"Ontario and British Columbia, Canada, have not seen a police strike in living memory. The reason for this is the mandatory interest arbitration model adopted in the two provinces, which sees disputes that cannot be resolved by mutual bargaining referred to a panel of arbitrators who assess submissions in light of statutory criteria. Police officers, and the unions who represent them, have utilized this model to increase pay and improve working conditions often, employers say, without regard to ‘ability to pay.' This article assesses that claim against the results that the model produces and how insiders understand the system as operating. Its conclusion is that interest arbitration has produced good results, especially for police and emergency workers and the community they serve, but the means of getting there have soured relations and may need reform to remain sustainable into the future."

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