ALRB ruling due on NHLPA application By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency

The Alberta Labour Relations Board will rule Wednesday on the dispute between the NHL and NHLPA over whether or not the hockey lockout is legal in Alberta.

It’s been nearly three weeks since both sides laid out their cases in an 11-hour session before ALRB Chairman Mark Asbell, who’s been weighing the arguments ever since.

The gist of the dispute boils down to Alberta labour code protocol - the PA says the league didn’t follow it, the league says it doesn’t have to.

Under provincial law, an employer and a union are required to meet with a mediator and try to reach an agreement, and if that doesn’t work, there is a mandatory 14-day cooling off period before the workers can be locked out.

The NHL doesn’t feel those hoops were necessary and says it will appeal if the ruling goes in favour of the players union.

robert.tychkowski@sunmedia.ca

@SUN_TYCHKOWSKI