IDRL 215: Introduction to Labour Relations (Rev. C1)

IDRL 215: Introduction to Labour Relations is an introduction to the economic, legal, political, and social aspects of union-management relations, and serves as a foundation for other IDRL courses. Specifically, it looks at contemporary issues in labour relations and examines union organization and structure, labour legislation, and how collective agreements are negotiated and administered. It does so within the context of exploring the nature of employment and the key theoretical perspectives that inform the study of labour relations.

IDRL 308: Occupational Health and Safety (Rev. C6)

Industrial Relations 308: Occupational Health and Safety is a three-credit, senior-level course that examines issues of worker health and safety (and life and death) within their political and economic contexts and in the workplace. Over the past three decades, the field of occupational health and safety has grown and developed, and an extensive amount scientific and technical knowledge on the subject has accumulated. Nevertheless, conflicts among practitioners and scholars, on even the most basic questions, still persist. These disagreements are driven by inherent differences in interest and power between workers and employers (or labour and capital, if you will), which together form the conditions of industrial relations. Scientific arguments often disguise the real debate, which concerns the value attached to preserving the life and health of workers in the workplace. Occupational health and safety cannot be examined without also considering the power dynamics that operate both within and around the job.

IDRL 308: Occupational Health and Safety (Rev. C5)

IDRL 308 examines issues of life and death on the job within their political and economic context.

IDRL 309/LGST 310: Human Rights, the Charter, and Labour Relations (Rev. C2)

Industrial Relations 309/ Legal Studies 310: Human Rights, the Charter and Labour Relations examines the discourse and operation of human rights in Canada. Although our focus in this course is predominantly on “what is” (i.e., how human rights presently operate), we will also consider what “could be” through reference to natural law theory and proposals for minority unionism.

IDRL 309/LGST 310: Human Rights, The Charter, and Labour Relations (Rev. C1)

IDRL 309 / LGST 310 examines the impact that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has had, and will continue to have, on industrial relations. The course will be of interest to those connected with the labour movement, with management, or involved in industrial relations.

IDRL 312: Conflict and Accommodation (Rev. C7)

IDRL 312 is designed to explore the major issues in the theory and practice of industrial relations in Canada. It serves as a jumping-off point to explore other senior courses addressing issues of human resource management and industrial relations. There are three major themes in the course: Employment Relationships, Conflict and Accommodation, and Critical Analysis of Accommodation.

IDRL 316: The Practice of Labour Relations (Rev. C1)

Industrial Relations 316: The Practice of Labour Relations is a three-credit, senior-level course that builds upon the foundations introduced in IDRL 215: Introduction to Labour Relations and examines the topics of bargaining and arbitration in greater detail. It looks at both the formal rules and procedures involved in these processes as well as the informal dynamics that arise. It aims to provide a solid grounding in these two rather technical areas of labour relations. It provides insight into the practice of bargaining and arbitration by offering tips on how to navigate the processes. The course also examines how bargaining and arbitration fit into the broader context of labour relations and conflict between workers and employers.

IDRL 320: The Law of Work (Rev. C6)

IDRL 320 is a senior-level introductory course that examines the legal framework of labour relations and collective agreements, introducing such topics as:

the background and definitions of labour law
the history and present position of the Canadian labour movement
the role of government institutions in the shaping and administration of the law and industrial relations policy
the sources of labour law
the law relating to collective relations, which includes trade unions and their organizations
the right to organize
the collective bargaining process
industrial conflict
the nature and administration of collective agreements

This course is written primarily for non-lawyer practitioners, trade unionists and their representatives, managers, employers, and employees who are involved in collective bargaining in their workplaces. It is intended for those whose work requires a detailed understanding of the law governing labour relations, including collective bargaining, as well as those who just want to further their understanding of this important area of study.