Collective agreements almost always provide a grievance procedure ending in binding arbitration, and that procedure is generally the exclusive route for contract disputes.
Steps. Written grievance within a stated period, escalating meetings, then a demand for arbitration. Time limits are enforced strictly, and untimeliness is the most common basis on which grievances are lost.
Arbitrability. Whether a dispute falls within the clause is generally for the court, with a strong presumption of arbitrability where the clause is broad; procedural questions such as timeliness are for the arbitrator.
Just cause. The usual standard for discipline. Arbitrators commonly examine notice of the rule, reasonableness of the rule, investigation before discipline, fairness of the investigation, proof, consistency of enforcement, and proportionality of the penalty.
Remedies. Reinstatement, back pay with mitigation offsets, and expungement.
Judicial review is extremely narrow: an award is enforced so long as it draws its essence from the agreement, even if the court thinks it wrong.
The duty of fair representation. A union must not act arbitrarily, discriminatorily or in bad faith in handling a grievance. An employee suing over a discharge must generally establish both a contract breach and a breach of this duty.