A team of prosecutors and prosecution coordinators working for the City of Brampton have successfully gained the right to unionize, thanks to a ruling from the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
In a decision on May 20, the board determined that licensed paralegals are allowed to form unions under Ontario’s Labour Relations Act. Advocates for labor say this could impact thousands of workers across the province.
The newly formed union consists of 11 paralegals employed by the City of Brampton. The Canadian Union of Public Employees submitted its application for certification in February 2024.
Paralegals are independent legal professionals with licenses who can provide legal advice, draft documents, and represent clients in certain courts and tribunals.
“This is an important decision, not only for these 11 paralegals who fought for two years to join a union, but for 10,000 paralegals across Ontario who now have a legally recognized right to form unions,” said Jordan Christenson, an organizer with CUPE. “Paralegals, like all workers, deserve a voice in their workplace and the protection of a union. Now that avenue is open to them.”
The ruling comes after legal discussions heard by the Ontario Labour Relations Board in June 2024 about whether paralegals should be excluded from unionization rights under provincial labor law.
CUPE argued that licensed paralegals should receive the same protections as other employees. Meanwhile, the case focused on whether their professional status placed them outside the reach of this legislation.
Ultimately, the board sided with the union; CUPE claims this opens up opportunities for licensed paralegals throughout Ontario to organize and pursue collective bargaining rights.
This case is likely to have wider implications beyond Brampton, especially for paralegals working in municipal prosecution offices, legal clinics, and private businesses throughout the province.
The City of Brampton has yet to make any public comments regarding this ruling.
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