Why Unions are Good for the Canadian Economy
What about Strikes and Lockouts?
Unions are Everywhere, for Everyone!
History of Canadian Unions
Unions have been part of Canadian economic life since before Confederation in 1867. The first unions were formed by skilled workers such as printers, shoemakers, stonemasons, cigar makers, iron workers and others. They were later followed by railway workers, carpenters, painters, meatpackers and workers in dozens of other industries.
Even though unions were in existence, their early years were difficult. Before 1872, Canadian law allowed for the prosecution of unions as "criminal conspiracies." Many union leaders were actually jailed for leading strikes. At the time, the ruling classes thought that workers should be satisfied with whatever they were paid and however they were treated.
Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald (his portrait is on the $10 bill) finally legalized unions in Canada because he believed workers should have the right to representation in order to better their lives. He was a Conservative. Ironically, Conservatives today are often hostile to unions. Many don't know that their first leader felt very differently.
Unions in Canada grew very rapidly in the years following World War I (1914-18) and World War II (1939-45). Much of this growth was because of the anger workers felt at their treatment. Many workers had left their jobs to join the military and risk their lives for everyone's freedom. Many never returned, or returned with missing limbs and other serious injuries. Those that did return were often treated by their employers not as heroes but as disposable production units. "Is this what we risked our lives for? Is this why our friends died, face down in the mud and sand?" they asked themselves. They then joined unions in large numbers, not just to better their economic situation but to win the dignity and respect they were entitled to.
Canadian Unions TodayNearly 30% of Canadian workers belong to unions, including, nurses, teachers, journalists and professional athletes, as well as the more traditionally unionized occupations like retail store clerks, manufacturing workers, miners, electricians and other construction trades workers. For a list of the many occupations in Canada where unions are present, click here. All in all, about four million Canadian workers belong to a union. Why not you and your co-workers? Click here to contact UFCW Canada.
Unions in Canada are regulated by federal and provincial legislation. They are required by law to be democratic and financially accountable to their members. All unions have constitutions that must be registered with government labour boards. There are well over a hundred different unions in Canada but most unionized workers belong to the ten largest unions, UFCW Canada among them.
Polls consistently show that most Canadians agree with the principle of collective bargaining and workplace representation.
Central Labour Organizations
Most unions in Canada are affiliated to larger central labour bodies. They include:
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). The CLC speaks on behalf of Canadian union members on issues of national scope, such as unemployment, child care, medicare, trade policy, immigration, human rights, federal economic policy, aboriginal issues, the environment, and many other subjects. The CLC also helps coordinate the efforts of its affiliated unions in areas of activity where pooling resources makes sense. The CLC is headquartered in Ottawa and has regional offices across Canada. UFCW Canada is one of the largest affiliates of the CLC and has a seat on the Executive Committee.
Provincial Federations of Labour. Since most workers are covered by provincial labour laws, every province in Canada has a Federation of Labour that speaks to the provincial government on behalf of the workers in that province. The main task of the Federation is to lobby for better laws for workers and their families and to coordinate the activities of the province's unions where pooling resources makes sense. In every province, UFCW Canada is affiliated to the Federation of Labour and has a seat on the Executive Council. In Manitoba, a UFCW Canada member, Darlene Dziewit, is President of that province's Federation of Labour.
Labour Councils. Labour Councils are local in nature. They are made up of unions in a city and its surrounding area. The purpose of the Labour Council is to represent workers on local issues, such as municipal services, transit, health clinics, fair wage policies and other issues that affect the community. Labour Councils are typically active in municipal elections. You will often see the President of the Labour Council quoted in the media about labour-related matters. Besides the many serious issues they tackle, Labour Councils also organize their cities' Labour Day Parade on the first Monday of September. UFCW Canada local unions are active Labour Council participants everywhere in Canada.
Why Unions are Good for the Canadian EconomyMany historians credit unions with the rise of Canada's middle class and the general prosperity of the country. By helping more workers make decent wages with more job security, unions were largely responsible for stabilizing the economy and stimulating its growth. Because of unions, more working people could afford houses, better food, clothing, cars and other consumer goods. Increasing demand for these things created more jobs and even more economic growth.
Better-paid and more secure workers could also pay more in taxes to support the growth of public services like schools, roads, clean water, police services, electricity and health care. Even those who have never belonged to a union have benefited from their existence all their lives.
Even though some people like to say that unions are bad for the economy, the Canadian reality proves them wrong. Canada is among the top five most prosperous countries in the world and has a relatively high rate of unionization. Union workers make more money, spend more money and create more jobs with that spending. The health care benefits enjoyed by union members (dental, prescription drugs, optical, physiotherapy, etc) means healthier families and less of a burden on the health care system. And their higher pensions means they are much less of a burden on their children and communities when they retire. Unions are good, not bad, for Canada's economy.
Union Dues
Unions in North America started nearly two hundred years ago as "mutual aid societies." They are still like that today. Everyone who belongs contributes a small portion of their income in return for the protection of the group as a whole. That's what union dues are. Every union member contributes to a common fund of money that is used to protect the interests of all.
It's a lot like insurance. In fact, many people view union dues as "job insurance premiums," though that doesn't tell half the story. Union dues are used not only to protect jobs but to fund negotiations for better wages and working conditions, to pay for professional advice when needed, to organize more workers and thus make the union stronger, to train stewards and health and safety committee activists, to lobby for better laws for workers and their families, and many other purposes.
Because unions get their funds only from their members, there are no divided loyalties. Unions stand up for their members - the people who pay all the bills. Yes, unions can cooperate with governments and employers, but where their members' interests are at stake, unions side with their members. In no union is this more true than in UFCW Canada. For example, in order to protect its members' legal rights, UFCW Canada has gone to the Supreme Court of Canada several times - and won!
In terms of their positive impact on workers' lives and security, union dues are a good deal.
In UFCW Canada, union dues are paid to the local union to which the member belongs. Most of the dues stay in the local to fund activities such as servicing, representation, organizing, legal costs, education and so on. A small portion goes to the national union to fund activities and programs that benefit UFCW Canada members everywhere.
Each local union's dues are set in the local's bylaws, which can only be changed by a vote of the members of that local. In other words, UFCW Canada members set their own dues through democratic processes.
What about Strikes and Lockouts?There is a difference between a strike and a lockout, although they are related. Both are also known as "work stoppages." A strike is a general withdrawal of services by the members of the union because they are not willing to accept the employer's offer for a collective agreement. Strikes can be over wages, pensions, health care benefits, seniority rights, health and safety conditions, job security and other issues.
Under the UFCW Canada Constitution, a strike cannot happen unless the members vote, by secret ballot, to authorize the union to call a strike if necessary.
A lockout happens when an employer refuses to allow union members to come to work unless they agree with the employer's proposed collective agreement. A lockout is an attempt to force union workers to accept the employer's settlement terms, or to try to force the union to make substantial compromises in its position. Obviously, the workers do not get to vote on whether or not their employer locks them out.
In reality, there are very few strikes or lockouts in Canada. Over 95% of all negotiations end in a settlement without a work stoppage. Of those work stoppages that do happen, most last only a short time. For example, in 2000, only one work day in 1,655 was lost to a strike or lockout.
The reason it seems like there are more strikes than actually happen is because the media often reports on "threatened strikes" that never take place. And since it is often necessary to threaten to strike to get the attention of the employer at the bargaining table, those reported threats become, in many people's minds, actual strikes, even though they never happened. It's one example of how the media distorts the image of unions.
Unions are Everywhere, for Everyone!
Here is a list of 75 occupations where you will find union representation in Canada. There are many more, so if your occupation is not on this list don't worry. You can still join a union with experience in your field. UFCW Canada represents workers in more occupations than any other union in Canada. If you and your co-workers think you might need a union, you probably do. Contact us.
Some Union Occupations in Canada
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Agricultural workers
Airline Pilots Airport staff Bartenders Beer and liquor store workers Bricklayers Butchers Cab drivers Cafeteria workers Call Centre workers Carpenters Casino workers Clothing & garment makers Commercial laundry workers Construction workers Cooks Couriers Custodians Customs Agents Dairy workers Defence Department staff Dieticians Doctors Education support staff Electricians |
Factory workers
Federal government employees Film industry workers Fire fighters Fishery workers Flight Attendants Food processors Forestry workers Funeral Home staff Garbage collectors Grain inspectors Grocery store workers Grounds Keepers Heavy equipment operators Home Care workers Hospital workers Hotel workers Ironworkers Journalists Librarians Meat inspectors Mill workers Miners Municipal government employees Nurses Office workers |
Paramedics
Performing artists (musicians, actors, dancers) Pharmacists Pipe fitters Plumbers Police officers Power plant operators and technicians Professional Athletes Provincial government employees Public transit workers Radio and television staff Radiologists Railway workers Retail store workers Scientists Security Guards Teachers Telecommunication workers Theatrical technicians Truck drivers Waiters and Waitresses Warehouse workers Window washers Woodworkers |