Workshop Archive: 2025

In a unionized workplace it can be a challenge to fully understand the impact of a collective agreement on management’s right to organize the workplace. It can also be (or appear to be) difficult to effectively manage and discipline unionized employees. This half-day workshop will help you acquire the tools you need to confidently manage your unionized workplace. Applying interactive learning and real-life scenarios, topics for this workshop include:

• The Collective Agreement
  • What falls within management rights?
  • The impact of key provisions on management’s right to organize work.

• The Grievance and Arbitration Process
  • What can be arbitrated; and what cannot?
  • Objectives, time limits and labour relations privilege.
  • Review of real templates of grievances responses and minutes of settlement.

• Effective Management of Unionized Employees
  • Dos and Don’ts of performance management.
  • When you should (or must) involve a union steward or representative.
  • Strategies to improve employee engagement.

• Discipline and Discharge
  • What is ‘progressive discipline’?
  • Best practice including: when and how to consider past discipline, impact of a sunset clause, and when to discipline vs. terminate.
  • How to persuade an arbitrator to uphold discipline or discharge.
  • What kind of evidence is compelling?

Every employment relationship comes to an end.  Although termination of employment can trigger potential liability for an employer, liability can often be minimized or eliminated with planning and sound decision-making.

This practical, half-day interactive workshop provides participants with the knowledge and tools to handle some of the trickiest situations that can arise when terminating an employee.

Registration and details coming soon!

Effective management of return to work following a workplace injury can significantly improve cost outcomes related to most WSIB claims, while ensuring employers meet human rights obligations.

This half-day workshop will help you acquire the tools you need to confidently address key issues related to return to work. Applying interactive learning and real-life scenarios, topics for this workshop include:

• Employee and Employer WSIB Return to Work Obligations: What are they?

• Human Rights and Return to Work: How does the duty to accommodate intersect with employers’ WSIB return to work obligations?

• Potential Penalties: What happens if employers fail to meet their return to work obligations?

• Common Pitfalls and Tips for Return to Work: Key challenges and proactive ways to address them.