The matter of photo red lights/speeding tickets is now concluded. In 2018, the Union undertook to challenge the City for its practice of making members pay red light & speeding tickets and then issuing progressive discipline. The City challenged this practice through 3 grievance levels and into arbitration, then had to defend the Arbitrator’s award at three different appeal levels. The City lost all appeals. The Union will commence distribution of the wrongly-collected fines shortly.

To be clear, the Union’s motivation for this grievance was the issuance of what we consider double discipline: drivers were expected to pay the fine and then were issued discipline on the employer’s Progressive Discipline scale. Our members would gladly pay these fines themselves, but the City insisted on applying progressive discipline as well. It was the City’s  choice.

We continue to be amazed at the resources the City incurred to pursue this case all the way to the Court of Appeal. With 50 lawyers on staff, this work was contracted out to outside lawyers. The Union’s costs for this action were close to $100K and while we don’t have actual numbers, we are convinced the City’s cost was much higher.

We also note that the fines collected from the City go, in large part to the City government, the remainder to the Provincial government. So, effectively, the tax payer is not out one cent except for the cost to the City to fight about it.

Congratulations to Daryll and the whole grievance team for taking on these important issues and sticking with them.