Province appoints panel to start review of Labour Relations Code

British Columbia (B.C.) has taken steps to review its Labour Relations Code, with the recent appointment of a three-member panel tasked with recommending potential amendments.

Labour Minister Harry Bains announced the panel’s formation, emphasizing its mandate to consult with various interest groups and Indigenous communities to gather insights on labour laws in the province.

The Labour Relations Code serves as the regulatory framework governing the interactions between provincially regulated employers and workers, including matters related to trade unions and collective bargaining, such as dispute resolution mechanisms. The three-member panel comprises Michael Fleming, a former mediator and associate chair of the B.C. Labour Relations Board, along with representatives from workers’ and employers’ interests.

Aligning labour laws with rest of Canada

According to the Vancouver Sun, Minister Bains highlighted the importance of aligning B.C.’s labour regulations with those of other Canadian jurisdictions, ensuring consistency in the rights and protections afforded to workers across the country. Notably, the last comprehensive review of the Labour Relations Code occurred in 2018, resulting in subsequent amendments in 2019 and 2022, as reported by the Ministry of Labour.

Sandra Banister, a labour lawyer and panel member, told CBC News the panel would likely hear about various issues that have changed work since the last independent review of the code conducted in 2018, including artificial intelligence, gig work, and remote work. Banister is hopeful the panel’s recommendations would be well-received by the government.

“It’s very important the labour code is balanced and creates a level playing field,” she said. “If the code is balanced, it works better for everybody, and no one feels their interests are being run over or ignored.”

Aligning labour laws with current work arrangements

The panel has initiated its outreach efforts, inviting submissions from labour interest groups and scheduling in-person and virtual hearings throughout the province. Submissions are requested by March 1, with the panel expected to submit its report to the labour minister by May 31.

Union executive Brynn Bourke of the B.C. Building Trades Council emphasized the importance of facilitating unionization.

“If you made changes to improve the access to collective bargaining, through things like creating a sector where people could participate and [creating] minimum conditions in a sector — that would open up a whole bunch of opportunities for people to have a say in their working conditions,” she told CBC News.

She suggests extending minimum standards across various work sectors to make unionization easier and advocated for enhanced successorship protection, ensuring that union rights persist even amidst changes in employment circumstances. Bourke also highlighted the need for modernizing the code to accommodate virtual picket lines, particularly in the context of remote work arrangements.

Furthermore, Bourke called for increased funding for the Labour Relations Board to improve the accessibility and efficiency of its services, echoing recommendations made during the previous review cycle.

Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment below.