notice is filed with the Court of Queen's Bench no later than 30 days after the date of the decision, order, directive, ruling, award or proceeding or the issuing of reasons in respect of it, whichever is later.
(3) If an award of the arbitration tribunal is questioned or reviewed under subsection (2), a decision that an award is invalid with respect to one or more items in dispute does not affect the validity of the award as it relates to the other items, unless the Court otherwise directs.
ATA ANALYSIS: The net effect of the section of the ESSA relating to Judicial Review, is to prevent the courts from intervening in the arbitration process or overturning the tribunal's awards unless the tribunal has blatantly exceeded its jurisdiction.
Division 2
Authority and Administrative Procedures
ATA ANALYSIS: Much of the content of division 2 repeats and enables the process set out in the first part of the act.
Arbitration tribunal procedure
14(1) The arbitration tribunal may determine its own procedure.
(2) If a party to proceedings before the arbitration tribunal fails to attend or to be represented, the tribunal may proceed as if the party attended or were represented.
ATA ANALYSIS: The arbitration process can go ahead even in the absence of one or more of the parties. Boycotting the proceedings does not shut them down.
(3) A member of the arbitration tribunal may administer an oath to a person appearing before the tribunal.
Deciding on arbitrability
15(1) The arbitration tribunal has jurisdiction to decide whether
(a) any item is in dispute between the parties;
(b) an item in dispute can be the subject of arbitration or can be included in a collective agreement.
(2) Except for the purposes of determining arbitrability, the arbitration tribunal has no jurisdiction to consider or to make an award with respect to a matter described in section 23.
ATA ANALYSIS: This section reiterates that the tribunal cannot consider issues relating to classroom conditions, although it does have the authority to determine whether a given issue relates to class-size, student-teacher ratio or instructional hours.
Evidence and court assistance
16(1) The arbitration tribunal
(a) may accept any oral or written evidence it considers appropriate, whether admissible in a court of law or not,
(b) is not bound by the laws of evidence applicable to judicial proceedings, and
(c) may summon and enforce the attendance of witnesses and compel them to give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce the documents and things that the tribunal considers necessary to fully investigate and consider matters within its jurisdiction, in the same manner as a court of record in civil cases.
(2) If any person fails to comply with an order of the arbitration tribunal, or conducts himself or herself in a manner that may be in contempt of the tribunal or its proceedings, the tribunal may apply to the Court of Queen's Bench for an order directing compliance with the tribunal's order, or restraining any conduct found by the Court to be in contempt of the tribunal or its proceedings.
(3) On application, the Court may grant any order that, in the opinion of the Court, is necessary to enable the arbitration tribunal to carry out its responsibilities.
Meetings
17(1) The arbitration tribunal must meet at the times and places fixed by the chair of the tribunal.
(2) The chair must notify each member of the arbitration tribunal of the date, time and place of each meeting.
(3) The arbitration tribunal may decide to hold all or any part of a meeting in private.
Remuneration and expenses
18 The remuneration and expenses of the members of the arbitration tribunal must be paid as follows:
(a) the ATA must pay the remuneration and expenses of its nominee to the arbitration tribunal, or a person appointed as a member on its behalf;
(b) the ASBA must pay the remuneration and expenses of its nominee to the arbitration tribunal, or a person appointed as a member on its behalf;
(c) the Crown in right of Alberta must pay the remuneration and expenses of the chair, and the administrative costs of the tribunal.
ATA ANALYSIS: Sections 16, 17 and 18 outline typical practices and procedures used in arbitration.
Privileged information
19(1) Despite anything in this Act, when a document is in the official possession, custody or power of a member of the Executive Council or of the head of a department of the public service of Alberta, but a deputy head or other officer has the document in the deputy head's or other officer's personal possession and is called as a witness, the deputy head or other officer, acting on the direction and on behalf of the member of the Executive Council or head of a department, is entitled to refuse to produce the document on the ground that it is privileged.
(2) The refusal to produce may be made by the deputy head or other officer in the same manner and has the same effect as if the member of the Executive Council or head of a department were personally present and made the refusal.
(3) A person employed by the Crown in right of Alberta must not disclose and may not be compelled to disclose information obtained by the person in the person's official capacity if a member of the Executive Council has certified that in the member's opinion
(a) it is not in the public interest to disclose that information, or
(b) the information cannot be disclosed without prejudice to the interests of persons not concerned in the proceedings.
(4) The information in respect of which a certificate is given under subsection (3) is privileged.
ATA ANALYSIS: This section prevents teachers from demanding that the government produce documents or information that might be relevant to the arbitration but embarrassing for the government. The last thing Alberta Learning wants is an arbitration that is actually open or that holds government accountable for its decisions.
Persons who are not compellable witnesses
20(1) A member of the arbitration tribunal is not a compellable witness in proceedings before any court respecting an award or in respect of the tribunal's proceedings or any information, material or report before the tribunal.
(2) In this section, "court" does not include an inquiry under the Public Inquiries Act.
Protection from liability
21 No action lies against a member of the arbitration tribunal for anything done by that member in good faith and in purporting to act under this Act.
Division 3
Effect of Operation of a
Collective Agreement
Binding effect of collective agreement
22 A collective agreement between the parties is binding on
(a) the ATA and every employee of the employer, and
(b) the employer,
without signature or other formality.
Limit on contents of collective agreement
23(1) No collective agreement between the parties that is entered into on or after March 11, 2002 may contain any provision that establishes or in any manner deals with
(a) the number of students in a class;
(b) pupil-to-teacher ratios or student-to-teacher ratios;
(c) the maximum time a teacher may be required to instruct students.
ATA ANALYSIS: Together with Section 6, Section 23 turns the fair and independent arbitration process envisioned by teachers into the travesty imposed by the government. Key issues relating to classroom and teachers working conditions cannot even be considered in this arbitration.
(2) If a collective agreement between the parties entered into on or after March 11, 2002 contains a provision contrary to subsection (1), that contrary provision is of no effect, and this subsection applies irrespective of the effective date of the collective agreement.
ATA ANALYSIS: This subsection has the effect of stripping from collective agreements working and teaching conditions clauses and provisions that were previously negotiated in good faith.
(3) Every collective agreement between the parties entered into on or after March 11, 2002 is deemed to contain a term that it expires on August 31, 2003, despite any agreement of the parties to the contrary.
Bridging of collective agreements
24(1) A collective agreement between the parties existing on March 11, 2002 by virtue of section 130(a) of the Labour Relations Code continues in force until a collective agreement is entered into under this Act.
(2) If the parties do not have a collective agreement existing on March 11, 2002 by virtue of the operation of section 130(c) of the Labour Relations Code, the collective agreement previously existing between them is reinstated and applies to the parties and employees of the employer until a collective agreement is entered into under this Act.
ATA ANALYSIS: This section stipulates that collective agreements that had expired at the beginning of this school year remain in place until new agreements are imposed through the arbitration process.
Part 2
Employment Relations
Strikes and lockouts
25(1) Any employees on strike must terminate their strike immediately.
(2) An employee legally permitted or authorized to strike under the Labour Relations Code is no longer permitted or authorized to strike.
(3) Any employer who is locking out employees must terminate the lockout immediately.
(4) An employer legally permitted or authorized to lock out employees under the Labour Relations Code is no longer permitted or authorized to lock out its employees.
(5) A strike by employees that continues or commences while this Act is in force is an unlawful strike.
(6) A lockout of employees by an employer that continues or commences while this Act is in force is an unlawful lockout.
(7) The ATA must not cause a strike and no person acting on behalf of employees or the ATA may cause a strike.
ATA ANALYSIS: Under this section the ATA cannot initiate a strike and any strike action taken by members is illegal.
No slowdown
26 Any employees on strike or locked out by their employer must immediately resume the duties of their employment without slowdown or diminution, and all other employees must continue the duties of their employment without slowdown or diminution.
ATA ANALYSIS: This section is not in the labour code, although it reflects case law. The key issue is what constitutes "duties of employment"? While organized work-to-rule campaigns are again expressly forbidden by this section, the position of the ATA is that voluntary services are, by definition, not duties of employment and may be withdrawn by members.
Notice to employees
27(1) The ATA must immediately give notice to employees of the employees' obligations under this Act in a form and manner most likely to reach them.
ATA ANALYSIS: The publication and distribution of this edition of the ATA news, together with other documents sent to schools earlier fulfill the Association's responsibilities under this section of the Act. Consider yourself notified . . .
(2) The ASBA must immediately give notice to employers of employers' obligations under this Act in a form and manner most likely to reach them.
Employees not to be impeded in complying with their obligations
28(1) No person is to impede or prevent or attempt to impede or prevent an employee from complying with the obligations of the employee under this Act.
(2) Neither the ATA nor an officer of the ATA, a committee or other entity of the ATA or any other person acting on the ATA's behalf is to discipline, threaten to discipline or attempt to discipline an employee, directly or indirectly, because the employee is or was complying with or attempting to comply with obligations under this Act.
ATA ANALYSIS: The scope of section 28 is sweeping. Subsection 1 effectively prevents the Association or any individual from organizing activities that might result in teachers withdrawing or restricting the services they provide as employees of their boards. Currently under the Teaching Profession Act, the ATA is precluded from enforcing compliance with "union activities," making subsection 2 superfluous but annoying.
Part 3
Application of Other Provisions
of the Labour Relations Code
Labour Relations Code – other provisions
29(1) Except as provided in this Act, the Labour Relations Code does not apply to employers, employees or the ATA.
(2) The provisions of the Labour Relations Code specified in subsection (3) apply as if
(a) a collective agreement under this Act were a collective agreement under the Labour Relations Code;
(b) an unlawful strike or lockout under this Act or any other strike by employees or lockout of employees by an employer were an unlawful strike or unlawful lockout under the Labour Relations Code;
(c) an employer in its capacity under this Act were an employer in the same capacity under the Labour Relations Code;
(d) an employee under this Act were an employee under the Labour Relations Code;
(e) the ATA in its capacity under this Act were a bargaining agent in the same capacity under the Labour Relations Code;
(f) any action, notice or proceeding taken under this Act were the same action, notice or proceeding taken under the Labour Relations Code.
(3) The following sections of the Labour Relations Code apply:
(a) section 2;
(b) section 3;
(c) section 16;
(d) section 18, as if an order of the Labour Relations Board under this Act were an order made under the Labour Relations Code;
(e) section 22;
(f) sections 24 to 26;
(g) section 48;
(h) sections 59 to 63, as if the collective agreement were a collective agreement under the Labour Relations Code;
(i) sections 64 to 70;
(j) sections 86 to 88;
(k) section 90 with respect to the ending of a strike and lockout in accordance with section 25 of this Act;
(l) sections 114 to 116, and section 114 applies despite section 13 of the Teaching Profession Act;
ATA ANALYSIS: This section removes and then selectively re-establishes provisions of the Labour Relations Code. Most of the reinstated provisions are fairly conventional. In the event of an illegal strike however, subsection 3, paragraph l allows the Labour Relations Board to order the employer to suspend the deduction and remittance of union dues for a period of up to six months even though the authority to collect Association fees is established under the Teaching Professions Act. In addition, the Labour Relations Board is empowered under this section to decertify the Association and preclude it from representing teachers.
(m) section 128;
(n) section 132;
(o) sections 135 to 146, except that an arbitrator appointed under sections 135 to 146 of the Labour Relations Code has no jurisdiction over a matter in respect of which the Labour Relations Board has jurisdiction under this Act;
(p) sections 148 to 154;
(q) section 157(2).
Conflicts between enactments
30(1) If there is a conflict between this Act and the provisions of the Labour Relations Code made applicable by this Act, or a conflict between this Act and any other enactment, this Act prevails.
(2) The Arbitration Act does not apply to this Act.
ATA ANALYSIS: The ESSA overrides any contrary provisions contained in the School Act or the Teaching Profession Act.
Application of the Labour Relations Code
31(1) All the provisions of the Labour Relations Code relating to the powers, jurisdiction and remedies of the Labour Relations Board, its chair, vice-chairs, members and officers, hearings procedure, enforcement of orders, appeals and rights, privileges and immunities of the Board apply if those matters are not specifically provided for in this Act.
(2) In addition to its powers under the Labour Relations Code, the Labour Relations Board may decide for the purposes of this Act whether
(a) a person is an employee or a person is a teacher;
(b) a collective agreement has been entered into;
(c) provisions constitute part of a collective agreement or do not;
(d) a person, the ATA or an employer is bound by a collective agreement;
(e) an employer or the ATA is a party to a collective agreement;
(f) a collective agreement has been entered into on behalf of any person;
(g) a collective agreement is in effect;
and the Board's decision is final and binding.
(3) If a question about the application or operation of this Act arises, the matter must be referred to the Labour Relations Board for decision unless the question relates to a matter under the jurisdiction of the arbitration tribunal.
(4) If there is a conflict in jurisdiction between the arbitration tribunal and the Labour Relations Board, the tribunal has jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction of the Labour Relations Board
32(1) Subject to section 31(4), the Labour Relations Board has exclusive jurisdiction to exercise the powers conferred on it by this Act and to determine all questions of fact or law that arise in any matter before it, and the action or decision of the Board is final and conclusive for all purposes, but the Board may, at any time, reconsider any decision, order, directive, declaration or ruling made by it and vary, revoke or affirm the decision, order, directive, declaration or ruling.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), no decision, order, directive, declaration, ruling or proceeding of the Labour Relations Board is to be questioned or reviewed in any court by application for judicial review or otherwise, and no order is to be made or process entered or proceedings taken in any court, whether by way of injunction, declaratory judgment, prohibition, quo warranto or otherwise, to question, review, prohibit or restrain the Board or any of its proceedings.
(3) A decision, order, directive, declaration, ruling or proceeding of the Labour Relations Board may be questioned or reviewed by way of an application for judicial review seeking an order in the nature of certiorari or mandamus if the originating notice is filed with the Court of Queen's Bench and served on the Board no later than 30 days after the date of the decision, order, directive, declaration, ruling or proceeding, or the issuing of reasons in respect of it, whichever is later.
ATA ANALYSIS: Sections 31 and 32 are jurisdictional provisions that give the Labour Relations Board the power to interpret, apply and enforce the provisions of the ESSA.
Part 4
Offences and Penalties
Offences and penalties - strikes
33(1) If the ATA causes a strike contrary to this Act, it is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $1000 in respect of each day or part of a day on which the offence occurs or continues.
(2) An officer or representative of the ATA who causes or consents to a strike contrary to this Act is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $10 000.
(3) A person who is neither the ATA nor an officer or representative of the ATA who strikes or causes a strike contrary to this Act is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $1000.
ATA ANALYSIS: Under section 33 the ATA as a corporate entity, its elected representatives (including local officers) and its employees may be fined for advocating or even consenting to a strike. Note that the definition of "strike" set out in section 1(f) (iii) is very broad and includes even "a concerted activity by 2 or more employees to refuse to comply with responsibilities assigned by their principal or employer." As well as the penalties set out in this section, section 29(3)(l) sets out additional sanctions that might be visited upon the Association.
Offence and penalties - lockouts
34(1) An employer that commences or causes a lockout contrary to this Act is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $1000 in respect of each day or part of a day on which the offence occurs or continues.
(2) A person not referred to in subsection (1) who commences, causes or consents to a lockout contrary to this Act is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $10 000.
General offence
35 Subject to sections 33 and 34, any person who fails to comply with this Act is guilty of an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding $1000.
ATA ANALYSIS: Individual teachers who participate in or cause a strike are also liable to be fined as is anyone who violates any provision of this act.
Minister's consent
36 No prosecution for an offence under this Act may be commenced without the consent in writing of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
Part 5
Transitional Provisions and
Consequential Amendments
Existing proceedings
37(1) On the coming into force of this Act, all proceedings, negotiations, mediation and other right or privilege under the Labour Relations Code between the parties or in respect of an employer, the ATA or an employee continue under this Act to the extent that they are not inconsistent with and they comply with the provisions of this Act.
(2) Any proceedings, negotiations, mediation or other right or privilege under the Labour Relations Code between the parties or in respect of an employer, the ATA or an employee or any part of them that is inconsistent with or that does not comply with the provisions of this Act must cease immediately and is terminated.
Elk Island Catholic Separate Regional Division and ATA
38 If both the Board of Trustees of the Elk Island Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 41 and the ATA do not ratify a collective agreement on or before March 15, 2002, the Schedule is amended by adding "The Board of Trustees of the Elk Island Catholic Separate Regional District No. 41".
ATA ANALYSIS: At the time Bill 12 was passing through the legislature, the Elk Island Catholic Board was considering whether or not to ratify a memorandum of agreement previously approved by the jurisdiction's teachers. This section invited the board to seek a more "favourable" settlement through arbitration. To their credit, Elk Island Catholic trustees supported fair collective bargaining and proceeded to ratify the memorandum resulting in the successful conclusion of a collective agreement.
Amends RSA 2000 cS-3
39(1) The School Act is amended by this section.
(2) Section 97 is amended
(a) in subsection (3) by repealing clause (a) and substituting the following:
(a) except in the case of a teacher excluded under section 96(2), the terms and conditions negotiated, agreed on or awarded under the Education Services Settlement Act or the Labour Relations Code, as the case may be;
(b) by adding the following after subsection (3):
(3.1) A contract of employment between a board and a teacher to whom the Education Services Settlement Act applies shall not contain any matter described in section 23(1) of the Education Services Settlement Act.
(c) in subsection (4) by adding "or subsection (3.1)" after "and (b)".
(3) Section 119(1) is amended by adding "that are not subject to the Education Services Settlement Act" after "of the board".
(4) Section 280 is amended by renumbering it as section 280(1) and by adding the following after subsection (1):
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a board or an employee to whom the Education Services Settlement Act applies.
Repeal
40 This Act is repealed on August 31, 2003, or sooner by Proclamation, but the repeal does not affect a collective agreement entered into under this Act that continues as a collective agreement under the Labour Relations Code.
ATA ANALYSIS: Section 40 is a "sunset clause" that will automatically repeal the ESSA on August 31, 2003. However, the two-year collective agreements imposed under this act will remain in force until new collective agreements are negotiated. The damage this act has caused teachers may continue to be felt long after the act itself is history.
Schedule
The Board of Trustees of the Battle River Regional Division No. 31
The Board of Trustees of the Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 1
The Board of Trustees of the Calgary School District No. 19
The Board of Trustees of the Canadian Rockies Regional Division No. 12
The Board of Trustees of the Chinook's Edge School Division No. 73
The Board of Trustees of the Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 3
The Regional authority of Northwest Francophone Education Region No. 1
The Regional authority of Greater North Central Francophone Education Region No. 2
The Regional authority of East Central Francophone Education Region No. 3
The Regional authority of Greater Southern Catholic Separate Francophone Education Region No. 4
The Regional authority of Greater Southern Public Francophone Education Region No. 4
The Board of Trustees of the East Central Alberta Catholic Separate Schools Regional Division No. 16
The Board of Trustees of the Edmonton School District No. 7
The Board of Trustees of the Elk Island Public Schools Regional Division No. 14
The Board of Trustees of the Evergreen Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 2
The Board of Trustees of the Foothills School Division No. 38
The Board of Trustees of the Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 32
The Board of Trustees of the Fort McMurray School District No. 2833
The Board of Trustees of the Fort Vermilion School Division No. 52
The Board of Trustees of the Grande Prairie Public School District No. 2357
The Board of Trustees of the Grande Prairie Roman Catholic Separate School District
No. 28
The Board of Trustees of the Grande Yellowhead Regional Division No. 35
The Board of Trustees of the Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29
The Board of Trustees of the High Prairie School Division No. 48
The Board of Trustees of the Holy Family Catholic Regional Division No. 37
The Board of Trustees of the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Regional Division
No. 4
The Board of Trustees of the Horizon School Division No. 67
The Board of Trustees of the Lakeland Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 150
The Board of Trustees of the Lethbridge School District No. 51
The Board of Trustees of the Living Waters Catholic Regional Division No. 42
The Board of Trustees of the Livingstone Range School Division No. 68
The Board of Trustees of the Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 20
The Board of Trustees of the Northern Gateway Regional Division No. 10
The Board of Trustees of the Northern Lights School Division No. 69
The Board of Trustees of the Northland School Division No. 61
The Board of Trustees of the Palliser Regional Division No. 26
The Board of Trustees of the Peace Wapiti Regional Division No. 33
The Board of Trustees of the Prairie Land Regional Division No. 25
The Board of Trustees of the Prairie Rose Regional Division No. 8
The Board of Trustees of the Rocky View School Division No. 41
The Board of Trustees of the St. Paul Education Regional Division No. 1
The Board of Trustees of the St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 38
The Board of Trustees of the Sturgeon School Division No. 24
The Board of Trustees of the Westwind School Division No. 74
The Board of Trustees of the Wetaskiwin Regional Division No. 11
The Board of Trustees of the Wild Rose School Division No. 66
The Board of Trustees of the Wolf Creek School Division No. 72
Explanatory Notes
39(1) Amends RSA 2000 chapter S-3.
(2) Section 97 presently reads in part:
(3) Subject to subsection (2) and notwithstanding any other agreement to the contrary, the terms and conditions of a contract of employment between a board and a teacher shall comprise the following:
(a) except in the case of a teacher excluded under section 96(2), the terms and conditions
(i) negotiated under the Labour Relations Code, and
(ii) agreed to between the board and an organization representing teachers;
(b) this section and sections 96 to 99 and 101 to 110;
(c) the terms and conditions agreed to between the board and the teacher.
(4) Any contract of employment excluding or purporting to exclude the provisions of subsection (3)(a) and (b) is void.
(3) Section 119(1) presently reads:
119(1) Notwithstanding anything in this Act, the Labour Relations Code applies to a board and the employees of the board.
(4) Section 280 presently reads:
280 Nothing in Part 1, 2 or 3 restricts or prohibits or is to be construed as restricting or prohibiting a board or any employee of a board from exercising any rights under the Labour Relations Code.