ABSTRACT This article examines the changes in workplace-level industrial relations resulting from the recent and unprecedented labour shortages in Québec, a province of Canada. Findings are based on preliminary results of an ongoing study of private-sector industries that have been struggling with this phenomenon. Based on a keynote presentation delivered at the 2023 AIRAANZ conference held at Magnetic Island, Australia, the article provides an overview and initial discussion of the impact of labour shortages on industrial relations. The study revealed changes in the negotiation dynamics, outcomes, and actors’ behaviour in the industries affected by the shortages. The balance of bargaining power shifted in favour of workers and unions, helping them to secure significant gains in collective agreements, principally – but not entirely – related to wage increases. While a tight labour market puts employers at a disadvantage, it is not all ‘win-win’ for workers who may, in some cases, see their working conditions deteriorate. The same is true for unions, for whom shortages can pose problems related to succession, management of members’ expectations, solidarity among members, and relevance.