Labour relations – Legislation

Regulations

The Labour Relations Code covers most employers and unions, including health care and construction. Regulations supplement this legislation, including:

Labour relations acts

The following acts govern labour relations for specific groups.

Public Service Employee Relations Act covers the bargaining relationships for:
- provincial government as an employer
- civil service
- Alberta Public Service
- provincial agencies, boards and commissions
- post-secondary support staff

Police Officers Collective Bargaining Act oversees law enforcement agencies and employees working in the province, excluding the RCMP.

Post-secondary Learning Act governs Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions.

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

Essential services

Essential services are public services if interrupted would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the public. These services are also necessary to the maintenance and administration of the rule of law and public security.

Essential services include:

Provincial public service
provincial agencies, boards and commissions
public health care, including ground ambulance
continuing care, medical laboratories and blood services
post-secondary faculty and support staff

Legislation

Essential services legislation allows strikes and lockouts by public sector workers, while still requiring ‘essential’ public services to be available to the general public during labour disputes.