Manitoba Nurses' Union, St. Boniface Nurses', Local 5 v. St. Boniface General Hospital, (1997) 124 Man.R.(2d) 27 (QB)

• Judge: Hirschfield, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
• Case Date: November 28, 1997
• Jurisdiction: Manitoba
• Citations: (1997), 124 Man.R.(2d) 27 (QB)

Nurses Union v. St. Boniface Hospital (1997), 124 Man.R.(2d) 27 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1997] Man.R.(2d) TBEd. DE.035

St. Boniface Nurses Local 5 of The Manitoba Nurses' Union (applicant) v. St. Boniface General Hospital (respondent)

(File No. CI 95-01-90901)

Indexed As: Manitoba Nurses' Union, St. Boniface Nurses', Local 5 v. St. Boniface General Hospital

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench

Winnipeg Centre

Hirschfield, J.

November 28, 1997.

Summary:

A hospital terminated the classification of licensed practical nurse (LPN). The union grieved, claiming violation of the collective agreement and the obligation to act fairly and in good faith under the Labour Relations Act. A majority of the arbitration board held that the hospital had the right to terminate the classification. The union sought judicial review.

The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the application, holding that the arbitration board acted within its jurisdiction.

Labour Law - Topic 6708

Industrial relations - Collective agreement - Interpretation - Management rights - Cre­ation and elimination of positions - A hos­pital terminated the classification of licensed practical nurse (LPN) - The union grieved, claiming violation of the collec­tive agreement and the good faith obliga­tion under the Labour Relations Act - A majority of the arbitration board held that the hospital had the right to terminate the classification - The union sought judicial review - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench held that the arbitration board acted within its jurisdiction - The hospital was within its management rights where the collective agreement did not contain a specific prohibition against deletion of a classification - See paragraphs 18 to 27.

Cases Noticed:

Blanchard v. Control Data Canada Ltd., [1984] 2 S.C.R. 476; 55 N.R. 194; 14 D.L.R.(4th) 289; 84 C.C.L.C. 14,070; 14 Admin. L.R. 133, refd to. [para. 16].

Saskatchewan Joint Board, Retail, Whole­sale and Department Store Union v. MacDonalds Consolidated Ltd. (1987), 57 Sask.R. 43 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17, Schedule B].

Miami Fashions (1979) Ltd. v. Amalga­mated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Local 459 (1984), 26 Man.R.(2d) 288 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Miriam Home v. Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 2115, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 137; 57 N.R. 146, refd to. [Schedule A].

Shalansky and Saskatchewan Union of Nurses v. Regina Pasqua Hospital, [1983] 1 S.C.R. 303; 47 N.R. 76; 22 Sask.R. 153; 145 D.L.R.(3d) 413; [1983] 6 W.W.R. 289; 83 C.L.L.C. 14,026, refd to. [Schedule A].

University of Manitoba v. University of Manitoba Faculty Association (1985), 34 Man.R.(2d) 280 (C.A.), refd to. [Sched­ule A].

Association of Radio & Television Employees of Canada v. Canadian Broadcasting Corp., [1973] 1 S.C.R. 118; 40 D.L.R.(3d) 1, refd to. [Schedule A].

Bell Canada v. Office and Professional Employees' International Union, Local 131 (1973), 37 D.L.R.(3d) 561 (S.C.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Toronto East General Hospital v. Service Employees' International Union, Local 204 (1984), 13 L.A.C.(3d) 400 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Burns Meats v. United Food and Commer­cial Workers International Union, Local 832 (1992), 30 L.A.C.(4th) 186 (Man.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Shaughnessy Hospital Society v. Hospital Employees Union, Local 180 (1988), 33 L.A.C.(3d) 385 (B.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Windsor Public Utilities Commission v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 911 (1974), 7 L.A.C.(2d) 380 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

University of Alberta v. Association of Academic Staff of University of Alberta (1988), 2 L.A.C.(4th) 199 (Alta.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Service Employees' International Union, Local 333 v. Nipawin District Staff Nurses Association et al., [1974] 1 W.W.R. 653; [1975] 1 S.C.R. 382; 41 D.L.R.(3d) 6, refd to. [Schedule A].

Yorkton Union Hospital v. Saskatchewan Union of Nurses et al. (1991), 94 Sask.R. 228 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Automatic Screw Machine Products Ltd. v. United Steelworkers of America et al. (1971), 19 D.L.R.(3d) 267 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

British Leaf Tobacco Co. of Canada Ltd. v. Canadian Union of Operating Engin­eers & General Workers (1981), 3 L.A.C.(3d) 235 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 2816 v. Hospital for Sick Children (1993), 38 L.A.C.(4th) 368 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Display Fixtures v. Fredborg et al. (1992), 83 Man.R.(2d) 203; 36 W.A.C. 203 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Uniroyal Ltd. v. United Rubber, Cork, Linoleum and Plastic Workers, Local 67 (1979), 23 L.A.C.(2d) 386, refd to. [Schedule A].

Abitibi Forest Products Ltd. v. Interna­tional Union of Operating Engineers, Local 772 (1976), 13 L.A.C.(2d) 331 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

United Steelworkers of America, Local 6500 v. Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 343 (1982), 8 L.A.C.(3d) 71 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Ontario Council of Regents for Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology (St. Law­rence College) v. Ontario Public Service Employees Union (1986), 24 L.A.C.(3d) 144 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

McMaster University v. Service Employees International Union, Local 532 (1993), 31 L.A.C.(4th) 257 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 469 v. Westfair Foods Ltd. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 198; 93 W.A.C. 198 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule B].

English, Re; United Steelworkers of America, Local 7911 v. Thompson (City) (1981), 15 Man.R.(2d) 249 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Thompson General Hospital v. Manitoba Organization of Nurses' Associations (1986), 42 Man.R.(2d) 200 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, Ship and Dock Foremen, Local 514 v. Prince Rupert Grain Ltd., [1996] 2 S.C.R. 432; 198 N.R. 99; 135 D.L.R.(4th) 385, refd to. [Schedule B].

Auto Haulaway Inc. v. Teamsters Union, Local 927 (1995), 47 L.A.C.(4th) 301 (Can.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Sisters of St. Joseph v. Service Employees Union, Local 210 (1992), 52 O.A.C. 353; 89 D.L.R.(4th) 189 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Bristol Aerospace Ltd. v. Canadian Aero­space Workers Local No. 5 (1993), 37 L.A.C.(4th) 198 (Man.), refd to. [Sched­ule B].

Shaughnessy Hospital v. Hospital Employees' Union (1987), 30 L.A.C.(3d) 417 (B.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Artcraft Engravers Ltd. v. Graphic Com­munications International Union, Local 517 (1990), 12 L.A.C.(4th) 363 (Ont.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Richmond (Township) v. Richmond Fire Fighters' Association, Local 1286 (1989), 7 L.A.C.(4th) 430 (B.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Brandon Division Association No. 40 of the Manitoba Teachers' Society v. Brandon School Division No. 40 (1983), 24 Man.R.(2d) 213 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Ontario Hydro v. Canadian Union of Pub­lic Employees. Local 1000 (1994), 40 L.A.C.(4th) 135 (Ont.), refd to. [Sched­ule B].

Major Foods Ltd. v. Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 1065 (1989), 7 L.A.C.(4th) 129 (N.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Browning Harvey Ltd. v. Newfoundland Association of Public Employees (1990), 26 L.A.C.(4th) 35 (Nfld.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Statutes Noticed:

Labour Relations Act, R.S.M. 1987, c. L-10, sect. 79(1), sect. 80(1), sect. 121(2), sect. 121(3), sect. 121(4) [para. 7].

Counsel:

Richard K. Deeley, Q.C., for the applicant;

Michael Werier and Mary McGunigal, for the respondent.

This case was heard before Hirschfield, J., of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, Winnipeg Centre, who delivered the follow­ing judgment on November 28, 1997.