On June 10, 2016, Bill 110, An Act respecting the process of negotiation of collective agreements and the settlement of disputes in the municipal sector, was introduced in the National Assembly of Québec by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, Martin Coiteux. The Bill, if passed, would amend the Labour Code, the Act Respecting Municipal Territorial Organization and the Regulation respecting the remuneration of arbitrators.
Bill 110 proposes important amendments, including:
- Amendments to certain rules applicable to collective bargaining and dispute resolution in the municipal sector in order to take into account the collective expectations of those employees as well as the need for sound management of the financial resources earmarked for the provision of public services;
- Dispute resolution procedure applicable to police officers and firefighters, including mediation and, should mediation fail, the constitution of a three-person dispute settlement board (the president of which must be a lawyer) to hear the dispute;
- Rules applicable to other employees: mediation, arbitration, special mandatary appointed by the Minister when exceptional circumstances so warrant and entrusted with helping the parties settle their dispute;
- Term of collective agreements in the municipal sector is to be a minimum of five (5) years.
During the sitting held on June 10, 2016, and following the presentation of Bill 110 by Minister Coiteux, the National Assembly agreed to consider the bill, on a split vote, and the request of the opposition leader, Mr. Drainville, that consultations to be held was immediately accepted.
For more information and to consult the full text of Bill 110, you can visit the following link:
http://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/travaux-parlementaires/projets-loi/projet-loi-110-41-1.html
For further information, please contact Kevin MacNeill at 613-940-2767.
