When an organization is facing a potential strike, lockout or labour disruption, choosing the right strike security company can be one of the most important decisions made before the dispute begins.
A labour dispute is not a routine security assignment. It can involve picket lines, employee crossings, replacement worker logistics, supplier access. It may also involve replacement worker logistics, evidence gathering, police communication, legal strategy, and operational continuity. The wrong provider can create confusion, increase risk or leave the employer without the documentation needed to support its position.
A qualified strike security company should bring more than guards to a site. It should provide experience, planning, supervision, evidence collection, communication support and the ability to operate under pressure.
Review the Strike Security Company’s Experience
The first step is to review the company’s experience.
A strike security provider should be able to explain its project history, the type of labour disputes it has supported, the industries it has worked in and the jurisdictions where it has operated. This is especially important for employers with operations across Canada, where labour relations issues may vary by province, sector and site environment.
Employers should also check references. It is not enough to know that a company has worked on similar assignments. The goal is to understand how the provider performed under pressure. Did they communicate clearly? Did they stay organized? Did they help reduce confusion or add to it?
A labour dispute can become chaotic quickly. The people supporting the response need to be steady, professional and experienced enough to handle that pressure.
Define the Strike Security Scope of Work
Before hiring a strike security company, employers should define the scope of work.
Some employers may need strike security at access points. Others may need support with evidence gathering, executive protection, replacement worker logistics, supplier access planning, transportation, mobile patrols or coordination with labour counsel.
The company should be clear about what it expects the strike security company to do. For assignment with multiple service areas, the provider should show that it has the personnel, supervision and experience to handle them properly.
The key question is whether the employer’s goals and the vendor’s approach are aligned. A labour dispute requires a shared understanding of strategy, communication, risk tolerance and how the plan will be carried out.
Understand the Strike Security Company’s Strategy
A professional strike security company should have a clear strategy for managing labour dispute assignments.
Modern strike security should not be built around confrontation. The old approach of using physical size or force to move people across a picket line is outdated and risky. Employers should be cautious of any provider that presents confrontation as the solution.
A stronger approach focuses on planning, access control, communication, documentation and evidence gathering. The goal is to reduce escalation, support lawful movement, document incidents and help the employer preserve options if legal remedies become necessary.
Video evidence is especially important. Properly positioned cameras, trained personnel, still photographs, drone footage where appropriate, CCTV review and written reports can all help create a clear record of what occurred.
In British Columbia, the Labor Relations Board states that it has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether a strike, lockout or picketing is lawful, as well as whether an employer is using replacement workers contrary to the Labor Relations Code.
Source: BC Labor Relations Board
Confirm the Provider Has Enough Capacity
Capacity is another important factor when choosing a strike security company.
The company should ask where they fit within the provider’s project pipeline. A strike or lockout may be expected at a specific time, but the security company may already have other labour dispute projects scheduled across Canada.
This matters because labour dispute support requires more than manpower. It requires management attention, planning time, experienced supervisors, field leadership, reporting systems and ongoing coordination.
The employer is not only buying guards at a gate. It is buying the provider’s knowledge, judgment and ability to manage pressure. If a vendor is already stretched thin, it may not be able to give the employer the level of support required.
Evaluate Evidence Collection Capabilities
Evidence collection should be one of the main considerations when hiring a strike security company.
During a labour dispute, employers may need evidence to support injunctive relief, police involvement, civil action or internal decision-making. If picketers block access, delay vehicles, threaten staff, damage property or interfere with lawful movement, the security team should document those incidents clearly and properly.
Employers should ask how the provider gathers evidence. Do they use video cameras, still photography, drone footage, CCTV review, written reports, access logs, vehicle delay records or witness notes?
A strong provider will also understand continuity of evidence. It should be clear who collected the evidence, when it was collected, where it was stored, who received it and whether the original file was preserved.
The Canada Evidence Act recognizes that business records made in the usual and ordinary course of business can be admissible in legal proceedings, subject to the requirements of the Act and the court’s assessment. This reinforces the importance of disciplined reporting and proper record handling.
Source: Canada Evidence Act, Section 30
Make Sure the Strike Security Company Can Support Labour Counsel
A strike security company should also be able to work effectively with the employer’s labour lawyers.
Legal counsel may need organized evidence, incident summaries, affidavits, witness statements, video clips, still photographs, timelines and supporting reports. If the security provider does not understand how to collect, preserve and explain evidence, the legal team may have difficulty using it effectively.
The company should ask whether the provider has experience preparing reports, supporting affidavits and explaining evidence when required. Evidence is not only about capturing footage. It is also about being able to explain the evidence in a clear, credible and organized way.
Police Communication During a Labour Dispute
Labour disputes may also involve police communication.
Police do not usually manage the employer’s access plan or enforce picket line protocols simply because a company requests it. Their role depends on the circumstances, including public safety concerns, threats, blocked access, property damage or other issues that require police assessment.
The Toronto Police Service notes that police may help explain their role during a labour dispute, establish contacts with union and employer representatives, help prevent breaches of the peace through communication and document developments throughout the dispute.
Source: Toronto Police Service
This makes communication and documentation even more important. A strike security company should understand how to provide clear information to police without exaggerating, escalating or confusing the situation.
The Right Strike Security Company Protects Options
Hiring the right strike security company is not only about having personnel on site. It is about protecting the employer’s options during a high-risk operational period.
A strong provider can help with planning, access control, traffic movement, supplier coordination. It can also support executive protection, replacement worker logistics, communication, evidence gathering and support for legal counsel. By contrast, a weak provider may leave the employer with unclear reports, inconsistent communication, poor evidence, unnecessary confrontation and limited ability to respond.
At Western Protection Alliance, labour dispute security is not just about presence at the picket line. It is about helping clients prepare, manage access, document incidents, reduce escalation and maintain control during one of the most sensitive periods an organization can face.
If your organization is preparing for a potential strike, lockout or labour disruption, the time to evaluate a strike security company is before the pressure arrives. Once the dispute begins, every gap in planning, communication, capacity or evidence collection can make the response harder than it needs to be.
Sources
- BC Labour Relations Board — Strikes, Lockouts, Picketing, and Replacement Workers
https://www.lrb.bc.ca/strikes-lockouts-picketing-and-replacement-workers - Canada Evidence Act, Section 30 — Business Records to Be Admitted in Evidence
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-5/section-30.html - Toronto Police Service — Labour Disputes
https://www.tps.ca/demonstrations/labour-disputes/ - Western Protection Alliance — Avoid a Lawsuit: How to Choose a Strike Security Company https://youtu.be/WVozLKelRH0?si=V72deo_WfEctXKy4