Collective Bargaining

The Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB) is responsible for administering the collective bargaining process in the federal public service and in Parliament.

The Public Service Labour Relations Act allows bargaining agents to choose between two methods of resolving collective bargaining disputes:

• conciliation
• binding arbitration

Conciliation gives employees the right to strike under certain prescribed conditions, and is therefore often referred to as the "conciliation/strike route."

Binding arbitration culminates in an arbitral award (a decision) that is legally binding on both parties and precludes subsequent strike action.

Upon certification, a bargaining agent must choose one of these methods for every bargaining unit it represents and may change it before each round of bargaining. Regardless of the method chosen, the employer or the bargaining agent may request third-party assistance from the PSLRB in negotiations.

Under the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, binding arbitration is the only method available to parliamentary employees for resolving collective bargaining disputes.

The PSLRB provides information on the status of negotiations. You can search for current information by employer, bargaining agent, and bargaining unit.

See the fact sheet on collective bargaining for more detailed information.