Labour Relations Outlook

By Human Resources Team • Updated July 4, 2024

Perspectives From the Bargaining Table

The Labour Relations Outlook explores key themes in collective bargaining for 2024, such as projected wage increases and salary freezes and implications of the post-inflationary economic climate and anticipated slowdown.

Part II
Part I

Part II: Higher Expectations for Wage Increases Could Shift the Power Dynamic

The Conference Board of Canada’s Labour Relations Outlook for 2024 has been released in two parts. This briefing, Part II, explores insights revealed through a series of executive roundtables and interviews with labour relations leaders, encompassing both employer and union perspectives.

Issue briefing • 21-min read

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Key Issues Addressed in Part II

Inflation	Bargaining priorities	Member participation	Union-management relationships
Inflation and cost of living concerns remain top of mind for management and unions alike.	Top bargaining priorities for 2024, including wages, mental health benefits, and flexible work arrangements.	Increased member engagement and participation and reasons for these behaviours.	Anticipated strike and ratification behaviours are discussed.

Part I: Compensation for Unionized Employees

The Conference Board of Canada’s Labour Relations Outlook for 2024 will be released in two parts. This report, Part I, takes a quantitative approach, providing Canadian labour relations experts with a brief overview of the current economic environment, projected 2024 wage increases for unionized employees (broken down by region, industry, and sector), and projected salary freezes for unionized organizations in 2024.

Data briefing • 25-min read

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Key Issues Addressed in Part I

Economic landscape	Bargaining priorities	Wage increases	Salary freezes
Overview of key factors such as anticipated economic growth, inflation trends, and labour market projections.	Expected top bargaining priorities and challenges for 2024.	Projected 2024 wage increases for unionized employees, broken down by region, industry, and sector.	Projected salary freezes for unionized employees in 2024.