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Your collective bargaining agreement is a mutually agreed upon legally binding document between your employer, the University of Saskatchewan, and your professional association, Resident Doctors of Saskatchewan. Both parties have agreed to all the terms and conditions within the agreement, and agreed to uphold the requirements for the benefit of not only you the employees and your employer, but the patients you serve everyday. We continue to strive to make patient safety and employee safety the heart of the agreement, while ensuring you have every opportunity to learn and grow in your profession.
What if the collective agreement isn't being followed?
Sometimes it's a matter of miscommunication or misunderstanding. The first thing to do is to speak with your Administrative Resident, Program Administrator or Program Director using this website as a reference as to what should be happening with regard to the collective agreement, whether it's a scheduling issue or a request for time away, etc.
If there is still a lack of consensus on the matter, feel free to contact us to clarify the situation. Our staff will review your concern and get back to you. Your emails are confidential, and are only seen by our office staff. We will not act upon your concern without your consent.
Grievances
Most often, concerns with the collective agreement can be resolved informally through our office without filing a formal grievance. We will work with you to address your concern as appropriate, letting you know what the options are for resolution. We at all times work with respect for the well-being of all of our members as a whole, adhering to the collective agreement.
Sometimes, the concern may constitute a formal grievance. The grievance procedure is outlined fully in our collective agreement. The decision of whether Resident Doctors of Saskatchewan files a formal grievance on behalf of one of our members is entirely the decision of our organization. There are specific requirements and restrictions regarding what we will formally grieve, and any requests will be considered against these parameters. If the situation requires, the grievance details will be discussed with you by our CEO when reviewing your concern.
Disputed Program Evaluation
The collective agreement governs the employment aspects of residency. Academic disputes regarding program evaluation and performance can be appealed through the Post Graduate Medical Education (PGME) office's appeal procedures, rather than the collective agreement. If you have questions about whether Resident Doctors of Saskatchewan can assist you with your academic concern, please feel free to contact our office staff to discuss the situation in confidence. If we are not the right place to bring your concern, we will guide you to the appropriate resource.
Discrimination and Harassment
Resident doctors are covered under the University of Saskatchewan's Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy and Procedures. A resident doctor must, in accordance with the collective agreement, exhaust that policy before resorting to external avenues as may exist regarding discrimination and harassment.
Residents are covered under the Employer’s Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy and Procedures. It is agreed that a Resident must exhaust that Policy before resorting to external avenues as may exist.
Article 6.0
The parties to this Agreement recognize that their relationship is complicated by the fact that the Employer is first and foremost an educational institution, and that the facilities in which Residents train and work are the property of the SHA not party to this Agreement. Because the Employer cannot compel such corporation to comply with this Agreement, and because the Union must have a forum to address the terms and conditions under which its members are employed, the parties have committed to the following union-management protocols:
6.1 Phase One: Emergent Issues Discussion
Where a concern arises relating to actions, policies or directions of the SHA, and time is of the essence, collegial discussions should be undertaken as soon as possible between the designated representatives of the Union and the College of Medicine’s officials in the following order:
1. Program Director
2. Post-Grad Assistant Dean
3. Dean (or designate)
In this Phase, the intention of the parties is to identify issues and seek the assistance of the College of Medicine (COM) in clarifying/correcting/resolving the issue(s). It is understood that the COM will engage the SHA in an effort to achieve a timely result and that such result will be reported back to the Union as soon as practicable.
Matters referred to Phase One are not subject to the grievance procedure provided in this Agreement.
6.2 Phase Two: JCC – Evolving Issues Within University Jurisdiction
A Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) shall be established with a maximum of four (4) members appointed by each of the Employer and the Union. The JCC shall meet at the request of either party. There will be no requirement as to quorum so long as each party to this Agreement is represented. There will be no voting, and each party is responsible for its own notes. Where possible, agenda items should be shared in advance of the actual meeting. The goals and objectives of the JCC shall include:
While the JCC shall not be a forum for the discussion of grievances, per se, matters originally raised in Phase Two may be elevated to the grievance procedure in Phase Three by either party provided that this is done in writing within thirty (30) days of the date of the JCC discussion of the same and that the matters relate to the alleged violation of one (1) or more provisions of this Agreement.
6.3 Phase Three: Grievance Procedure – Contractual Disputes
A dispute regarding the application or interpretation of this Agreement with respect to non-academic matters, or a contention that formal discipline has been applied without just cause may be referred by a Resident, through the Union, to the grievance procedure. The Union or the Employer may also commence a policy grievance regarding a matter of general application or interpretation. A Resident shall have the right to Union representation at any stage of the grievance procedure.
6.3.1 Step One: Initiation of Grievance
A written statement of grievance must be filed within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of occurrence of the matter which gives rise to the complaint or when the JCC has completed discussion of the matter as the case may be. The Union shall file such grievance with the Assistant Dean, Post-Grad Medical Education, or designate. The Employer shall file such grievance with the President or Chief Executive Officer of the Union. The party receiving a grievance shall have fourteen (14) calendar days to respond. In the event no response is forthcoming, the grievance will advance to the next step.
6.3.2 Step Two: Review
If the party that initiated the grievance considers the response of the other party unsatisfactory, the matter may be referred to Step Two, where a review meeting or meetings will occur, commencing within thirty (30) days of such reference. The meeting or meetings will involve, at a minimum, the Associate Vice-President, People and Resources of the Employer and the President of RDoS, or their designates. Every effort will be made to negotiate a settlement to the grievance.
If the grievance cannot be resolved, either party may refer the matter to arbitration within thirty (30) days of the last Step Two meeting relating to it.
6.3.3 Step Three: Arbitration
Failing resolution of a grievance at Step Two, the matter may be referred to arbitration by means of written notice from the referring party to the other party. The appropriate representatives to receive such notice shall be the Associate Vice-President, People and Resources and the President of the Union respectively. The notice shall contain at least one (1) proposed arbitrator to hear and decide the matter. The party receiving the notice shall respond with agreement to a proposed arbitrator, or, alternatively, the name of one (1) or more proposed arbitrator(s). In the event that the parties are not able to reach agreement upon an arbitrator within thirty (30) calendar days from the giving of the notice, either party may request that the Chair of the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board appoint an arbitrator.
No person who has a pecuniary interest in the arbitration or has acted as solicitor or counsel to either party within twelve (12) months of the date of the grievance shall be eligible to act as arbitrator. The parties will equally share the expenses and fees relative to the arbitration hearing, and each will bear their own costs as to representation and witnesses.
The arbitrator shall determine the procedure to be followed but in so doing will afford the parties a reasonable opportunity to present sworn evidence as well as argument. The arbitrator shall have no jurisdiction to amend, alter, enlarge, reduce or modify this Agreement, or to render any academic judgment. The arbitrator shall hear and determine the dispute and issue whatever decision is deemed just and equitable, such decision being final and binding upon all parties involved, subject only to judicial review by the Court of Queen’s Bench. It is expected that the arbitrator will render a written decision within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the hearing.
All time limits in this procedure may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, reduced to writing. Officers of the Union and, where applicable, a griever represented by the Union, shall be allowed reasonable and necessary time off without loss of pay to attend meetings relating to a grievance. This provision does not extend to arbitration hearings or proceedings before the Labour Relations Board or the Courts.
No Resident shall suffer any prejudice as a consequence of recourse to this grievance procedure. A complaint that any such prejudice has occurred shall be commenced at Step Two of this procedure.
Article 19.2
No Resident shall be suspended or dismissed from their academic program without cause. Suspension or dismissal from an academic program for non-academic reasons may be grieved by the Resident pursuant to Article 6.
Article 19.3
In the event of a dispute regarding a written evaluation of a Resident’s academic performance, the Resident may access the appeal process set out in the College of Medicine’s policies and procedures, which are not part of this Collective Agreement and which are not collectively bargained, pursuant to Article 3.3.