Richard Martel practices labour law, specializing in grievance arbitration, consultation and prevention in the areas of industrial relations, anti-scab investigations, the negotiation of collective agreements, conciliation and dispute arbitration, complaints for unlawful dismissal, petitions relating to successor companies (section 45 of the Labour Code) and petitions regarding certification and the interpretation of bargaining certificates.
During the municipal amalgamations of 2001, he was retained to coordinate the legal activities of Ville de Montréal's transition committee's labour relations.
He then participated in the negotiation of all of the city's collective agreements, and led talks for the fire department's collective agreement.
He is currently acting as employer assessor in the dispute over the renewal of the firefighters' collective agreement (2007-2013).
He works in close collaboration with human capital management to negotiate collective agreements.
Mr. Martel represents businesses involved in all areas of economic activity, and more specifically in the following sectors: financial institutions, commerce, the hotel industry, food and housekeeping.
He represented the employer before the Supreme Court of Canada in Pauline Adam v. Daniel Roy Ltée 1983 1 S.C.R. and Syndicat national des employés de la commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ) 1989 2 S.C.R. 1048 (in the matter of Services ménagers Roy ltée).
Honours and Awards
- Recognized as one of Canada's best Labour and Employment Law lawyers in The Best Lawyers in Canada (2006-2012 editions)
- Rated as a "repeatedly recommended" attorney in the category Labour Relations - Management by the Canadian LEXPERT Directory
Membership/Affiliations
- Member, Québec Bar
- Member, Bar of Montréal
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Corporation of Industrial Relations Advisors of Québec
- Lecturer, Conferences on topics of current interest in labour law by organizations such as the Canadian Institute and Insight Education Services