Practical, principle-based online training & resources for labour relations in Canada
Principle-Based Labour Relations
LabourWyse’s flagship online course & daily guide for anybody working with a collective agreement
15 chapters • over 10 hours of lessons across 140+ short videos • written summaries for each • case studies to test your understanding
Principle-Based Labour Relations is both an online course and a practical, searchable reference for anyone who makes decisions under a collective agreement. Designed for Union and Employer representatives, from the frontline to the boardroom, it helps you navigate the day-to-day issues that arise in Canadian labour relations and make smart decisions. Engaging and easy to use, it provides clear, principle-based guidance to resolve workplace challenges and interpret collective agreements with confidence.
What is PBLR?
Principle-Based Labour Relations (PBLR) is designed to help both parties to a collective agreement work together using the same logical principles arbitrators rely on to resolve everyday disputes under a collective agreement. It’s a practical, straightforward approach rooted in logic, not conflict or emotion. Along the way, it also clears up common misconceptions that often lead to costly disagreements.
Across 140+ lessons, you’ll hear the word “principle” often. You will learn what they are and how they apply. We didn’t invent them—we’ve gathered them from decades of arbitration decisions and real-world practice and turned them into a clear, practical resource for non-lawyers on both sides of the table.
You can go through the 15 chapters like a course or jump straight to the topic you need. Whether it’s an accommodation request, discipline case, contract interpretation, or job competition issue, PBLR offers guidance to help you reach a confident, principle-based solution.
This course isn’t about forcing compromise. Instead, it shows what arbitrators consistently look for—because there’s no “union version” or “employer version” of labour relations. There’s just the version grounded in principles that hold up to scrutiny. And that’s what fosters mutual respect between the parties.
Watch the full intro video here for a better understanding!
What topics are covered?
Have a look at the table of contents!
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How does it save your organization money
Consider the cost of a single grievance arbitration. Between the arbitrator’s fees, legal representation, witness time, and internal prep work, one case can easily cost from $15,000 to $25,000 for both the union and the employer.
Now imagine if the union rep and manager involved had been working from the same shared principles from the beginning and using the same framework arbitrators use to assess cases. That’s what Principle-Based Labour Relations offers.
By giving users immediate access to clear, reliable guidance on interpreting collective agreement provisions, assessing rights and obligations, and understanding what must be asked, proven, or documented, etc., PBLR helps both sides recognize when they have a strong case, when they don’t, and where the solution lies.
The result? More issues get resolved early, more confidently and respectfully, and without arbitration. Renewing PBLR means ongoing access to an inexpensive resource that can prevent costly disputes before they escalate.
What’s coming
Principle-Based Labour Relations is LabourWyse’s first release, but it’s just the beginning. Additional courses and resources will continue to be added to the platform, some tailored specifically for unions or for employers, but always grounded in the same principle-based approach. There are also active plans to develop a LabourWyse mobile app, making it even easier to learn on the go and access guidance whenever and wherever you need it.
