Since lawyers are outside the Ontario Labour Relations Act, a ‘Framework Agreement’ is required as an enabling document (or a ‘substitute’ for the LRA) under which LAO lawyers’ negotiations for a collective agreement will take place.
The parties met with Arbitrator Bill Kaplan on March 7 but did not reach a mediated resolution of their differences with respect to the Framework Agreement. Thus, on April 26, 2017, the parties will appear before Bill Kaplan to arbitrate the outstanding issues. Once Mr. Kaplan issues a decision on the Framework Agreement, the parties will be in a position to start negotiating a collective agreement.
