Amendments Proposed to Manitoba Labour Relations Act

On July 6, Manitoba Labour Minister Becky Barrett introduced several proposed amendments to the Labour Relations Act. The proposed amendments will allow for automatic union certification if 65 percent or more of the employees of a firm have signed membership cards. It also establishes a process to send a collective bargaining dispute to a binding settlement process after a strike or lockout has been in effect for more than 60 days. A third proposal would expand the mediation and arbitration process.

The alternate dispute resolution mechanisms, as well as the binding settlement process, are extensions of the "first contract" legislation, which has existed in Manitoba since the early 1980s.A request by either party for alternate dispute resolution would be voted on by the employees, with an arbitrator or the Labour Board imposing a contract.

Public hearings are currently being conducted on the proposed amendments.