THUNDER BAY — In an effort to improve labour relations within the Thunder Bay Police Service, the Police Services Board has approved the terms of reference for the recently created Labour Relations Committee.
On Tuesday, the Thunder Bay Police Services Board passed the terms of reference for the Labour Relations Committee with an amendment that content of grievances to be heard by the committee be presented to board members prior.
The Labour Relations Committee was created in January 2023 in response to recommendations by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission report prepared by Senator Murray Sinclair and more recently the expert panel commissioned by the board last year.
“In considering the overall recommendations of the ‘Sinclair Report’, and those of the Board’s Expert Panel, along with ongoing interactions with the Thunder Bay Police Service, Thunder Bay Police Association, and the Thunder Bay Senior Officers Association, it was apparent that a more deliberate effort was required to address labour relations; in all aspects of that area,” the Labour Relations Committee terms of reference reads.
The terms of reference goes on to say that more work was needed to address workplace grievances under collective agreements and an overdue need to build “a direct, and more positive, relationship with the Associations.”
“The Board has also acknowledged the growing concerns for mental health and well-being amongst Service members, as is highlighted in specific recommendations from the Expert Panel,” the terms of reference states.
The committee consists of two police board members and two community members. It will be responsible for promoting cooperation, understanding, and mutual respect between parties, collective bargaining, maintenance of collective agreements, consideration of grievances under collective agreements, and addressing mental health and well-being of police service members.
“We did find it important we did have the autonomy to hear the grievances,” said Labour Relations Committee chair Shelby Ch’ng. “We thought it would create an issue in the future if grievances went straight to the board rather than being dealt with at the committee level. We hope to make that process very tight and be the authority for hearing grievances.”
Police board administrator Malcolm Mercer suggested that a mechanism be put in place to allow the board to know what grievances are being heard and an opportunity to intervene if members think it is important.
“I wonder whether or not a way of dealing with this is simply having the members of the board be provided with copies of the grievance so that in the event they either want to comment to the committee or alternatively take action at the board level but the default being that the committee continues to do its work,” Mercer said.
The terms of reference was amended to include the phrase: “having provided notice to the board with the general content of grievances,” followed by the original wording of: “hearing presentations with respect to same and deciding grievances under the delegated authority of the Board.”
The terms of reference for the Labour Relations Committee was passed unanimously by the board, which now has full voting rights.
