PSAC Pay Equity

PSAC Equal Pay Complaint at Canada Post Chronology of significant events

Sept 1983    PSAC files a complaint under section 11 of the CHRA on behalf of the CR bargaining unit at Canada Post. The complaint seeks equal pay with the Postal Operations bargaining units retroactive to Oct 15, 1981.

Oct 1985     The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) begins its investigation.

Nov 1988     The CHRC threatens court action to force Canada Post to provide requested information necessary for its investigation.

June 1991    PSAC advises the CHRC it is considering legal action against the CHRC because of delays in its investigation of the complaint.

Dec 1991      The CHRC releases draft investigation report to PSAC and Canada Post for comment.

Jan 1992     The CHRC releases final investigation report to the PSAC and Canada Post.

Mar 1992     PSAC’s complaint is referred to a Tribunal for determination.

May 1992    The Tribunal members are appointed.

Nov 1992     The Tribunal holds pre-hearing meetings with PSAC, CHRC and Canada Post.

Feb 1993     The Tribunal begins hearing evidence.

Nov 1994     The CHRC completes presenting its evidence-in-chief to the Tribunal. One hundred and fifteen hearing days are used.

Dec 1994     PSAC begins presenting its case to the Tribunal

Nov 1995     PSAC completes its evidence-in-chief.  Thirty-five hearing days are used.

Jan 1996     Canada Post begins presenting its case to the Tribunal.

Sept 1998    The Tribunal dismisses a Canada Post motion calling for the Tribunal to declare itself to be institutionally biased.

April 2000  Canada Post completes its evidence-in-chief.  One hundred and eighty-seven hearing days are used.

Nov 2000    The Tribunal agrees to a Canada Post request to suspend proceedings pending a Dec 2000 Federal Court hearing of Canada Post’s appeal of the Tribunal’s earlier ruling on its own institutional impartiality.

April 2001   The Tribunal resumes hearings after the Federal Court cancels scheduled Dec 2000 hearing.

May 2001    The Tribunal resumes hearings.

July 2002    The Tribunal completes the evidence stage of its hearings.

Jan 2003     PSAC and CHRC submit written arguments to the Tribunal.

April 2003  Canada Post submits written arguments to the Tribunal.

May 2003    The Tribunal begins hearing oral arguments.

June 2003     The Tribunal concludes hearing oral arguments after 415 hearing days. The transcript of the hearings exceeds 44,000 pages.

Aug 2003     The Tribunal reconvenes to receive legal submissions regarding the relevance of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision on institutional bias in the Bell case.

June 2004   Chairman of the Tribunal resigns.

Aug 2004     The Tribunal receives written legal submissions regarding the relevance of the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision concerning the issue of establishment in the Air Canada case.

Feb 2005     PSAC, CHRC and Canada Post continue to await the Tribunal’s decision.

March 2005 Canada Post again asks the Tribunal to delay its decision pending a decision by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Air Canada case.

Aoril 2005   The Tribunal rejects Canada Post’s request for a further delay.

June 2005   PSAC National President asks the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Registrar to take the necessary steps to expedite the Tribunal’s decision.

Sept 2005   The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Registrar advises the parties the decision will be issued in early fall.

Oct 2005     The Tribunal releases its decision on October 7, 2005.