- May 25, 2021
- Collective Agreement Interpretation
This preliminary award concerned a consolidation request be the Union. The Union sought to consolidate 17 individual grievances with the policy grievance that had been referred to Arbitrator Burkett on the basis that the grievances gave rise to the same issues as the policy grievance.
The arbitrator dismissed the Union’s request. An arbitrator’s jurisdiction is conferred by the mutual agreement of the parties to refer a grievance or by the appointment of the appropriate government office. Neither had occurred with regard to the individual grievances that were at issue. Accordingly, Arbitrator Burkett did not have jurisdiction over the individual grievances and, therefore, was not in a position to consider the consolidation request.