Proposed Changes To CIRB Regulations

Federally regulated employers will soon see new rules and procedures when they appear before the Canada Industrial Relations Board (the CIRB), under proposed amendments to the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2001 (the Regulations) published by the federal government on November 17, 2012. Members of the federal labour community have until December 1, 2012, to provide feedback before the changes become final.

Objective

The proposed changes are part of a government effort to make the Regulations more clear, modern and practical. The changes are only to CIRB procedures, not to the substantive law practiced at the CIRB or to its revenues or resource allocation. Nonetheless, the changes may well affect employers who are engaged in essential services negotiations, who wish to intervene in cases where they are not parties, or who wish to keep documentation confidential during their proceedings.