YOUR RIGHTS

YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO ORGANIZE A UNION

The Labour Relations Act (LRA) is the law that lays out how you can exercise your right to join a union, and sets out the rules for union-management relations. The LRA provides rules for issues such as:

  • The process for certifying a union as the official bargaining agent for workers in a workplace.

  • What types of issues can be included in a collective agreement. 

  • What employer actions are considered “unfair labour practices,” processes to resolve deadlocked labour negotiations. 

  • Rules for strikes and lockouts. 

  • Applications to the Labour Board to settle disputes about LRA.


To find out more about the LRA you can consult the Manitoba Government’s Guide to the Labour Relations Act or download the full Labour Relations Act.

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1. You have a legal right to unionize.

Everyone has the right to unionize under the Labour Relations Act of Manitoba. And that it's the workers who decide, not the employer.

2. Every employee has a right to join a union.

Every employee has the right to be a member of a union, to participate in the activities of a union, and to participate in the organization of a union.

3. Employers cannot fire an employee for partaking in unionization efforts.

Employers must exercise extreme caution when making their views about unions known. An employee CANNOT be fired for partaking in unionization efforts. That's against the law.

4. Can an employer speak to you about the union?

Your employer can speak to you about the union, but under the law they are not allowed to threaten, coerce, discriminate, make promises, impose a penalty, or do anything that stops you from making a free decision on union representation.

5. Do you have a choice to join sign a union card?

In any unionization campaign, workers have an choice to sign, or not sign a card, or exercising a vote for, or against joining a union. Unionizing a democratic process.