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 Telecommunications Workers Union
• Earlier update

Questions for discussion:What sort of workers does the Steelworkers union represent?

• What sort of workers does the Telecommunications Workers union represent?
• What reasons do the unions give for wanting to merge?
• What is the next step in this process?
• Why do you think the TWU is supporting Canada’s Big Three telecommunications companies on the issue of Verizon’s possible entry into this country?