Get tough with unions, columnist urges

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Howard Levitt, a labour lawyer and columnist for the National Post, urges public sector employers to lock out unions until they capitulate. Source: The National Post Date: 12/07/2011 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2011/12/07/prescription-for-year-of-public-sector-unrest/ Related links: The Conference Board of Canada’s 2012 Industrial Relations Outlook City of Toronto collective agreements Toronto municipal workers’ union, Canadian Union of Public… Read more »

As economy worsens, unions come under attack

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement.

Description: As unemployment rises and the economy stalls, the union movement is under attack from governments, businesses and even workers. Source: The Montreal Gazette Date: 10/20/2011 Link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Unions+easy+target+weak+economy/5575308/story.html Related links: Prof. Robert Hebdon National Union of Public and General Employees The Fraser Institute Robert Reich on economic inequality Questions for discussion: This article says: “…… Read more »

Court finds B.C. ‘gag law’ unconstitutional

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement.

Description: The B.C. Appeal Court has agreed with a number of unions that a B.C. government attempt to restrict third-party election advertising is unconstitutional. Source: The Vancouver Sun Date: 10/20/2011 Link: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Union+hails+ruling/5578606/story.html Related links: CBC story The Appeal Court ruling Statements from the B.C. Teachers’ Federation Statement from the B.C. Nurses’ Union The B.C. Election… Read more »

Bill would force unions to make finances public

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 4 - The Structure of Canadian Unions.

Description: A Conservative backbench MP’s private member’s bill would force unions to open their books. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 10/02/2011 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/conservatives-set-to-table-bill-forcing-unions-to-open-books/article2188247/?from=sec368 Related links: Windsor Star story, with union reaction Opinion piece by the Fraser Institute Global News story CBC blog post Text of the bill Questions for discussion: Private members’ bills rarely… Read more »

Labour Day nothing to celebrate, paper argues

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement.

Description: An editorial argues that unions’ “unwillingness to put the public’s good at the forefront” means Labour Day is no longer something to be celebrated. Source: The Toronto Sun Date: 09/04/2011 Link: http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/02/its-labour-day-by-george Related links: A business group says public sector unions should be banned A union representative responds The Canadian Federation of Independent Business… Read more »

NDP debates union ties

Posted by & filed under Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement.

Description: As the New Democratic Party prepares to choose a successor to the late Jack Layton, senior party members disagree over whether to maintain the party’s historical affiliation with organized labour. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 09/04/2011 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-does-some-soul-searching-on-the-role-of-labour-in-the-party/article2153445/ Related links: A second Globe and Mail story on the debate Conservatives complain to Elections… Read more »

Air Canada workers vote on new contract

Posted by & filed under Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Striking Air Canada workers will be voting on a new contract after the federal government introduced back-to-work legislation in the Commons. Source: The Windsor Star Date: 06/20/2011 Link: http://www.windsorstar.com/business/leaders+Canada+deal/4973375/story.html Related links: Postmedia story Globe and Mail story about bargaining and pensions CBC story CAW Airline Local 2002 Earlier update Air Canada Questions for discussion:… Read more »

Air Canada workers poised to strike

Posted by & filed under Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Air Canada sales and customer-service  employees, represented by the Canadian Auto Workers Union, are threatening to strike over wages and pensions. Source: CBC Date: 06/13/2011 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/06/13/aircanada-striketalks-monday.html Related links: Globe and Mail story CTV story Air Canada CAW Airline Local 2002 Earlier update Questions for discussion: Browse the links above. As you will see,… Read more »

Supreme Court restricts farm workers’ bargaining rights

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 4 - The Structure of Canadian Unions, Chapter 6 - Establishing Union Recognition, Chapter 7 - Defining and Commencing Collective Bargaining, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process.

Description: In a complex judgement, the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld an Ontario law that limits the bargaining rights of farm workers. The court ruled that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives workers the right to bargain with their employers, but that “it does not guarantee a legislated dispute resolution mechanism in the… Read more »