• Negotiation of Collective Agreements
• Labour Law
• Employment Law
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Pension Plans and Benefits
• A Multidisciplinary Approach

NEGOTIATION OF COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS
We act as counsel and spokesperson during negotiations of collective agreements. We negotiate on behalf of a multitude of companies involved in various sectors, including the private, public and parapublic sectors.

We are aware that signing a collective agreement has a major impact on a company’s labour relations. We therefore develop negotiating strategies and prepare employer demands in close cooperation with our clients.

LABOUR LAW
Our team assists companies exposed to union raiding or that have received applications for certification, both under provincial or federal jurisdictions. We are asked to deal with issues relating to decertification, outsourcing or unfair labour practices. We also help our clients resolve the many labour law problems which arise during mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings. We represent our clients before administrative tribunals, such as the Commission des relations du travail and the Canadian Industrial Relations Board.

We have vast experience in the administration of collective agreements and grievance arbitration, and in particular with respect to disciplinary measures, dismissal and interpretation of collective agreements. We also regularly advise our clients on the day-to-day management of their employees and help develop strategic plans when necessary.

In the case of a strike, lock-out or picketing, we specialize in injunction procedures and in the defence of our clients’ interests faced with such pressure tactics. We regularly file motions for judicial review of boards and arbitrators’ decisions.

EMPLOYMENT LAW
BCF can provide you with practical advice on all issues involving employment law.

Our expertise and experience allow us to advise you with respect to human resources management, labour standards, employment terminations and layoffs, employment insurance, human rights and complaints of harassment or discrimination. Our team is able to give informed opinions which will prevent your conflicts from ending up in court.

Whether they are asked to develop corporate policies and by-laws, train managers or review a request for accommodation, our specialized lawyers can answer all your questions.

We prepare employment contracts for senior executives and are regularly asked to analyze the scope of non-solicitation, non-disclosure and non-competition agreements. If these agreements are not complied with, we use the appropriate recourses to have them enforced.

If necessary, we represent our clients’ interests before the courts or administrative tribunals, such as the Commission des normes du travail, the Commission des relations du travail and the Human Rights Tribunal.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Although the rules regarding occupational health and safety can appear overwhelming, the optimum management of a company’s human resources requires that they be mastered.

Our team of specialists can provide you with advice and training to reduce the costs associated with claims, in terms of classification, financing and duties. We also counsel clients on issues relating to workplace accident investigations, the management of the medical issues involved in a file, temporary assignments and an employee’s return to work.

BCF also regularly defends the interests of employers before the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail and the Commission des lésions professionnelles with respect to orders, fines or penal proceedings resulting from non-compliance with the legislative requirements regarding occupational health and safety.

PENSION PLANS AND BENEFITS
Although this subject may appear complex, pension plans and benefits are an important part of the employer/employee relationship.

Our team has recognized skills regarding pension plans and benefits.We advise employers in their day-to-day management of plans or transactions, pension committees, insurers and pension fund managers. We advise our clients at all stages of a pension plan and benefits, from setting them up through to their termination.

A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
BCF uses a unique multidisciplinary approach to offer its clients innovative and strategic advice. Our labour and employment law team works closely with the firm’s other professionals when any of the following expertise is required:

• banking and finance
• business immigration
• civil and commercial litigation
• commercial and corporate law
• domestic and international taxation
• intellectual property
• mergers and acquisitions
• restructuring and insolvency

Our many areas of practice are indicative of the depth of our expertise. However, the way the members of these areas of practice work in synergy is what truly defines our ability to efficiently and creatively manage the complex and often sensitive work we are asked to perform.