The Labour Relations Act establishes the mandate of the Manitoba Labour Board as: an independent and autonomous specialist tribunal responsible for the fair and efficient administration and adjudication of responsibilities assigned to it under this and any other Act.
The Board consists of a full-time chairperson, one half-time vice-chairperson, five part-time vice-chairpersons and 30 part-time board members (comprised of an equal representation of 15 members from labour groups and 15 members from employer organizations).
The Board's responsibility for administration and/or adjudication can be categorized into two areas:
The objectives of the Manitoba Labour Board are:
The Board is responsible for the development of sound and harmonious labour/management relations by:
The Board has the additional responsibility of adjudicating on matters referred to the Board under The Workplace Safety and Health Act, The Pay Equity Act, The Essential Services Act, The Public Schools Act, The Elections Act, The Victims' Bill of Rights, andThe Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act.
The Board also has the adjudicative responsibility of dealing with referrals from the Employment Standards Division of the Manitoba Labour & Immigration. The Board adjudicates on disputes between employees and employers filed with the Employment Standards Division, pursuant to the various Acts they administer, and subsequently referred to the Board where they have been unsuccessful in resolving the dispute.
Although the Board conducts numerous formal hearings annually, a significant portion of the Board's workload is administrative in nature. Where possible, the Board encourages the settlement of disputes in an informal manner by appointing one of its Labour Relations Officers to assist the parties in resolving outstanding issues and complaints.