Why we should all care about Unions
What is a Union?
A union is an organization formed by workers which gives them a way to advocate for things like:
Fair wages that keep up with the cost of living
Equitable compensation (e.g., reduce gender pay gap)
Pensions and benefits (e.g., paid vacation)
Job security and tenure
Safe work environments
Predictable hours and consistent schedules
Job training and professional development
Workplace democracy
"Through their union, workers have the ability to negotiate from a position of strength with employers...Unions also serve an important role in making sure that management acts fairly and treats its workers with respect"
- excerpt from "What is a union?" by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
How do unions work?
Union leaders are elected by a democratic vote (i.e., majority wins) and serve defined terms. Both union leaders and members must abide by a set of agree-upon constitutions and bylaws. These rules are not set in stone and can be changed, added, or removed at union meetings.
Unions are structured like a pyramid with several local groups being organized into a smaller number of national unions which may then come together to form one large labour federation. In Canada, unions are regulated at both the federal and provincial levels.
Who Joins Unions?
Although people often think of "industry" type jobs when talking about unions, people from many different occupations can (and do!) organize unions. This is because unions are the best way to ensure your voice is heard (when living in this capitalistic hellscape) and that your needs as an employee (and a human) are met!
In Canada, unions exist for jobs such as retail store clerks, manufacturing workers, auto workers, miners, electricians and construction workers, as well as for jobs such as nurses, teachers, firefighters, journalists and professional athletes.
Some individuals are legally excluded from forming unions, although this may vary based on province. In Ontario, this includes domestic workers, agriculture and horticulture workers, police, firefighters, judges and those who are contract workers or self-employed (Labour Relations Act, 1995).
What can unions do?
Since unions are literally a collective of workers, union decisions and pressure tactics can have a huge impact on how businesses, organizations and institutions function. The two most common strategies are:
1. Collective bargaining
This refers to the process of negotiating contract terms between union leaders (who represent the employees) and management (who represent the employer). It can be a great way to secure workplace benefits but is also a long process which may require a lot of time and multiple negotiations.
2. Striking
During collective bargaining, union members may vote to go on strike. During a strike, employees stop working or refuse to engage in certain activities. This is done to place pressure on the employer to agree to contract terms (on the flip side, employers can "lock-out" employees by closing workplaces and/or suspending work to place pressure on the union).
History of Unions in Canada
Unions have played (and continue to play) an important role in shaping Canadian workplaces and Canadian society in general. Some notable examples include:
1919: Winnipeg general strike (fight for fair wages)
1945: Windsor’s Ford strike (fight for unionization)
Throughout this history, the RCMP (or the Royal North-West Mounted Police pre-1920) were often involved in/responsible for union busting.
Labour movements and unions are also responsible for progress related to unemployment insurance, minimum wage, overtime pay, workplace safety and parental leave (maternal, paternal, adoption), just to name a few!
Unions in Canada Today
Did you know that thousands of Canadians are part of unions? Between 2017-2021, approximately 30% of all employees every year were in a union.
In 2021, the industries with the highest percentages of workers in unions were:
Union Busting
Union busting (n.): "any action by management to prevent employees from exercising their right to organize"
Common techniques include hiring lawyers or consultants, selecting specific employees to form a "no union" committee, directly sending letters to employees and their families, delaying union elections or contract negotiations
While many union avoidance tactics are illegal, employers are often less fearful of the penalties they may face for engaging in “union-busting” activities than of the consequences of unionization.
— Stephanie Ross, Associate Professor, Labour Studies, McMaster University
How to Improve Unions
To be clear, we are all for unions. We think they do critical work that helps balance the power between employers and employees. But, with the exception of the second season of Fleabag, things are rarely perfect - so here are ways unions could improve.
In many industries, union jobs are often male-dominated which means that the needs of those who do not identify as male may be easily drowned out or overlooked (like the construction industry or the trades!) in the critical work unions do.
Not to mention that (like with so many organizations) leadership often resembles something of a white boy's club. Although union leaders are supposed to represent and be accountable to their entire membership, it is hard to believe that this is truly happening without diversity leadership (in a non-tokenized way).
Solidarity with Unions
Unions do critical work, and more industries deserve unions because employees deserve livable wages, safe working conditions, benefits and overall workers' rights.
An important way to support unions is to vote for politicians that support labour rights. Another way to support unions is to support unionization and support unions in general - especially strike action
The side of unions most of us see is when unions are ready to strike— AKA the absolute tipping point. What we don't see is all the behind-the-scenes advocacy and work to negotiate with an employer and avoid a strike. So if a union has reached the point of strike conversations, we should be loudly supporting them.
If you live in Ontario, you can immediately show solidarity with a critical union that represents 55 000 people who work in our public education system. Check out www.dontbeabully.ca for more.
