York Region elementary teachers poised for job action

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Elementary school teachers in Ontario’s York Region appear ready to take job action.

Source: CBC

Date: 11/18/2012

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/11/18/toronto-york-region-elementary-teachers-strike-action.html

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • What is an “escalating withdrawal of administrative services”?
  • How does that differ from an all-out strike?
  • What are the issues in this dispute?
  • Consult the related links above: What happens on Dec. 31?
  • What effect do you think that will have on this dispute?

 

 

Temporary Chinese miners underpaid, court told

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

Description: A lawyer representing two unions told the Federal Court that Chinese workers brought to northern B.C. appear to make as much as $17 an hour less than Canadian workers.

Source: CBC

Date: 11/16/2012

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/16/bc-coal-miners-union-court.html

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the two unions asking the court to do?
  • Who is opposing the unions in court and what do they argue?
  • Which side do you think has the most persuasive case? Why?
  • Why is the federal government reviewing this program?
  • Prof. David Doorey asks: “Should Canadian employers be required to pay that rate required to attract workers to remote areas of Canada, even if that rate is higher than the employer would like to pay?” What do you think?

 

 

Federal commissioner says union bill intrudes on privacy

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 4 - The Structure of Canadian Unions.

Description: Federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart has told the Commons finance committee that a private member’s bill to increase disclosure of union finances “is a significant privacy intrusion.”

Source: Canadian Labour Reporter

Date: 11/08/2012

Link: http://www.labour-reporter.com/articleview/16665-union-accountability-bill-raises-serious-privacy-concerns-privacy-commissioner

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • What does Bill C-377 seek to do?
  • Summarize Jennifer Stoddart’s analysis of this bill.
  • What are the arguments in favour of passing this bill?
  • What are the arguments against?
  • Which arguments do you find most convincing?
  • Do you think the benefits that would come from this bill would outweigh the privacy concerns? Why or why not?

Electricians’ union official runs for BC Fed leadership

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.

Description: Michelle Laurie, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 258, is challenging incumbent president Jim Sinclair for the leadership of the B.C. Federation of Labour.

Source: The Province (Vancouver)

Date: 11/10/2012

Link: http://www.theprovince.com/business/Sinclair+challenged+Federation+Labour/7530828/story.html

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • Consult your textbook: what is the role of a provincial labour federation?
  • What does Michelle Laurie think needs to change at the federation?
  • What do you think of her arguments?
  • What makes this race politically significant?
  • What role do you think a labour federation should play in politics?

Two-day strike ends at Whitby auto parts plant

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Production has resumed at General Motors’ Oshawa, Ont. assembly plant after a two-day strike by Canadian Auto Workers members at a plant that makes car seats.

Source Reuters Canada

Date: 10/20/2012

Link: http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCABRE89T14020121030

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • What was the immediate cause of this strike?
  • What were the issues in this dispute?
  • What effect did this strike have on GM operations?
  • What effect do you think the strike had on the tentative resolution of this dispute?
  • What arguments can you think of in favour of and against workers’ concessions at the Lear plant?

Protesters picket Raitt

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

Description: A group of about 20 federal government workers protested government job cuts at an appearance in Cape Breton by Labour Minister Lisa Raitt.

Source: CBC

Date: 10/29/2012

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/10/29/ns-raitt-protest.html

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • What were the protesters upset about?
  • What did they say they hope to gain from their protest?
  • What was Raitt’s response?
  • What do you think the protest will accomplish?
  • What are the pros and cons of cutting government jobs in a community like Cape Breton?

Push to combat cross-border corruption

Posted by & filed under Change, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Management, Organizational Change, Social Responsibility, Video Report.

Description: Sandy Boucher, a fraud investigator at law firm Grant Thornton, tells BNN that there is a new push among developed economies to enforce litigations on firms dealing in cross-border corruption.

Source: BNN

Date: November 01 2012

Video and Text Link: http://www.bnn.ca/News/2012/11/1/Miners-face-new-reality-in-corruption-enforcement.aspx

Questions for Discussion:

  1. Should Canadian companies be penalized for bribing when companies from developing economies are not being penalized by their own governments?
  2. How can a level playing field be maintained in foreign markets when Canadian companies have to compete with Chinese companies to win foreign contracts?
  3. What are some of the suggestion for Canadian companies to stop their officials from paying bribes abroad?

Why worry about Chinese investments?

Posted by & filed under Change, Environment, Ethics, Global Management.

Description: Canada signed a foreign investment partnership agreement with China. While it will encourage much needed capital investments in to Canada, many Canadians are worried.

Source: The Globe and Mail

Date: November 01 2012

Text: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/the-chinese-are-coming-the-chinese-are-coming/article4803722/

Questions for Discussion:

  1. Do you agree that this agreement is beneficial for Canada?
  2. What are the drawbacks for such an agreement?
  3. Do you agree with NDP’s Thomas Muclair’s criticism of encouraging Chinese investments?

Raitt steps into airport security dispute

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process.

Description: Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt has intervened in a dispute involving Atlantic Canada airport security screeners, but the union says the move is “premature.”

Source: The Canadian Press

Date: 10/27/2012

Link: http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Ottawa+intervention+airport+screeners+labour+dispute+premature+union/7458963/story.html

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • What, exactly, has Lisa Raitt done in this dispute?
  • Why does the union believe it’s premature?
  • What are the issues in this dispute?
  • What is the role of the Canada Industrial Relations Board?
  • Based on what you have studied in this course and what you know about this dispute, do you agree with Raitt or the union?

Ontario nurses reach deal on pensions

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process.

Description: The Ontario Nurses’ Association has reached an agreement with the provincial government that will allow it to continue to exercise joint control over its members’ pension fund. The deal follows a similar deal struck between the government and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

Source: Canadian Labour Reporter

Date: 10/24/2012

Link: http://www.labour-reporter.com/articleview/16544-ontario-nurses-maintain-joint-control-of-pension-plans

Related links:

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the agreement between the Ontario nurses and the provincial government.
  • Summarize the agreement between the OPSEU and the government.
  • What will be the likely impact of the agreements on the union members?
  • On the government?
  • What was the government’s original goal in these negotiations? Did it achieve it?