Labour Relations Certificate
presented by Toronto Metropolitan University and Lancaster House
The Certificate in Labour Relations, presented by Toronto Metropolitan University and Lancaster House, is designed to provide labour relations professionals with the core skills and knowledge required to create and maintain effective union-management relationships that foster fair and efficient workplaces.
The Certificate program is chaired by Daphne Taras, one of Canada’s pre-eminent labour relations scholars. Prof. Taras has published more than 80 journal articles, book chapters, books, and journal symposia, and is known for bringing multiple disciplines together on important labour market and workplace issues. Dr. Taras lead the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University from 2018 to 2023 as Dean and has previously served as an expert advisor to the federal commission on employment standards, as a member of the Saskatchewan Minister of Labour's advisory council and as Chair of the Educational Relations Board of Saskatchewan.
This Professional Learning Program is designed for:
- Union officers and representatives
- Human resource professionals
- Mediators and Workplace investigators
- Consultants
- Lawyers interested in labour relations
- Managers
Upon completion of this program, participants will receive a virtual certificate of completion in Labour Relations from Toronto Metropolitan University.
This intensive four and a half day program covers:
- The labour relations framework in Canada
- The role of unions, management, and government
- The changing nature of work and the employment relationship
- Understanding communication styles
- Improving communication
- Differences among mediation, arbitration, and conciliation
- The sources of workplace law (caselaw and legislation)
- Differences in the laws governing unionized and non-unionized workplaces
- Major labour law decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada
- Understanding the arbitration process
- Rules of collective agreement interpretation
- Researching arbitration cases
- Landmark arbitration awards on discipline and discharge, human rights, harassment, privacy, drug testing, accommodation, and other timely topics
- Assessing credibility
- Conducting fair and effective investigations into allegations of misconduct, including harassment
- Establishing discrimination
- Accommodation as an employer obligation
- Undue hardship as a limit to the duty
- Accommodating employees with mental health issues
- Understanding the legal framework for negotiations
- Developing ground rules and bargaining strategies
- Exploring the differences between traditional and interest-based bargaining
- Exploring options for resolving impasses
Tuesdays |
February 4 – March 25, 2025
12:30 – 4:00 p.m. ET
(8 sessions over 8 weeks)
$5,495 CAD + HST
Virtual Program
In association with:
Lancaster House (external link, opens in new window) is Canada's leading provider of conferences, training, and information for labour relations professionals. Dedicated to making a positive contribution to labour relations and workplaces across the country, Lancaster House brings together union and employer representatives with leading mediators, adjudicators, and scholars to address important workplace issues.
The Centre for Labour Management Relations (opens in new window) (CLMR) at Toronto Metropolitan University promotes collaborative, ethical, innovative, proactive and sustainable best practices for labour and management to work better together in a way that results in greater productivity and profitability for businesses, improved job and income security for workers, and decreased inequality and injustice for all.
Agenda - TRSM Featured Faculty
Dr. Daphne Taras
Former Dean, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
Peggy Nash
Senior Advisor and Advisory Committee Chair, Centre for Labour Management Relations, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Pnina Alon-Shenker
Associate Professor, Law & Business Department, Ted Rogers School of Management & Faculty of Law. Ryerson Law & Business Clinic, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Avner Levin
Professor, Faculty of Law & Law & Business Department, Ted Rogers School of Management