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January 1988 - April 2018

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What does the ALRB do?


The Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) is an independent and impartial tribunal responsible for the day-to-day application and interpretation of Alberta's labour laws.  The role of the ALRB is to interpret and apply the legislation governing collective bargaining including:

• how and under what conditions a trade union may claim the status of exclusive bargaining agent for a group of employees;
  
  
• how the employer and union must bargain to reach or renew a collective agreement;
  
  
• what kinds of union and employer conduct is prohibited; and
  
  
• when the parties may have recourse to a strike or lockout.

Labour Relations Board Designated as the Employment Standards Appeal Body

On October 24, 2018 the Lieutenant Governor in Council issued an Order in Council designating the Labour Relations Board as the Employment Standards Appeal Body in accordance with section 69(1)(b) of the Employment Standards Code.  The Order in Council is effective January 1, 2019 and the Labour Relations Board will commence hearing Employment Standards Appeals effective January 9, 2019.

Recent Appointment of Vice-Chairs to the Labour Relations Board

We are pleased to announce the following reappointments and appointments:

• Reappointment of Lyle S.R. Kanee, Q.C. as a Part-Time Vice-Chair;
• Reappointment of Ian J. Smith as a Full-Time Vice-Chair;
• Appointment of J. Leslie Wallace as a Part-Time Vice-Chair; and
• Appointment of Bertha Greenstein as a Full-Time Vice-Chair.

With these recent appointments, the Alberta Labour Relations Board includes a Chair, four Full-Time Vice-Chairs (including one who also serves as the Essential Services Commissioner), two Part-Time Vice-Chairs and 38 Board Members representative of both union and management.  All members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council for their experience and knowledge of labour relations.

Follow this link to view a copy of Order in Council 315/2018.

New Labour Relations Board Officer - Edmonton:

Please join us in welcoming Andrea Balon as the Board’s new Labour Relations Officer in Edmonton. Andrea joined the Labour Relations Board in October 2018. Prior to joining the Board, she worked as Manager of Labour Relations Research and Analysis with Treasury Board and Finance to support the coordination of collective bargaining across the public sector. Andrea also has extensive workplace policy and legislation experience, working for both the Labour Relations Policy and Legislation and Employment Standards Policy and Legislation units in Alberta Labour.  Andrea graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and holds a Master of Arts degree in Communications from Carleton University.

ENHANCED MEDIATION RESULTS IN FIRST COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT – Division 14.1 First Contract Arbitration Provisions of the Labour Relations Code

**DIFFERENT RESPONSES BY DIFFERENT MEDIATORS

Pursuant to The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees v. Well Being Services (Millrise) Ltd. [2017] Alta. L.R.B.R. BD-006 the Board ordered enhanced mediation as outlined in section 92.2(6)(c) of the Labour Relations Code.  This Order was in response to an application by The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees for first contract arbitration.  Terms of the Order were:

If the Mediator cannot achieve a collective agreement within 30 days of the commencement of mediation (or within such further period as the Mediator and the parties agree), the Mediator shall file a report with the Board which report shall indicate:

• matters resolved prior to mediation;
• matters resolved in mediation;
• matters outstanding;
• the Mediator’s recommendations with respect to the outstanding matters.

The Board shall be notified of any extensions of the time periods.

Mediator Deborah Howes mediated with the parties throughout March 2018 and her efforts resulted in a proposed collective agreement which proposal consisted of:

• terms agreed to by the parties prior to mediation;
• terms agreed to by the parties during mediation; and
• Mediator Howes’ recommended terms.

The parties were required to take the proposed agreement to ratification votes.  On April 25, 2018, Mediator Howes advised both parties had ratified the proposed agreement.

In issuing her report, Mediator Howes provided an outline which she used to guide the enhanced mediation process.  Mediator Howes’ guidelines for enhanced mediation are attached.  Mediator Howe’s guidelines are not Board policy and are not binding on other enhanced mediations. The Board thanks Mediator Howes for her work and congratulates the parties on achieving a collective agreement.

** In the case of Canadian National Federation of Independent Unions affecting Parkland Community Living and Support Society, Mediator -Cheryl Yingst Bartel took a different approach than that of Mediator Howes. Follow this link to Cheryl Yingst Bartel's letter of August 15, 2018 explaining the process she followed.

Occupational Health and Safety - Appeals:

New legislation affecting the ALRB was introduced December 15, 2017. The Board now has responsibility for adjudicating appeals of matters under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The Board has added a new Occupational Health & Safety drop-down tab above for easy access. Read further information here.

Amendments to Labour Legislation:

• Amendments to Labour Legislation
• Marshalling of Proceedings – Information Bulletin #26
• Duty of Fair Representation Amendments – Guidelines for Union Appeal or Review Processes and Revised Information Bulletin #18
• Review of Arbitrations - Information Bulletin #25
• Certification Amendments - Revised Information Bulletin #8