Labour Relations

Labour relations work lies at the root of our firm’s core business. While we have grown beyond our original area of expertise, we continue to be leaders in this field.

We provide labour relations advice, service and representation across all industry sectors—touching on all aspects of the Ontario Labour Relations Act and Canada Labour Code.

Services

Advice

We provide strategic advice and assistance to our clients on such diverse matters as:

  • union organizing drives
  • jurisdictional disputes
  • union certification
  • unfair labour practice allegations
  • sale of business
  • bad faith bargaining complaints
  • strikes and lockouts
  • conciliation
  • picketing
  • related employer applications
  • public sector restructuring

Collective Bargaining

We have extensive experience with collective bargaining and other forms of negotiations in both the private and public sectors. We regularly advise on collective bargaining strategies, draft collective agreement proposals and act as backroom advisors or spokespersons at the bargaining table. If negotiations falter, we help prepare for and manage a strike or lockout to avoid undue disruption to operations, including obtaining cease and desist orders or injunctions as necessary.

A number of our lawyers have extensive experience with interest arbitrations in a variety of sectors, assisting employers where strike and lockout rights have been removed by legislation, the agreement of the parties or back-to-work legislation.

Grievance and Arbitration

We advise and represent employers throughout the grievance and arbitration process, acting in over 1,000 different cases each year. Our work covers a full range of labour issues including:

  • discipline and discharge
  • seniority disputes
  • human rights and accommodation
  • contracting out
  • staff deployment
  • technological change
  • management rights
  • job evaluation
  • benefit entitlements
  • salary structure

The Hicks Morley Advantage

While some specialization within the broad range of labour relations and employment matters naturally occurs in each lawyer’s work, nearly all of our 120+ lawyers are involved in the principle areas of our practice: labour and employment. Drawing upon our wealth of expertise, we work strategically with employers to achieve positive working relationships with bargaining agents and employees.