Our team has recognized expertise representing clients before single arbitrators and boards of arbitration, including the Ontario Labour Relations Board in the context of section 133 grievance referrals. We have appeared before and have strong relationships with many of Canada’s leading arbitrators and appreciate their individual preferences.  This experience and credibility assists us to efficiently manage arbitrations on behalf of our clients and obtain desired results.  We are also regularly asked to serve as keynote speakers in leading labour relations conferences throughout Canada, and publish on a variety of related issues.

We know from experience the cost to an organization (financially, politically and strategically) of a high volume of grievances and arbitrations can be crippling.  We have successfully assisted clients to significantly reduce their volume of grievances and arbitrations, streamline their processes and implement initiatives designed to foster early stage resolution.  We have achieved this through training programs which provide managers and leaders the skills they need to identify early signs of workplace discontent and proactively resolve issues.  We have also designed and implemented truncated or expedited processes to cost-effectively address one or several grievances and any arbitration backlog.   Examples of the types of arbitration issues on which we regularly assist clients:

• Absenteeism
• Benefit entitlement
• Classification
• Contracting-out
• Discipline and discharge
• Human rights and accommodation
• Management rights
• Overtime
• Promotion and demotion
• Seniority challenges
• Transfers