May Day—International Workers’ Day—has always been a time to reflect on the achievements of the labour movement. In today’s rapidly evolving world of work, it is also an opportunity for employers and human resources/labour relations professionals to look forward and think strategically about what lies ahead.
In a labour environment increasingly shaped by remote and hybrid models, artificial intelligence, digital workflows, and shifting workforce expectations, employers in unionized workplaces have a unique opportunity to collaborate with unions in shaping modern, adaptable, and equitable workplaces.
The Evolving Workplace: More Than Just a Location Shift
Across Canada, unionized work is no longer bound to the office, construction site, or factory floor. Collective agreements across both public and private sectors now routinely include flexible work provisions, reflecting a growing trend toward workplace modernization.
Notable examples include:
- AMAPCEO (Ontario Public Service): Alternative Work Arrangements that allow up to five remote days per week. Requests must be considered in good faith, and there is a right to dispute denials.
- CUPE Local 1750 (WSIB): A Home Office Program that permits 60% of work hours to be done remotely. The Program allows eligible employees to work remotely with employer-provided equipment and a one-time allowance to set up a functional home workspace. The program also outlines responsibilities for ergonomic compliance, workspace access on in-office days, and travel expense provisions.
- Federal PSAC: Telework provisions with dispute resolution panels to ensure fairness and transparency.
For HR leaders, this signals a fundamental shift in how we define the workplace, build culture, and deliver on both operational and employee-experience goals. Remote work challenges traditional models of supervision, performance measurement, and engagement—making proactive, trust-based labour relations more important than ever.
Co-Architects, Not Adversaries: The Model for Successful Labour Relations
The most forward-thinking collective agreements today are not born out of conflict—they are co-designed. Employers and unions are increasingly collaborating around shared values: flexibility, inclusion, productivity, and long-term sustainability.
Together, they are working to:
- Define what flexibility looks like across job types
- Ensure equitable treatment regardless of work location
- Proactively address the impact of technology on job design and job security
These efforts are critical in addressing not only the remote work revolution, but the broader transformations brought on by automation, AI, and generational shifts in the workforce.
What’s Next? Collective Bargaining in the Modern Era
To meet the moment, both employers and unions must come to the table informed, proactive, and future-focused. Here are key themes and emerging issues that should be top of mind for all stakeholders:
Shared Considerations
Topics that benefit from joint planning and shared understanding:
- Remote/Hybrid Work Frameworks: Clear policies on eligibility, expectations, and frequency
- Core Hours and Availability: Balancing flexibility with service delivery
- Home Office Support: Addressing equipment, ergonomic needs, and internet costs
- Right to Disconnect: Respecting time off, including time outside of working hours, vacation, leaves of absence and other paid/unpaid time off
- Performance Measurement: Fair, role-appropriate metrics in remote environments
- Health & Safety at Home: Ergonomic assessments and mental health supports
- Technology Access & Equity: Avoiding disparities across roles or locations
- Privacy and Cybersecurity: Safeguarding data while respecting personal boundaries
- Culture and Inclusion: Maintaining connection across a dispersed workforce
- Dispute Resolution Mechanisms: Processes to manage telework-related conflicts
Employer-Focused Considerations
Specific topics for human resources/labour relations teams and management to assess:
- Workforce Planning: Identifying roles suited to remote or hybrid models
- AI Strategy: Ensuring transparent, ethical implementation with reskilling support
- Change Management: Building capacity to manage ongoing transformation
- IT & Infrastructure: Ensuring tech readiness to support distributed teams
- Data Governance: Clarifying policies on use of remote-generated data
- Jurisdictional Compliance: Policies for working out-of-province or cross-border
- Recruitment & Retention: Using flexibility as a competitive advantage
- Union Engagement: Prioritizing proactive, transparent labour relations strategies
Union-Focused Considerations
Topics unions may prioritize in upcoming bargaining rounds:
- Job Protection and AI: Language around automation, redeployment, and retraining
- Remote Work as a Right: Advocating for flexibility as a standard option
- Workload and Well-being: Addressing new strains on workers caused by remote models
- Surveillance Protections: Guarding against invasive monitoring technologies
- Equity of Access: Ensuring all classifications can benefit from flexible options
- Classification Clarity: Preventing role creep or misclassification
- Health & Safety Expansion: Recognizing remote environments in workplace safety mandates
- AI Transparency: Demanding consultation on algorithmic tools and decisions
New Realities for Unions: Representing a Remote Membership
As unionized workforces become more dispersed, unions must adapt how they connect with and advocate for their members. Key challenges include:
- Building Solidarity Virtually: Fostering engagement and connection without a shared physical space
- Modern Communication: Transitioning to secure digital platforms for meetings, updates, and organizing
- Equitable Representation: Addressing disparities in who gets remote work opportunities
- Mental Health Advocacy: Responding to isolation, burnout, and workload issues
- Remote Governance Models: Supporting digital operations for union executives and stewards
- Steward and Executive Availability: Ensuring prompt availability of union executives and stewards to address member needs in the workplace, particularly urgent situations
- Technology & Privacy Protections: Monitoring the use of surveillance and AI in virtual environments
These shifts also require unions and employers to modernize how they maintain contact with one another and carry out the full ambit of labour relations. This includes revisiting how labour relations committee meetings, both formal and informal are carried out. It also includes revisiting communication channels, particularly for urgent workplace matters and day-to-day labour relations. Discussions around processes and procedures and adapting the collective agreement and long-standing practices in the workplace will go a long way. What is abundantly clear is that strong digital infrastructure and open communication channels will be essential.
Preparing for the Future—Together
Whether it is managing the rise of AI, negotiating remote and hybrid work structures, or addressing the evolving expectations of today’s workforce, the collective bargaining landscape is shifting rapidly.
For both employers and unions, the challenge—and opportunity—lies in embracing this change thoughtfully and proactively. The most successful labour relations strategies in this new era will be those built on partnership, transparency, and a shared commitment to creating sustainable and resilient workplaces.
Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand how collaborative, forward-focused approaches lead to stronger outcomes in the labour relations world — for operations, for employees, and for long-term labour stability. This May Day, the call is not just to reflect on how far we have come, but most importantly, how we all move forward together.
Here’s to building modern workplaces that work—for everyone.
Happy May Day.
