Arbitrator Williamson Says Relevant Surveillance Evidence is Admissible… Period

On May 30th, Ontario labour arbitrator David Williamson issued a preliminary award in which he held that video surveillance footage taken of employees while on duty and in public places was admissible without proof that the surveillance initiative was reasonable. Although Arbitrator Williamson’s finding rests on some employer-favorable facts, he also makes some principled statements in favor of admitting relevant evidence.

See here for snapshot of the positions taken by Ontario arbitrators, a resource I will update in time.

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit v. Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 543.3 (Kavanaugh Grievance), [2011] O.L.A.A. No. 255 (Williamson).