Overview
This is an introductory course which focuses on the key factors which shape work and employment relations in Canada. Topics covered include aspects of labour and employment law, labour relations, human resources management, human behaviour in organizations, and labour markets and labour policies that govern workplace relations.
This course is part of the . The Certificate focuses on core elements of the field of work and employee-management relations, while taking account of social science perspectives from economics, law, management, and history. The Certificate provides a broad foundation in the field of employment relations, including the areas of labour/employment law, labour-management relations, conflict management and negotiations, human resources management, and labour policy. Taken together, these courses and the resulting Certificate form the basis for a recognized university credential that will support students who are seeking entry level jobs in labour relations and human resources management after leaving Queen鈥檚.
This course involves teamwork, which鈥痵trengthens鈥痵ought-after鈥痶ransferable skills, including鈥痗ommunication,鈥痳elationship building,鈥痑daptability,鈥痗onflict resolution,鈥痑nd more.鈥疭tudents鈥痺ill be asked to work with peers on鈥痑ctivities contributing to graded assessments, with synchronous and asynchronous collaboration and engagement.鈥疭tudents鈥痗an鈥痚xpect to鈥痓e鈥痝raded鈥痑s Individually on their submission and individually on a peer evaluation of their teamwork skills.鈥疩ueen鈥檚 University and the鈥痶eaching鈥痶eam are committed to鈥痵upporting students with鈥痵trategies to succeed in a team-based setting.鈥
Please note: This course is typically offered in the winter term
Unions currently represent roughly thirty percent of the Canadian workforce, but the鈥痩abour鈥痬ovement has a profound impact on all workplaces, both union and non-union. Studying unions involves a very different perspective from other disciplinary fields in employment relations, such as human resource management. For scholars and practitioners of鈥痩abour鈥痳elations, conflict is a natural feature of the employment relationship. While employees share some interests with employers, there are also diverging and conflicting interests between the parties. To study unions and鈥痩abour鈥痳elations, this course uses this pluralist perspective to analyze why workers form unions, how unions advocate for and represent employees, and what skills employers need to manage unionized workplaces.鈥
Course Topics
惭辞诲耻濒别鈥&苍产蝉辫; | 罢辞辫颈肠鈥&苍产蝉辫; |
1鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Introduction to Labour Relations鈥 |
2鈥&苍产蝉辫; | The鈥痚conomic, social, and legal鈥痚nvironment鈥 |
3鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Employers鈥痑nd managers鈥 |
4鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Unions鈥痑nd employees鈥 |
5鈥&苍产蝉辫; | The roles of government鈥 |
6鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Union organizing and certification鈥 |
7鈥&苍产蝉辫; | The collective agreement鈥 |
8鈥&苍产蝉辫; | 狈别驳辞迟颈补迟颈辞苍蝉鈥&苍产蝉辫; |
9鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Strikes, lockouts, and contract dispute resolution鈥 |
10鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Administration of the collective agreement鈥 |
11鈥&苍产蝉辫; | Public sector labour relations鈥 |
12鈥&苍产蝉辫; | The future of unions鈥 |
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, successful learners should be able to:鈥
Describe the legal framework governing union certification procedures and union-management relations in Canada.鈥
Critically assess the various management strategies related to unionized workplaces.鈥
Discuss the role of the collective agreement in unionized workplaces and interpret the application of contract language.鈥
Critically analyze unions and their impacts on employees and firms in Canada.鈥
Critically analyze and communicate employment relations and workplace issues鈥
Apply labour relations theories to resolve鈥痗onflict and鈥痑ddress problems.鈥
Terms
Evaluation
0% - Self-Assessment Quizzes (6)
20% - Current Event Discussion - Peer Discussion (2)
25% - Case Analysis - Individual Submission with Optional Group Work
25% - Simulation - Individual Submission with Group Work
30% - Proctored Final Exam
2% - Exit Tickets (2 out of 3) (BONUS)
**Evaluation subject to change**
Live Sessions
This course has required live sessions (e.g. webinars, synchronous activities). Please consult the Timeline in the first week of class.
Proctored Exams
If a student is enrolled in ONLY online courses (section 700), they may choose either of the following options to write the exam:
- Write the final exam online: you will write in onQ with Examity proctoring. A $100 online exam fee will be charged to your SOLUS account.
- Write the final exam in-person: you will write on Queen鈥檚 campus in Kingston. You will not be charged an extra fee to write on campus.
If a student is enrolled in ANY in-person courses (section 001, 002, etc), you MUST write all your final exams in-person on Queen鈥檚 campus, including for an online course. You may not choose to write your exams online.
Textbook and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
- Suffield, Larry and Gannon, Gary. (2023). Labour Relations, 6th Edition. Pearson Canada Inc. Toronto.
Time Commitment
Students can expect to spend approximately 10 hours a week (120 hours per term) in study, listening and online activity for this course.
Testimonials
鈥淚t was a lot of information to cover but I thought that it was formatted in way that made it easier to grasp. I appreciated the real-life examples and video links.鈥
鈥淕reat course....Podcasts, blogs, forums were well organized/informative. [The] simulation exercise was one of the most creative assignments I鈥檝e completed at Queen鈥檚 yet. More courses should have such interactive learning experiences.鈥