On November 11th, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) released an interesting decision favouring a union’s freedom of expression over an individual’s right to privacy in Alberta (Information and Privacy Commissioner) v. United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 401, 2013 SCC 62.
Continue Reading Freedom of Expression on the Picket Line Trumps Privacy
In R. v Metron, 2013 ONCA 541, Metron Construction Corporation (“Metron”) was found to have committed criminal negligence in failing to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to its workers. Metron is the first case decided under the criminal negligence provisions of the Criminal Code where the parties did not agree on the sentence. At the trial level, Metron pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of $200,000.
In Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, Local 30 v. Irving Pulp & Paper, Ltd., 2013 SCC 34 [“Irving”], the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) issued a landmark decision concerning workplace drug and alcohol testing. Irving strikes a new balance between the competing interests of employee privacy and workplace safety.
Continue Reading Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing: Current Best Practices
The Ontario Labour Relations Board’s decision in Service Employees International Union, Local 1 Canada, Applicant v. PRP Senior Living Inc. o/a Sunrise of Aurora, 2013 CanLII 15847 has given rise to further debate about the scope of an employer’s right to free speech during a union campaign. Our colleague, William Watson, has posted an interesting article on this in his blog, The Legal Playing Field. Click here to read.
