If a group of employees decide they wish to be represented by a union, they can do so by creating a new union or joining an existing one. This union then files a certification application. For further information on this process, contact the Alberta Labour Relations Board.

During certain time periods, employees may choose to be represented by a different or no union. Employees interested in having no union represent them file a revocation application during an allowed window or “open period”. If an employee-initiated revocation meets the Labour Relation Code’s requirements, the Board orders a vote on the matter. The affected employees are allowed to vote.

The Labour Relations Code requires each of the parties to a collective agreement to file a copy of the collective agreement with the Director of Mediation. To file a collective agreement, please submit a copy in pdf form by email.

Collective agreements are considered public documents and are available online. To begin searching, go to Collective Bargaining Agreements.

For more information on collective agreements, see Frequently Asked Questions.

Anyone can attend a Board hearing. As hearings do get cancelled or rescheduled on short notice, you should contact the Board to confirm location and time of any hearing. Upcoming hearings are posted on the Board website daily.

An application, complaint or reference must be filed in order for the Board to take action. For example, if a trade union wishes to become the exclusive bargaining agent for a group of employees, they file a certification application. Similarly, if a union and employer cannot determine if an employee should be in a bargaining unit, they may refer the question to the Board.

The Board has created a number of application forms. These are available in the Calgary and Edmonton Board offices. You can also download these forms from the Board’s website. Some applications are, however, made to the Board simply by letter. If you have questions about how to file an application, please contact one of the Board’s officers.

The Director will then appoint a mediator from a Designated Mediator Roster. The government pays for the first two calendar days of mediation.  After the second day, the costs are shared equally by the parties involved in the mediation. The mediator’s fees and expenses are paid according to the Fee Schedule.

To apply for the appointment of a mediator, complete the Mediation Application Form and submit it, along with the supplemental information requested, by email or mail to the address on the form.

When a union or employer cannot agree on a single arbitrator or chair of an arbitration panel, either party can apply to the Director of Mediation to appoint an arbitrator from the Grievance Arbitration Roster.

The Director will also appoint a member or “nominee” to an arbitration panel if either side does not appoint one. For further information on this process please contact Mediation Services.

Grievance and interest arbitration awards are public documents. If you are looking for a copy of an award, please contact Mediation Services and we will help direct your search.

The government provides a fair and balanced framework for labour relations and the resolution of disputes.

In addition to developing policy, the government provides information on labour relations trends and issues and on collective bargaining agreements.

Mediation Services appoints mediators to assist parties in resolving collective bargaining disputes and appoints arbitrators to resolve grievance disputes.

Mediators are appointed by the Director of Mediation Services from a Designated Mediator Roster. Once a mediator is appointed, their job is to assist parties in resolving a collective bargaining dispute.

If parties cannot resolve their differences through mediation, the Labour Relations Code describes the processes for strikes and lockouts, and various Dispute Resolution Methods including compulsory arbitration.

Alberta has several acts and codes that cover labour relations in the province. The Labour Relations Code covers most employers and unions, including those in health care and construction. Several regulations supplement this legislation, including:

• Construction Industry Jurisdictional Assignment Plan Regulation
• Construction Industry Labour Relations Regulation
• Market Enhancement Recovery Fund Distribution Regulation
• Regional Health Authority Collective Bargaining Regulation
• Horizon Oils Sands Project Designation Regulation

The following acts govern labour relations for certain groups:

Public Service Employee Relations Act – covers the bargaining relationships for the provincial government and provincially appointed boards and agencies and their employees.

Police Officers Collective Bargaining Act – covers police working in the province, excluding the RCMP.

Post-secondary Learning Act – governs the bargaining relationship between academic staff and the institutions that employ them.

Burial of the Dead Act  – allows the government to ensure continued service in the event of a strike or lockout that could affect the burial of persons.

The government appoints mediators and grievance arbitrators upon request by either or both parties.   See Mediation Services.

Alberta’s legislation provides Dispute Resolution Methods to assist in resolving collective bargaining disputes including mediation, Disputes Inquiry Boards and Compulsory Arbitration Boards.

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 to a labour dispute have recourse to a strike or lockout.

The Board website provides information on Strikes, Lockouts and Picketing including definitions of terms and answers to questions like, “Do my benefits continue when I am on strike or locked out?” and “What happens during an illegal strike or lockout?”

A designation under Part 3, Division 8 of the Labour Relations Code gives the owner or principal contractor for a major project in the province the ability to negotiate project labour agreements to complete the construction of the project. The corporation or other person wanting the designation applies to the Minister of Human Services. If granted, the designation provides the project with a “no strike/lockout” status and allows the owner, or its principal contractor, to negotiate project labour agreements with a union or group of unions.

The Minister determines what an applicant needs to submit in the application. Currently, the application requires submission of a form or letter including information about the project:

• The person making the request
• The project owner
• Description of the project including its location and duration
• A rationale for designation
• Scope of construction industry involved
• Estimated cost 
• Economic impact including estimated number of employees during both construction and production
• Bargaining relationships affected by the project, including contact information for relevant bargaining agents.

After review of the application, the Minister can forward the request to the Lieutenant Governor in Council if the Minister believes the project is significant to the Alberta economy. If the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers it to be in the public interest, it may then grant the designation through an Order in Council. For further information, see the Major Projects Designation Fact Sheet.