Prepared by
Kenda Murphy, LL.B KMurphy Consulting and
Mercedes Watson, B.F.A., M.A., C.Med Thought Department Inc.

Chapter
3

Chapter 3 Objectives
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 Describe the geographic, cultural, economic, and political factors that are relevant to Canada
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Identify the major events in Canadian labour history
Understand the role of craft and industrial unionism in shaping Canadian union structure
 Discuss how American unions have influenced
Canadian unions
 Identify some of the regional differences in
Canadian labour history

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Physical geography
Cultural mix
Economic system
─ Primary industries (forestry, fishing, mining)
─ Secondary industries (construction and steel)
─ Tertiary industries (service industries)
 Political structure
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Informal workers’ groups formed as early as 1827
The period of local unionism
 Earliest attempts to organize followed the model which was localized and involved small groups of workers craft union
 These unions sought to protect wages for skilled workers and thus to control labour markets
 Canada's export activity increased the demand for quality tradespeople’s work
 Did not encourage non-skilled workers or non-trade occupations

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An alternative organizing model emerged — industrial unionism
Focused on “strength in numbers”
Maximized power by recruiting as many members as possible, regardless of occupation
 The expansion of the Canadian labour movement came through affiliations with international unions
(mainly US-based)
 In the mid to late 1800s came the continental movement of American-based international unions entering central Canada

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Unions began to work on common goals —
Nine-Hour Movement (1872)
There was virtually no law in Canada governing industrial relations issues; British government used monopoly law to try to curtail union growth
In 1871, Britain passed the Trades Union Act ; a Canadian version was later passed
Nine-Hour Movement created inter-union networks inspired by the first federations of trade unions

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Knights of Labor entered Canada in 1881 —first international industrial union to do so
Trades and Labour Congress (TLC) was formed in 1883; it effectively lobbied for legislative reform for all workers
Papal letter was issued in Quebec denouncing
Knights of Labor
Catholic Church in Quebec was accused of interfering with union organizing and membership until bishops intervened

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Work evolved from rural-based to urban, centralized factory-based
U.S. ownership of industries increased the distance between the employer and the Canadian worker
Federal Conciliation Act (1900) conferred the power to appoint third-party intervenors or commissions of inquiry to help resolve labour disputes
The railways saw union expansion which brought an increase in strikes
As a result of increased railway strikes the
Industrial Disputes Investigation Act passed in 1907

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Significant strike activity in Atlantic Canada with
411 strikes recorded between 1901 and 1914
By 1914 American-based unions accounted for about
80% of Canadian union membership
Extensive organizing by Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
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The industrial activity related to the war made unionization more attractive to Canadian workers
While unionism was gaining favour, workers felt that their concerns were not being adequately addressed
Their ability to strike was limited by expanded powers of the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act
Controversy over conscription (forced enrolment in the military)
Death of Albert “Ginger” Goodwin labour organizer in B.C.

The World War Era
• The Winnipeg General Strike (May 15,1919)
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Was the first extended, large-scale general strike involving workers from many different occupations and unions
30,000
–35,000 unionized and non-unionized workers walked off their jobs
 A committee representing employers and all three levels of government attempted to force strikers back to work
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The World War Era
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 Parliament passed emergency amendment to the Immigration Act allowing for
─ immediate deportation of immigrants;
─ police to arrest on basis of suspicion (and not evidence);
─ the burden of proof of innocence to be placed on the accused rather than the state
 Strike ended June 25 with an agreement but it did not end well for unions

The World War Era
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In Quebec, at the end of the decade, unions gained strength because of the influence of the Catholic Church
In 1921, so-called Catholic unions formed the
Confédération des travailleurs catholiques du Canada (CTCC)
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The CTCC was involved in several high profile strikes, at least one of which (1949) ended well for mineworkers
In 1961, it became the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)/Confederation of National Trade
Unions (CNTU) , which still exists today

After the First World War
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Canadian unions faced many difficulties after the First
World War, including:
 Widespread unemployment and wage cuts
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Disunity within the union movement
A poor agricultural market, the U.S. stock market crash
(1929), and the subsequent Great Depression
Also experienced some positive developments:
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Skilled workers were still needed and were able to maintain unionization as craftspeople
“Industrial councils” were formed which included less-skilled workers
 Communities of ethnic immigrants within occupations created networks for support and information

After the First World War
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Unemployed workers formed associations to lobby for better support and to end governmentrun “relief camps”
“On to Ottawa” trek demonstrated resistance to “relief camps”
“Bloody Sunday” riot in Vancouver
Communist Party and radical politics influenced
Canadian unions

After the First World War
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This 1925 ruling by the British Privy Council settled the question of federal and provincial jurisdiction over labour relations
Federal government’s jurisdiction over labour relations extended only to federally regulated industries
 Ruling hampered development of Canadian unions
 Established separate provincial and federal jurisdictions for labour law

After the First World War
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• The Wagner Act (1935)
 U.S. laws introduced by President Franklin Roosevelt guaranteed 3 basic rights to U.S. union members
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The right to organize
The right to collective bargaining
The right to strike without employer harassment
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Employers were forced to recognize a union that had the support of the majority of workers
Became the model on which many Canadian labour codes are based

After the First World War
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Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) formed in US in 1935
Caused dissent among Canadian unions when
Trades and Labour Congress was forced to expel
CIO-affiliated unions
CIO opened Canadian office and organized many industries in Canada
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (predecessor to New Democratic Party) elected first members to
Parliament in 1935

The Second World War
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WW II saw employment increasing along with increased production
The jurisdiction of the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act was expanded in 1939 to allow the government increased control over industrial relations
A strike vote was required to make any strike legal but in return the government introduced wage and price controls
Unionization rates increased significantly during the war as did strike activity

The Second World War
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Canadian Congress of Labour (CCL) formed in 1940 and gave Canada two national labour federations: CCL; and Trades and Labour Congress (TLC)
One of every three union members on strike by 1943
High level of strike activity led to demands for improved labour legislation

The Second World War
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• In 1944, the federal government passed P.C. 1003
It was modelled on the Wagner Act
The significant features of P.C. 1003 were compulsory bargaining and the right of employee representatives to be recognized as certified agents
Similar acts were passed by Quebec and B.C.

After the Second World War
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• After the war there were fears of an economic collapse
But there were more government safeguards than after WW I
The Rand Formula was developed in 1945
 Union dues would be automatically deducted from every worker’s pay cheque, but individuals would be allowed to opt out of union membership
 The Rand Formula was being used by 90 percent of Canadian unions by 1950
By 1950, nearly every province had a labour code

After the Second World War
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 An illegal strike, supported by Catholic churches and the Archbishop of Montreal
 Quebec Premier Duplessis sent armed police to community of Asbestos; strikers responded by beating company officials and dynamiting company property
 After company hired replacement workers, strikers attacked the mines and the police; over 200 were arrested

After the Second World War
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 A settlement was negotiated
 Served notice to the world that the Catholic unions were no less militant than their secular counterparts
 Marked the end of the formal relationship between the Catholic Church and the Quebec union movement

The 1950s and 1960s
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Period of growth and development for unions, remarkably free from labour conflict
The TLC and CCL merged in 1956 to create the Canadian
Labour Congress (CLC)
The predominantly international unions became increasingly bureaucratized and centralized
Some high-profile and bitter strikes
Early 1960s saw extensive public sector union organizing
Federal government passed the Public Service Staff
Relations Act in 1965

The 1950s and 1960s
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During the same period, para-public sector workers also organized on a large scale
Some joined existing public-sector unions, but others joined the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Also during this period, changing technology affected workplaces and reduced or eliminated occupations

The 1970s and 1980s
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In the early 1970s unemployment and inflation rose, and markets outside North America became more important
Unions were blamed for inflation and lower productivity
1975 saw wage and price controls imposed for 3 years, which resulted in increased strike activity
In 1982, the federal government suspended public servants’ bargaining rights for 2 years

The 1970s and 1980s
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Early 1980s saw:
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Increased interest rates to fight inflation
High unemployment
Restricted social programs
Cutbacks in powers of public sector unions
Charter of Rights and Freedoms passed in 1982
Conservative federal government in 1984 created a hostile atmosphere for unions
Several high-profile private sector strikes
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The 1970s and 1980s
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 The Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) formed as alternative to the CLC
 Other unions formed the Canadian Federation of
Labour (CFL) (1982 –1997)
 In 1985 Canadian locals of the United Auto Workers split from U.S. parent union to form the Canadian
Auto Workers
 Trend toward Canadian control of Canadian unions

Into the 21st Century
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Liberalized international trade was the major event of the 1990s
 North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) (1992)
 General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs
(GATT) (1994)
Some employers have used NAFTA to move to regions with lower labour costs and non-unionized workers
Politically, the NDP has had limited clout to advocate for labour issues across Canada

Into the 21st Century
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 NHL lockout in 2004 –2005 and 2012-2013
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Several strikes at post-secondary institutions
Several civic workers’ strikes
Several public sector workers’ strikes
 Several strikes at large private sector employers

Into the 21st Century
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 2004, two of Canada’s largest unions United
Steelworkers of America and the International
Wood and Allied Workers of America merged
(Unites Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber,
Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and
Service Workers International Union)
 2013, the National Automobile, Aerospace,
Transportation and General Workers Union of
Canada (Canadian Auto Workers Union) and
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers
Union merged to create Unifor
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Into the 21st Century
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• Changes to labour’s relationship with government
Federal and provincial governments more willing to use back-to-work legislation
Alberta Federation of Labour was one of the most active participants in 2014 campaign to change federal
Temporary Worker Program.

Summary
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• The future can be viewed negatively or positively for unions
 Negative perspective: Internationalization, the slow decline in unionization rates, and the weakening of unions’ political influence could further erode unions’ power
 Positive Perspective: The relative strength of Canadian unions (compared to the U.S.) and the history of adaptability suggest that Canadian unions could continue to thrive

Copyright
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