Jurisdiction

"Staff relations" refers to the full spectrum of the relationship between employers and their employees. In some cases, employees have formed an employee organization to represent them in their dealings with the employer. Once it has been officially recognized, an employee organization becomes the employees’ bargaining agent, at which point it is the only entity able to negotiate the conditions of employment for these employees with their employer.

Staff relations in the federal public service are governed by the Public Service Labour Relations Act (PSLRA). The Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB) is the administrative tribunal charged with administering the PSLRA. It resolves disputes between federal employees and their employer on all matters pertaining to:

• unionization;
• collective bargaining of conditions of employment;
• requests for interpretation of collective agreements;
• unfair labour practice complaints;
• grievances filed by employees.

Parliament has also determined that the Canada Labour Code (the Code), Part II applies to federal employees. Part II of the Code deals with the rules governing occupational health and safety. The PSLRB is the administrative tribunal charged with ruling on all complaints filed by federal employees when their employer has imposed a disciplinary measure upon them for acting in accordance with Part II of the Code.

Staff relations at the Library of Parliament, the House of Commons, the Senate, the office of the Senate Ethics Officer and the office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner are governed by the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act (PESRA). The PSLRB is the administrative tribunal charged with administering PESRA. It resolves disputes between parliamentary employees and their employer on all matters pertaining to:

• unionization;
• collective bargaining of conditions of employment;
• requests for interpretation of collective agreements;
• unfair labour practice complaints;
• grievances filed by parliamentary employees.

Staff relations for military personnel are governed by the National Defence Act; for Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and special constables by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act; and for Canadian Security Intelligence Service officers by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act. Neither the PSLRB nor the Canada Industrial Relations Board is charged with administering these Acts. However, officers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service may refer their grievances relating to disciplinary actions resulting in termination, demotion, suspension or financial penalty to adjudication, in which case they will be decided ultimately by an adjudicator of the PSLRB.