The Alberta Labour Relations Code covers all workers except the following industries:

  • Banking
  • Marine Shipping
  • Ferry and Port Services
  • Air transportation, including Airports, Aerodromes and Airlines
  • Railway
  • Road Transportation that involves crossing provincial or international borders
  • Canals
  • Pipelines
  • Tunnels and Bridges (crossing provincial borders)
  • Telephone, Telegraph and Cable Systems
  • Radio and Television Broadcasting
  • Grain Elevators
  • Feed and Seed Mills
  • Uranium Mining and Processing
  • Businesses dealing with the protection of Fisheries as a natural resource
  • Many First Nation activities
  • Most Federal Crown Corporations

The Canadian Industrial Relations Code covers anyone working in the industries listed above.  Please see the Joining a Union Federally section if you work in the industries listed above.

Five Steps to Joining a Union in Alberta:

Workers contact the union and meet with a union organizer.

  1. Workers contact the union and meet with a union organizer.
  2. Workers sign cards applying for membership in the union, and authorizing the union to represent them in negotiations with their employer. Alberta labour law require the union to collect $2 from each worker when they sign a membership card.
  3. If between 40 and 64.99 percent of the worker’s sign membership cards, the Alberta Labour Relations Board will hold a vote to see if workers want a union.
  4. The ALRB holds a secret ballot vote. Anyone who is in the bargaining unit the union applied to represent can vote. If the majority (50%+1) of workers who cast ballots vote to unionize, the union is certified.
  5. If 65 percent, or more, of the workers’ sign a petition then the Labour Relations will declare automatic certification without a confirmatory vote.
  6. The union will serve notice to your employer to begin bargaining your first contract.
    1. The local certification process is confidential. Employers are not entitled to know who signed cards. Votes are held by secret ballot.
  7. The local certification process is confidential. Employers are not entitled to know who signed cards. Votes are held by secret ballot.

If you need more information on joining a union in Alberta please visit: http://www.alrb.gov.ab.ca

If you are interested in joining a union please contact:

The Alberta Federation of Labour
Phone: 1-800-661-3995
Website: http://www.afl.org
Email: afl@afl.org

Building Trades of Alberta
Edmonton: 1-780-421-9400
Calgary: 403-279-9500
Website: http://www.buildingtradesalberta.ca

Disclaimer information: http://www.thecdlc.ca/education/help-for-workers/disclaimer/

The information on Joining a Union in Alberta has been gathered from the Canadian Union of Public Employees website.