SGM is one of Canada’s leading law firms in the labour law field. We provide a full range of services to trade union clients in both the private and broader public sectors, as well as to a variety of employee and professional associations and labour federations. In all areas of labour law, SGM labour lawyers provide creative and proactive advice to our clients.

In the traditional labour relations field, SGM represents trade unions and their members before both provincial and federal labour tribunals. SGM represents trade unions in all types of labour board proceedings, including certifications, unfair labour practices, related employer applications and construction labour relations matters.

Grievance arbitration is a core aspect of our busy labour law practice. In addition to representing trade unions before single arbitrators and tripartite boards of arbitration, SGM also appears before the Ontario Grievance Settlement Board and the federal Public Service Labour Relations Board. We also represent trade unions in construction industry grievances heard by the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

SGM’s labour lawyers are also experienced in the area of interest arbitration and frequently act as counsel or as a union’s nominee in these proceedings.

SGM specializes in collective bargaining negotiations, and has extensive experience in government relations, including the process of legislative and regulatory change.

In addition to our traditional labour law tribunal work, SGM represents our clients in all labour and employment related matters, such as human rights issues, pay equity matters, pension and benefits law, workers' compensation issues, disability claims, employment standards disputes, and occupational health and safety issues. SGM’s labour lawyers and civil litigators also defend trade unions and their members against picketing injunctions during strikes or lockouts.

SGM has been involved in many leading labour law cases, including:

Lavigne v. OPSEU, [1991] 2 S.C.R. 211

CUPE v. Ontario (Minister of Labour) [2003] 1 S.C.R. 539

Metropolitan Toronto (Municipality) v. CUPE (1990), 74 O.R. (2d) 239 (C.A.)

Hewat v. Ontario (1998), 37 O.R. (3d) 161 (C.A.)