A recent labour arbitration award has reinforced the importance
of honesty in industries where trust is an essential component of
the employment relationship. In such industries, any form of
dishonesty can justify the discharge of even a longterm
employee.
In Sobeys West Inc. v. UFCW Local 1518 (Cahoon
Grievance) [2015] B.C.C.A.A.A. No. 36, the grievor, a
unionized, parttime clerk at a Safeway store in British Columbia,
was discharged when he applied for and took an educational leave
under false pretences. He had 34 years of seniority.
For several years, the grievor had reduced his employment status
to part-time while working full-time with another employer on the
Alberta oil sands. He was able to accomplish this feat by taking
advantage of the generous leave provisions in the parties'
collective agreement; this resulted in him not attending work from
2012.
