LABOUR AND
UNIONS
Pt. 2
THE UNION
 When discussing labour it is nearly impossible to have that
discussion without mention of unions.
 The idea of unions can be very polarizing but some
misconceptions about the role of unions has to be
addressed.
LABOUR
 Prior to learning about the types of unions in Canada it is important to
see what we already know about union…
 Prior Knowledge…
 Fire up the barbeque, Labour Day has arrived.
 While wildly celebrated across the country, the holiday is
often thought of as the last hurrah before students head
back to school and the official end to summer
 But Labour Day is more than just the end to summer break
— a fact many Canadians tend to forget.
 The Labour Day holiday, however, was established to
recognize the contribution that ordinary working people have
made to the Canadian way of life.
 The union movement has built a very large part of society,
both in terms of the way people are paid, but also in terms of
people's rights.
 This includes the right to fair wages, safe working conditions
and compensation for injury, and equitable labour relations.
A STEP BACK..
 Canada was changing rapidly during the second half of the
19th century. Immigration was increasing, cities were getting
crowded, and industrialization was drastically altering the
country’s economy and workforce.
 As machines began to replace or automate many work
processes, employees found they no longer had special skills
to offer employers. Workers could easily be replaced if they
complained or dissented and so were often unable to speak
out against low wages, long work weeks and deplorable
working conditions.
 This is the context and setting for what is generally
considered Canada’s first Labour Day event in 1872. At the
time, unions were illegal in Canada, which was still operating
under an archaic British law already abolished in England.
 The decisions by the workers at the Toronto Printer Union
began a movement…
George Brown--
John A. Macdonald
PM Sir John Thompson
VIDEO
What does this
image have to do
with unions?
LABOUR UNIONS
 Labor unions represent workers in particular industries,
trades or sectors. They organize their members to
negotiate improved wages, benefits and working conditions.
 Although union membership in the United States peaked in
the mid-20th century and has declined since then, various
types of labor unions remain an influential force in North
American business and politics.
INFLUENCING THE SUPPLY OF LABOUR
 The ability of a union to influence the supply of the labour
market depends on they type of union.
 There are three main types of unions that exist and have
power in industrial nations: Craft Unions, Industrial Unions
and Public Unions.
CRAFT/TRADE UNIONS
 Craft Unions, commonly known as Trade Unions have their
roots in the guilds of medieval Europe. In occupations such as
bakers and blacksmiths, apprentices learned their trades from
masters through the guilds, which regulated production by
setting prices and limiting wages and employment.
 A trade union whose members all possess a particular skill is
called a craft or trade unions.
 Modern craft unions continue to represent workers in specific
occupations, especially skilled trades. Craft unions in Canada
include the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) that represent
workers in the automobile industry. In 2013 it merged with
the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of
Canada, forming a new union, Unifor.
INDUSTRIAL UNIONS
 In contrast to Trade Unions, which represent
members in specific trades, such as machinists,
carpenters and electrical workers, industrial unions
represent workers in industrial sectors, such as
transportation or food service. One of the largest
industrial unions in North America is the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
 A trade union that attempts to organize all the
workers in a particular industry, regardless of the
job they perform, is called an industrial union.
TRADE UNIONS
 Initially a union that represented workers in long-haul
trucking, the Teamsters' membership comprises workers in
a variety of industrial jobs, including trucking, warehouse
and construction.
 Other industrial unions in the United States include the
United Food and Commercial Workers, consisting of
workers in restaurants and other food service industries,
and the Organization of Chemical and Atomic Workers,
which represents workers in chemical industries and
nuclear power plants.
PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS
 A public-sector trade union (or public-sector labor
union) is a trade union which primarily represents the
interests of employees within a public sector or a
governmental organization.
 The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is
a Canadian trade union serving the public sector - although
it has in recent years organized workplaces in the nonprofit and para-public sector as well.
PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS
 CUPE is the largest union in Canada, representing some
650,000 workers in health care, education, municipalities,
libraries, universities, social services, public utilities,
transportation, emergency services and airlines.
 CUPE is still twice the size of the new union Unifor (a
merger of the CAW union and the CEP), which represents
around 350,000 members versus CUPE's 657,000. Over
60% of CUPE's members are women, and almost a third are
part-time workers.
 The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is another
common union in Canada that represents government
workers.
 The Public Service Alliance of Canada represents more than
170,000 workers in every province and territory in Canada
and in locations around the world.
 Members work for federal government departments and
agencies, Crown Corporations, universities, casinos,
community services agencies, Aboriginal communities, airports,
and the security sector among others.
MINI- RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS
 In groups of 3 or less choose a union in North America and gather
some facts or interesting historical information about this union. Be
ready to present your findings with the class.
Choose between:
i.
CAW
ii.
PSAC
iii.
CUPE
iv.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
v.
One of your choice
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
 1943 was a benchmark year for labour unions in Canada as
federal legislation was passed that restricted when unions
were allowed to strike in exchange for the legal
requirement that employers must bargain with a union that
represents the majority of the workers.
 Having a collective agreement has nearly eliminated
unnecessary strikes as workers have reached a temporary
contract with employers.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
 A Union’s most significant role is in negotiating wages and
working conditions on behalf of all the members. This
process is known as Collective Bargaining. The contract
that is negotiated is know as the collective agreement,
which normally lasts for a period of 1 to 3 years.
McGill University Collective Agreement
 In situations where disputes arise during the term of the
agreement differences must be settled by arbitration.
 Arbitration is a procedure whereby an independent 3rd
party settles disputes between unions and management
during the life of a collective agreement.
JOB ACTION AND STRIKES
 In the majority of situations, disputes between management
and its employees are settled without any further issues or
problems. Sometimes, however, both parties cannot come
to an agreement. Both sides use a number of tools to
attempt to force the other party to fold.
 Strikes are probably the most well-known tool used by
employees. A strike is a temporary stoppage by employees,
designed to force an employer to meet contractual
demands. Strikes need to have the majority of union
support.
STRIKES AND OTHER JOB ACTIONS
 The equivalent tool from the perspective of the employers
is the lockout. A lockout occurs when the employer shuts
down the place of employment in order to force workers
to accept its contract offer.
 The cost of strikes and lockouts are high as lost wages and
lost profits hurt both parties in the short-run.
OTHER ACTIONS
 Rotating Strikes are strikes where different branches or locations
are shut down for a day or two before the strike moves to
another location. This causes disruptions but doesn’t have a large
impact on employee paycheques.
 Work-to-rule is where employees perform only the duties
specifically stated in their contracts.
 Boy-cotts can be encouraged by unions members or the general
public as a way to lower sales/profits. This strategy may force the
employer to reconsider its stance on contract disputes.
ADDITIONAL TERMS
 Review the terms found on page 500-501 of your text
book.
 Read Should Civil Servants Be Given the Right to Strike? found
on page 501 in the text book, discuss and complete
questions 1,2 & 3.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FILM
 Why is it that the middle class – not the wealthy – are the true “job
creators”?
 Some income inequality is inevitable as capitalism use financial rewards as
an incentive to work hard and be inventive. So why worry about income
inequality at all?
 Why is income inequality a threat to democracy?
 What it the economic impact of globalization?
 What is the economic impact of new technology?
UNIT QUESTIONS
 Case Study – Pay Equity (pg 508, questions 1,2,3)
 End of Unit Review Questions 2, 3, 5, 7*, 8,14
 *I really like this question, check page 503 for additional
information