ACTRA yesterday filed an appeal of a portion of a court ruling addressing its contract dispute with the trade association representing Canadian producers (the CFTPA).

“We welcome the judge’s ruling throwing out the CFTPA’s application for an injunction,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA’s Chief Negotiator. “But we respectfully disagree with the court about whether or not the producers’ association is correct about where further litigation needs to take place. The producers maintain that certain process issues should be before an arbitrator, while we maintain that labour boards should deal with such issues. The arbitrator will not be dealing with the substance of negotiations.

“This highlights the fact that litigation is not going to settle this contract. Court rulings lead to additional court proceedings. The CFTPA launched this litigation as an alternative to negotiating. It’s time for them to get back to the table and to bargain reasonably towards a settlement,” he said.

ACTRA has said throughout this dispute that it is always willing to meet with the CFTPA. The producers’ association broke off negotiations January 22 in order to pursue its fruitless application for an injunction, which was refused by the court this week.

The judge sent the CFTPA’s procedural complaints to an arbitrator. ACTRA has agreed to participate in that process. ACTRA nonetheless maintains that labour laws do apply to the IPA and the CFTPA, an important legal point the judge did not address in her ruling.

“Our notice of appeal concerns a point of law that needs clarification,” said Waddell.

“We are available anytime, anyplace to settle this dispute. We have waited in vain for a reasonable offer to settle. We’re still waiting,” he said.