The Canadian Labour Movement and Collective Bargaining

History In the early 1900’s, it was common for companies to employ young children, often in horrible conditions. Why hire children? Pay children less less likely to disobey the boss than adults more nimble, able to get into small spaces, etc. allow the boss to make more money by spending less on the workforce

History Since the 1920's, the Canadian labour movement has fought for, and achieved, numerous improvements in the workplace. Among these are: An end to child labour The 40-hour work week The minimum wage Health & safety standards Employment insurance Vacation pay

Changes in the Canadian Worker The typical worker in the 1950's was a white male working in logging, mining, farming, or manufacturing They kept the same job often for 30 to 35 years. The worker earned enough money to support himself and his family.

Profile of a Typical Worker Profile of the typical worker has changed. Variety of factors have led to a change in the typical worker profile, among them: Automation Feminism Globalization Government policies

Profile of a Typical Worker Today, workers are male and female, and often working in a service industry. The typical Canadian will change jobs five times in a lifetime. Many jobs are part-time minimum wage jobs, sometimes called “McJobs.” Typically, these jobs do not have many benefits or union protection.

Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining consists of negotiations between an employer and a group of employees. The result of collective bargaining procedure is called the collective bargaining agreement or CBA. Often employees are represented in the bargaining by a union or other labour organization.

Collective Bargaining Unions and management engage in negotiations in order to reach a CBA agreement (contract). The law requires that both sides "bargain in good faith." This means that they both must come to the table willing to give and take. Often, though, each side feels a need to "push" the other side in order to get what they want.

Collective Bargaining Management might, for example, engage in a publicity campaign against the union, temporarily laying off workers, or lock them out of the workplace. In the past management took certain actions which are now illegal including the hiring of armed thugs!

Collective Bargaining Unions also have a variety of weapons at their disposal. They might have a mass sick out, slow downs or have picket lines. They might engage in a boycott of the manufacturers product and they also might engage in a publicity campaign. Of course the last resort and strongest weapon for a union is the strike.

Collective Bargaining Sometimes, in the event of a strike management hires replacement workers, know derisively as scabs. Unions often respond with great venom to these workers who are threatening their jobs by making the strike less effective.

Unions in Canada Almost one of every three Canadian workers belongs to a union. According to Statistics Canada, roughly 3.6 million employees in the Canadian Workforce in 1998 were union members.

Benefits of Unionization Some of the reasons why people may choose to join unionized workplaces include: Job security Improved wages Health care and other benefits Pension plans Health and safety A stronger voice through collective bargaining A right to vote on your contract

Drawbacks of Unionization Some drawbacks to unionization include: Driving the price of production up Too much power sharing between management and employees Red tape – e.g. difficult for management to fire a bad employee Politics and pettiness