Watch above: Decision reserved on legality of Saskatoon Transit lockout
SASKATOON – A ruling over the legality of Saskatoon’s transit union lockout is reserved after Saskatchewan’s Labour Relation’s Board heard a case between the city and transit union.
The labour board said there was too much to ruminate on and that a written decision would be made in the coming days. The case centers on whether the city was legally able to lockout transit workers, as a separate labour case made its way through the legal system.
Counsel for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 (ATU 615) argued that labour relation’s case regarding bus operator Doug Mongovius was technically pending when transit workers were locked out.
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The legislation, counsel said, calls for a statutory freeze when any legislation is pending before the labour board.
“The statutory freeze comes into effect the moment the board begins considering a case, regardless of whether they actually hear witnesses and we think they began considering it way back in June,” said Gary Bainbridge, who represented the ATU 615.
However, city solicitor Patricia Warwick disagreed, arguing that the case was not related to the work stoppage and it wasn’t pending at the time of the lockout.
“Matters must be before a formal hearing there has to have been a formal hearing started, that’s how you know whether or not you’re in the statutory freeze period because you’ve been at the board, you’ve argued your case and you’re waiting for a decision,” said Warwick.
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