Description: The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled 6-1 that RCMP members have the right to collective bargaining. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 01/16/2015 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/supreme-court-backs-mounties-right-to-collective-bargaining/article22486356/ Related links: CBC story Earlier story SCC decision Mounted Police Association of Ontario The RCMP Federal department of justice Questions for discussion: Briefly stated, what did the court… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Chapter 2 – Theories of Industrial Relations
CLC launches Fairness Works campaign
Description: The Canadian labour movement is “rebranding” itself with an ad campaign. Source: Metro Date: 12/30/2014 Link: http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/1249288/a-kinder-softer-canadian-labour-movement/ Related links: The Canadian Labour Congress The Fairness Works campaign The CLC on YouTube The TAXI ad agency Earlier update Questions for discussion: Consult your text: what is the role of the Canadian Labour Congress? Have you… Read more »
Postal unions challenge home mail delivery decision
Description: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is going to court to challenge Canada Post’s plans to phase out home mail delivery in urban centres. Source: CBC Date: 10/16/2014 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-post-court-challenge-launched-to-save-home-mail-delivery-1.2800697 Related links: Canadian Union of Postal Workers The CUPW “Save Canada Post” campaign Edmonton Sun story News story: Canada Post plans to phase out… Read more »
Tories seek debate limits as Bill C-377 returns to Senate
Description: Conservative senators are attempting to limit debate on private member’s bills as a controversial bill affecting unions goes back to the upper house. Source: National Post Date: 09/21/2014 Link: http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/09/21/tories-move-to-limit-debate-in-senate-as-controversial-union-bill-heads-back-to-upper-chamber/ Related links: Tory MP Russ Hiebert on C-377 National Union of Public and General Employees news release Earlier update Bill C-377 Questions for discussion:… Read more »
Unions and the changing economy
Description: For many Canadians, Labour Day may not have the same significance it once did. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 09/01/2014 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/evolving-work-force-presents-new-challenges-to-unions/article20290383/ Related links: Dr. Nelson Wiseman The Canadian Labour Congress A profile of Hassan Yussuff Unifor The Canadian Freelance Union Questions for discussion: What does the article describe as the aims of… Read more »
Tory leader backs away from ‘right-to-work’
Description: Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is no longer calling for “right-to-work” laws. Source: The Toronto Star Date: 02/21/2014 Link: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2014/02/21/tim_hudak_renounces_antiunion_righttowork_plan.html Related links: News story: Liberals pounce on Hudak Earlier story Earlier update A U.S. organization that favours “right to work” The AFL-CIO on “right to work” Questions for discussion: What is “right to… Read more »
Considering the union wage premium
Description: Unionized Canadians make more than their non-union counterparts, but the concept of the union “wage premium” is a complex one. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 02/05/2014 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/it-still-pays-to-be-in-a-union-but-for-how-long/article16697608/ Related links: Union member’s response (see “Working together”) Statistics Canada report Conference Board report Earlier article by Karla Thorpe A study from 2002 Questions for… Read more »
Unifor leader says it’s time to ‘stop playing defence’
Description: Jerry Dias, the new leader of Unifor, says it is time for unions to go on the offensive. He promises to spend 10 per cent of the newly merged union’s revenues on organizing and increasing membership. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 08/31/2013 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/newly-elected-unifor-leader-says-he-is-taking-labour-movement-on-the-offensive/article14063604/ Related links: Unifor Canadian Press story Globe story on… Read more »
US fast-food workers strike for higher minimum wage
Description: Despite protests by fast-food workers around the U.S., Congress appears to have little interest in increasing the minimum wage. Source: CNN Date: 08/30/2013 Link: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/29/politics/minimum-wage-congress-obama/index.html?iref=allsearch Related links: New York Times editorial The minimum wage in Canada Toronto Star column CBC story Questions for discussion: Give a brief description of the reasons U.S. fast-food workers… Read more »
Steelworkers, TWU to merge
Description: The United Steelworkers union, which represents 225,000 Canadian workers, and the Telecommunications Workers Union, which represents 13,000, have tentatively agreed to merge – the second large private-sector union merger of the year. Source: CBC Date: 08/30/2013 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/08/30/steelworkers-telecommunications-union-merger.html Related links: Union media release Canadian Press story Canadian Labour Reporter story The United Steelworkers The… Read more »
