Northern Lights Regional Health Authority v. United Nurses of Alberta, Local 96, (1998) 221 A.R. 1 (QB)

• Judge: Veit, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: November 12, 1997
• Citations: (1998), 221 A.R. 1 (QB)

Reg. Health Authority v. United Nurses (1998), 221 A.R. 1 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1998] A.R. TBEd. JN.082

In The Matter Of The Labour Relations Code, being chapter L-1.2 of the Statutes of Alberta, as amended.

Northern Lights Regional Health Authority (applicant) v. United Nurses of Alberta, Local 96 (respondent)

(Action No. 9703-12467)

Indexed As: Northern Lights Regional Health Authority v. United Nurses of Alberta, Local 96

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Veit, J.

March 10, 1998.

Summary:

A Health Authority imposed waiting periods for group insurance benefits on existing employees who were recalled from layoff at a hospital into temporary positions. The union grieved. An arbitrator allowed the grievance. The Health Authority applied for judicial review.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dis­missed the application.

Arbitration - Topic 8403

Judicial review - Grounds - Misconduct - Unreasonable or patently unreasonable interpretation - A Health Authority imposed waiting periods for group insur­ance benefits on existing employees who were recalled from layoff at a hospital into temporary positions - The union grieved - An arbitrator allowed the grievance - The Health Authority applied for judicial review - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the application - The court stated that "the tribunal whose deci­sion is impugned is a specialist tribunal. Great deference must be shown to its decisions within its jurisdiction. The arbi­trator was called on to interpret the collec­tive agreement; its decision was made deep within its territory. Its decision is not clear­ly irrational. The court cannot inter­fere with the arbitral award".

Labour Law - Topic 7112

Industrial relations - Collective agree­ment - Enforcement - Arbitration - Judicial review - Scope of review - [See Arbitra­tion - Topic 8403 ].

Labour Law - Topic 7114

Industrial relations - Collective agreement -Enforcement - Arbitration - Judicial review - Mani­festly unreasonable deci­sions - [See Arbi­tration - Topic 8403 ].

Cases Noticed:

Syndicat national des employés de la Com­mission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des em­ployés de service, local 298 (FTQ), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 1048; 95 N.R. 161; 24 Q.A.C. 244; 89 C.L.L.C. 14,045, refd to. [para. 4].

Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ) v. Bibeault - see Syndicat nation­al des employés de la Com­mission sco­laire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ).

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 579 v. Bradco Construction Ltd., [1993] 2 S.C.R. 316; 153 N.R. 81; 106 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 140; 334 A.P.R. 140; 102 D.L.R.(4th) 402, refd to. [para. 4].

Service Employees' International Union, Local 333 v. Nipawin District Staff Nurses' Association et al., [1975] 1 S.C.R. 382; 41 D.L.R.(3d) 6, refd to. [para. 4].

Board of Education of Toronto v. Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation District 15 et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 487; 208 N.R. 245; 98 O.A.C. 241; 144 D.L.R.(4th) 385, refd to. [para. 5].

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, refd to. [para. 5].

United Nurses of Alberta, Local 11 and Thomas v. Misericordia Hospital (1983), 46 A.R. 172; 27 Alta. L.R.(2d) 71 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees v. University Hospitals Board (1991), 116 A.R. 321; 82 D.L.R.(4th) 264 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

Suncor Inc. v. McMurray Independent Oil Workers, Local 1 (1982), 42 A.R. 166; 23 Alta. L.R.(2d) 105 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees v. University Hospitals Board (1991), 126 N.R. 32; 117 A.R. 156; 2 W.A.C. 156; 80 Alta. L.R.(2d) 442n (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 5].

Paccar of Canada Ltd. v. Canadian Asso­ci­ation of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers, Local 14, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 983; 102 N.R. 1; 62 D.L.R.(4th) 437; 89 C.L.L.C. 14,050; [1989] 6 W.W.R. 673; 40 Admin. L.R. 181, refd to. [para. 5].

Counsel:

Craig Neuman, for the applicant;

Sheila Greckol, for the respondent.

This application was heard on November 12, 1997, before Veit, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following judgment on March 10, 1998.