OPSEU Local 560

PREAMBLE

1. The occupational Health and Safety Act requires the establishment of a Joint Health and Safety Committee where twenty or more workers are regularly employed at a workplace and to hold Joint Committee meeting on a regular basis.

2. It is our firm belief that through joint programs, joint investigations of problems, and joint resolution of those problems, the workplace will be made safe and healthy for all employees.

3. The parties acknowledge that the proper functioning of the Joint Health and Safety Committees can only be carried out where the representatives of the employer and the workers are committed to these responsibilities.  To effect this, the undersigned undertake to make decisions that will be carried out by their respective organizations.

4. The parties further acknowledge the value of cooperative dialogue and shared commitment.

5. The parties hereto adopt these guidelines in good faith and agree to promote and assist the Joint Health and Safety Committees whenever and wherever possible.
 

STRUCTURE

1.1     There shall be a Joint Health and Safety Committee (referred to hereafter as the "Campus Joint Committee") at each Seneca College Campus, at which twenty or more employees are regularly employed.  Each committee shall consist of one worker representative selected by OPSEU Local 560 and one worker representative selected by OPSEU Local 561 and two representatives selected by Management.  Newnham Campus shall be the exception and shall have three worker representatives selected by OPSEU Local 561 and three worker representatives selected by OPSEU Local 560 and three representatives selected by Management.  Where a Campus has no workers from one of the two OPSEU Locals, the other Local shall select both worker representatives.  At College locations where fewer than twenty workers are regularly employed, a worker representative shall be selected by the Union.  Alternates may be allowed, subject to the approval of one of the Co-Chairpersons.  Each party will supply a list of alternates.  A list of all current health and safety committees appears in Appendix "A".  A list of all satellite campuses and their affiliation to campus joint committees appears in Appendix "B".

1.2     The Campus Joint Committee shall meet regularly on an established schedule which shall conform with the following: there shall be a regularly scheduled meeting at least every 2 months at a mutually agreeable time.

1.3     There shall be a Central College Joint Health and Safety Committee (referred to hereafter as the Central Joint Committee) which shall consist of five worker representatives selected by OPSEU Local 560, five worker representatives selected by OPSEU Local 561 and five representatives selected by Management.

1.4     The Central Joint Committee shall meet on an established schedule which shall conform to the following:  there shall be regularly scheduled meetings at least twice during both the Fall and Spring academic semesters, with the first meeting to be convened in September of each year.

1.5     For each Committee there shall be three Co-Chairpersons, one from OPSEU Local 560, one from OPSEU Local 561 and one representing Management appointed for a term not to exceed two years and who shall alternate the Chair at each meeting.  Where a campus has no workers from one of the two OPSEU Locals, the other local shall select the Co-Chairperson.

1.6     A Co-Chairperson may, with the consent of his/her counterpart(s), invite any additional person(s) to attend the meeting to provide additional information and comment, but such persons shall not participate in the regular business of the meeting.

1.7    Campus workplaces having fewer than 20 workers shall not have a campus joint health and safety committee, but shall instead have a representative from OPSEU 560 and/or OPSEU Local 561 as required.  Such representatives shall report to and have voice but no vote on the campus joint health and safety committee which parallels the administrative organization of the workplace.
 

FUNCTIONS

FUNCTIONS OF CAMPUS JOINT COMMITTEE

2.1     To attain the spirit of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the functions of the Campus Joint Committee shall be:

(a)    to identify and evaluate all matters pertaining to health and safety in the workplace and recommend a resolution of any problem or potential problem to the Co-Chairperson of the Central Joint Committee, the College President, the College Manager or Health and Safety, the College President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561.

(b)     to encourage fully adequate education and training programs, in order that all employees are knowledgeable in their rights, restrictions, responsibilities and duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

(c)     to address matters related to Designated Substances Regulations and WHMIS.

(d)     to deal with any health and safety concerns, as specified under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
 

INSPECTIONS

2.2     The members of the Campus Joint Committee who represent workers shall designate one of the members representing workers to inspect the physical condition of the workplace or part thereof, accompanied by a designated Management member of the committee, at least once each month.  The workplace inspections shall be conducted on a schedule agreeable to both parties.

2.3     All health and safety concerns identified during the physical inspection will be recorded on an agreed-to appropriate workplace inspection form and signed by both members of the inspection team.

2.4     The workplace inspection form will be forwarded to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee, the College President, the College Manager of Health and Safety, the College President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561.
 

FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTRAL JOINT COMMITTEE

2.5     To attain the spirit of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the function of the Central Joint Committee shall be:

(a)     to review college-wide accident statistics and provide an opportunity for free discussion of potential accident problems and prevention measures that may be utilized in order to prevent accidents.

(b)     to identify and evaluate all matters pertaining to health and safety in the workplace and to recommend a resolution of any problem or potential problem to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee, the College President, the College Manager of Health and Safety the College President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561.

(c)     to recommend, advise, discuss and indicate support for College Procedures and Policies which promote Health and Safety.  Encourage senior management to make safety activities an integral part of operating policies and methods of various operations.

(d)     to co-ordinate the system of campus joint committees, provide any necessary advice to ensure the effective functioning of each campus joint committee.

(e)     to assist the College in the implementation of Health and Safety programs by encouraging staff support and thereby maintaining an interest in Occupational Health and Safety.
 

RECOMMENDATIONS OF JOINT COMMITTEE

2.6     (a)  The College President or designate will communicate in writing within 21 days, directed to the Co-Chairpersons of a Campus Joint Committee with regard to minuted recommendations of that committee by giving an assessment of the problem and outlining who is responsible for resolving the matter, along with a time frame in which the matter will be resolved.  At the same time, such written communication shall be forwarded to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee, the College Health and Safety Office and the Presidents of OPSEU Locals 560 and 561.

2.6      (b)  The College President or designate will communicate in writing directly to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee with regard to minuted recommendations of that committee by giving an assessment of the problem and outlining who is responsible for resolving the matter, along with a time frame in which the matter will be resolved.  Such written communication shall also be forwarded to the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561 and the College Health and Safety Office.
 

ACCIDENTS AND ACCOMPANIMENT

2.7     The Campus Joint Committee will designate members and alternatives, if required, chosen by those they represent, to investigate workplace lost time accidents.  The inspection team will be responsible for overseeing that requirements prescribed in Sections 25 and 26 of the Act and Sections 5 and 6 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments are carried out.  Where written reports of such workplace accident investigations result they shall be forwarded to the College President, the Union Local Presidents, and the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee.

2.8     The Local 560 and Local 561 representatives on each Campus Joint Committee will designate a member and/or alternate if required to accompany Ministry of Labour Inspectors while carrying out Ministry inspections of each campus.  The written reports including any orders following such inspections shall be forwarded to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee, the College President, the College Manager of Health and Safety, the College President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561.

2.9     The members of the Campus Joint Committee representing workers shall designate a member and/or alternate, if required, to attend work refusals at each campus.  The College President, the Union Local President and the Ministry of Labour and the College Health and Safety Office will be informed in writing of the worker(s) so designated.  The written reports including any orders following such investigations shall be forwarded to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee, the College President, the College Health and Safety Office, the College President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561.

2.10     The Union Locals shall forward to the College and the Ministry of Labour the names of such persons designated for duties under the above, and a list which sets out the order in which such persons are to be contacted in order to carry out their duties.
 

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

3.1     The Campus Joint committees will each designate a secretary from the membership, and the College will provide a secretary for the Central Joint committee to take minutes and be responsible for having the minutes typed, circulated and posted, within one calendar week of the meeting, or as the committee from time to time may instruct.  Minutes of meetings will be reviewed and edited where necessary, by the Co-Chairperson, then signed and circulated to all Committee members, a copy forwarded to the Co-Chairpersons of the Central Joint Committee, the College President, the College Health and Safety Office, the College President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Local 560 and OPSEU Local 561.

3.2     All minutes of both Campus and Central Committees shall be filed with the Central Joint Committee Co-Chairpersons and the College Health and Safety Office.
 

QUORUM

4.1     The Joint Committees shall have a quorum of 50%, plus 1 member present in order to conduct business.  One Co-chairperson must be present in order to conduct business.  If the Co-Chairperson is absent, the other Co-Chairperson shall Chair the meeting.  The number of employer members shall not be greater than the number of worker members.
 

PAYMENT FOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES

5.1     All time spent in attendance at Committee meetings or in activities relating to the function of the Campus or Central Joint Committees will be paid at the member's regular or premium rate as may be proper, and the time spent is to be considered as time at work.
 

MEETING AGENDA

6.1     The Co-Chairpersons will prepare an agenda and forward a copy of the agenda to all committee members at least one week in advance of the meeting.

6.2     The committees may accept any item proper for discussion and resolution pertaining to health and safety, except to amend, after, subtract from or add to, any terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

6.3     All items that are resolved or not will be reported in the minutes.  Unresolved items will be minuted and placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

6.4     All agenda items not resolved at the Campus Joint Committee shall be referred to the next Joint Committee Meeting.

6.5     Agenda items not resolved after two Campus Joint Committee meetings may be referred to the Central Committee.  If there is no resolution after two Central Joint Committee meetings, the Central Committee may refer to the Ministry of Labour by consensus of the committee.
 

GENERAL

7.1     All employees will be encouraged to discuss their health and safety matters, preferably in writing, with their immediate supervisor before bringing it to the attention of the Campus Committee.

7.2     Committee members will thoroughly investigate all complaints to receive all the facts and will exchange these facts when searching for a resolution to the problem.  All resolved issues will be reported in the minutes.

7.3     Health or trade secret information shall be kept in strict confidence by all committee members.

7.4     Any amendments, deletions or additions to these Guidelines must have the consensus of all members of the appropriate Campus Joint Committee and the Central Joint Committee and shall be set out in writing and attached as an Appendix to these guidelines.

APPENDIX "A"
SENECA COLLEGE CAMPUS JOINT COMMITTEES AS OF  JANUARY 1, 1991

CALEDONIA  CAMPUS
DUFFERIN CAMPUS
FAIRMEADOW CAMPUS
KING CAMPUS
KING MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
LESLIE CAMPUS
NEWNHAM CAMPUS
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS
SHEPPARD CAMPUS
YORKDALE CAMPUS

The following amendments were approved by the Central Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee at the November 19, 1992 meeting.

The purpose of the amendments is to provide a consistent list of recipients for:

1.    Joint Health and Safety Committee inspection reports
2.    Joint Health and Safety Committee minutes
3.    Ministry of Labour orders and reports

The revised list of recipients for the above mentioned items is as follows:

Recommendations and inspection reports from Campus Joint Committees; recommendations from the Central Joint Committee, minutes from both Campus and Central Joint Committees will be forwarded to:

• The Co-Chairs of the Central Joint Committee, the College Manager of Health and Safety, the College President, the President’s Designate for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Presidents of OPSEU Locals 560 and 561.

• the Co-Chairs of the Central Joint Committee, the College Manager of Health & Safety, the College President, the President’s Designate for Occupational Health & Safety and the Presidents of OPSEU Locals 560 and 561.