Members often ask how long it should take to hear back from a Labour Relations Officer (LRO) after leaving a message or sending an email. The answer depends largely on how urgent the issue is.

Because LROs handle many cases at once, they use a triage system to prioritize the most serious matters first. This helps ensure members facing urgent workplace issues receive help as quickly as possible.

🚨Emergency Issues: 24–48 Hour Response

Some situations require immediate attention and are treated as emergencies. These include:

• Workplace violence
• Terminations
• Picket line activity by another union at a WCB office

In these situations, LROs aim to respond within 24–48 hours.

What You Should Do

• Contact your LRO directly by email or phone
• Call the union’s main office and clearly state that the issue is an emergency

If you have not heard back by the end of the day, you can call the union office the following day to confirm your message was received.

⏳Non-Urgent Matters: 2–4 Business Days

For non-emergency issues, members should generally expect a response within 2–4 business days.

Because LROs spend much of their day in meetings, email is usually the fastest way to reach them. Emails are often reviewed sooner than voicemail messages.

If you have not received a response after four days, you can follow up by calling the union office to ensure your message has been received.

📦CALL-OUT BOX

Quick Response Guide

🚨 Emergencies
Response within 24–48 hours

⏳ Non-urgent issues
Response within 2–4 business days

📧 Best first contact: Email your LRO

☎ No response after 4 days?
Call the union office to follow up

⚠️Why You Shouldn’t Contact Multiple LROs

If you haven’t heard back right away, it may seem helpful to reach out to another LRO—but this can actually slow things down.

When multiple LROs start working on the same issue, it can lead to:

• Duplicate work
• Increased workload
• Greater risk of miscommunication

If your assigned LRO is on vacation, you will typically receive an automatic email reply directing you to the appropriate contact. Union office staff can also help connect you with the correct person.

How LROs Prioritize Cases

LROs triage their work to focus on the most serious issues first.

Priority order generally looks like this:

1️⃣ Emergency issues
Workplace violence, terminations, picket line activity

2️⃣ Serious employment matters
Duty to Accommodate (DTA) requests, suspensions

3️⃣ General inquiries
Collective agreement questions or workplace concerns

This system helps ensure members facing urgent workplace situations receive timely support.

📌 SIDEBAR

When Should I Contact My Steward First?

For many day-to-day workplace issues, your Steward should be your first point of contact.

Stewards understand the specific circumstances at your worksite and can often resolve concerns quickly.

Contact your Steward first for:

• Collective agreement questions
• Workplace concerns
• General guidance

Contact your LRO directly for:

• Terminations
• Suspensions
• Duty to Accommodate (DTA) issues
• Workplace violence

📊 SIDEBAR

Current Workload

LROs are currently managing over 100 Duty to Accommodate (DTA) requests, largely related to the employer’s return-to-work mandate.

At the same time:

• The union currently has four LROs
• Their positions are not backfilled during vacations
• Each officer is responsible for a large number of files

Your patience and understanding are appreciated as they work to support members and address urgent matters as quickly as possible.

🤝A Quick Reminder

Workplace issues can be stressful and urgent. Please remember that respectful communication and patience help ensure LROs can focus on supporting members and resolving issues effectively.

✔ In Short

• Emergencies → 24–48 hour response
• Non-urgent issues → 2–4 business days
• Contact your Steward first for general questions
• Avoid contacting multiple LROs for the same issue