Canada Industrial Relations Board

The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) is an independent, representation, quasi-judicial tribunal responsible for deciding federal labour relations issues through the interpretation and administration of Part I (Industrial Relations), and certain provisions of Part II (Occupational Health and Safety) of the Canada Labour Code. The CIRB promotes harmonious industrial relations through the impartial, effective and appropriate administration of the rules of conduct that govern labour and management in their representational and bargaining activities.

The CIRB deals with the complexities of labour relations issues to determine underlying causes of disputes and facilitate agreement among the parties. It has jurisdiction in regard to some 800,000 employees engaged in federal jurisdiction industries including: interprovincial transportation, broadcasting, banking, longshoring and grain handling, and to private sector employees in Nunavut, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

The CIRB undertakes a wide range of industrial relations activities in matters related to federal jurisdiction industries. These activities include certifying trade unions, investigating complaints of unfair labour practice, issuing cease and desist orders in cases of unlawful strikes and lockouts, rendering decisions on jurisdictional issues and dealing with complex situations arising from a sale of business.