Board dismisses request for injunction over Legal Aid changes

Legal Aid Saskatchewan can continue restructuring its criminal and family law offices in Saskatoon after the provincial labour board dismissed a request to halt the process.

One day after it heard arguments from both sides, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board announced that it rejected CUPE Local 1949’s request to halt the controversial shakeup.

The Labour Relations Board is expected to provide the reasons for its decision in the coming days and hear a separate unfair labour practices complaint filed by the union “on an expedited basis.”

Craig Gobel, CEO of the government agency tasked with representing vulnerable people in court, said he was pleased.

“We look forward to having the full hearing in order to finally vindicate the actions management has taken to improve the delivery of legal services to our clients,” he said in a statement.

Crystal Norbeck, the Reginabased lawyer representing CUPE Local 1949, said she was disappointed but is waiting to read the Labour Relations Board’s reasons for the decision before commenting further.

Legal Aid confirmed the restructuring — which is expected to result in six layoffs, three vacant lawyer positions remaining unfilled and thousands of files handed to private lawyers — in June.

While the government agency has said the changes are aimed at improving efficiency and helping keep people accused of crimes off remand, the union and some private lawyers have expressed concern for the agency’s clients.

Documents filed with the Labour Relations Board underscore the divergent views held by both parties, about the effects of the changes as well as how they were carried out over the last several months.