Prince Rupert Grain Handling Operations Act

Contents

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

1Short title#

This Act may be cited as the Prince Rupert Grain Handling Operations Act.

2Definitions#

(1)In this Act,

arbitrator means the arbitrator appointed pursuant to subsection 7(1); (arbitre)

collective agreement means the collective agreement between the employer and the union that expired on December 31, 1983; (convention collective)

employee means a person employed by the employer who is bound by the collective agreement; (employé)

employer means the Prince Rupert Grain Ltd.; (employeur)

union means the Grain Workers’ Union, Local 333. (syndicat)

(2)Unless otherwise provided, words and expressions used in this Act have the same meaning as in Part V of the Canada Labour Code.

*3Resumption of grain handling operations#

On the coming into force of this Act,

(a)the employer shall forthwith resume grain handling operations at the grain terminal located on Ridley Island in the port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia; and

(b)every employee shall, when so required, forthwith resume the duties of that employee’s employment.

*4Obligations of union#

(1)The union and each officer and representative of the union shall

(a)forthwith on the coming into force of this Act, give notice to the employees that, by reason of that coming into force, grain handling operations are forthwith to be resumed at the grain terminal located on Ridley Island in the port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia and the employees, when so required, are forthwith to resume the duties of their employment;

(b)take all reasonable steps to ensure that employees comply with paragraph 3(b); and

(c)refrain from any conduct that may encourage employees not to comply with paragraph 3(b).

*(2)Neither the employer nor any officer or representative of the employer shall

(a)in any manner impede any employee from complying with paragraph 3(b); or

(b)discharge or in any other manner discipline, or authorize or direct the discharge or discipline of, any employee by reason of that employee’s having been on strike before the coming into force of this Act.

5Extension of collective agreement#

(1)The term of the collective agreement is extended to include the period beginning on January 1, 1984 and ending on December 31, 1989.

*(2)On the coming into force of this Act, the collective agreement shall be deemed to be amended by the incorporation therein of the terms and conditions of the collective agreement between the B.C. Terminal Elevator Operators’ Association and the union and in effect for the period beginning on January 1, 1987 and ending on December 31, 1989, other than any terms and conditions relating to the matters referred to the arbitrator pursuant to subsection 7(1).

(3)The collective agreement, as amended by or pursuant to this Act, is effective and binding on the parties thereto for the period for which the agreement is extended by subsection (1) notwithstanding anything in Part V of the Canada Labour Code or in the agreement, and

(a)Part V of the Canada Labour Code applies in respect of the agreement, as so amended, as if that period were the term of the agreement; and

(b)the agreement, as so amended, shall, for the purposes of any Act of Parliament, be deemed to be an agreement between the employer and each of its employees on all matters relating to their employment.

6Strikes and lockouts prohibited#

During the term of the collective agreement, as extended by subsection 5(1),

(a)the employer shall not declare or cause a lockout against the union;

(b)no officer or representative of the union shall declare or authorize a strike against the employer; and

(c)no employee shall participate in a strike against the employer.

Arbitration

7Arbitration#

(1)The Minister shall appoint an arbitrator and refer to the arbitrator all matters relating to staffing at the Grain Centre, job classification and security personnel that, at the time of the appointment, are in dispute between the employer and the union.

(2)The arbitrator has, with such modifications as the circumstances require, all the powers and duties of an arbitrator under section 157 of the Canada Labour Code.

(3)The arbitrator shall decide all matters referred to the arbitrator pursuant to subsection (1) within forty-five days after the arbitrator’s appointment or such longer period as the employer and union may agree upon.

(4)The arbitrator shall set out the decision on the matters referred to the arbitrator in such form as will enable the decision to be incorporated into the collective agreement in accordance with section 8.

8Collective agreement amended#

When the arbitrator has decided all matters referred to the arbitrator pursuant to subsection 7(1), the collective agreement shall be deemed to be amended by the incorporation therein of the decision of the arbitrator and of such other amendments as may have been agreed upon by the parties thereto prior to that decision.

Amendment of Collective Agreement

9Parties may amend collective agreement#

Nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to limit the rights of the parties to the collective agreement to agree to amend any provision of the agreement as amended by or pursuant to this Act, other than a provision relating to the term of the agreement, and to give effect thereto.

Enforcement

10Offence by individuals#

(1)An individual who contravenes any provision of this Act is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable, for each day or part of a day during which the offence continues, to a fine

(a)of not less than $10,000 or more than $50,000, where the individual was acting in the capacity of an officer or representative of the employer or the union when the offence was committed; or

(b)of not less than $500 or more than $1,000, in any other case.

(2)Where the employer or the union contravenes any provision of this Act, it is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable, for each day or part of a day during which the offence continues, to a fine of not less than $20,000 or more than $100,000.

11Presumption#

For the purposes of enforcement proceedings under this Act, the union is deemed to be a person.

Coming into Force

*12Coming into force#

This Act shall come into force on the day immediately after the day on which it is assented to, but not before the twelfth hour after the time at which it is assented to.

Federal laws of Canada reproduced under the Reproduction of Federal Law Order (SI/97-5); not the official version. Source: Justice Laws Website.