Labour Relations 6e By Larry Suffield Gary Gannon Carol Ann SamhaberSolutions Manual For Instructor’s Manual for Suffield, Gannon, and Samhaber Labour Relations Sixth Edition Copyright © 2024 Pearson Canada Inc. ii TABLE OF CONTE
NTS Chapter 1: Union Objectives, Processes, and Structure 1 Chapter 2: Labour Relations in Canada 15 C h a p t e r 3 : T h e E x t e r n a l E n v i r o n m e n t 41 Chapter 4: Organizational Strategy 62 Chapter 5: Governments and Labour Relations Boards 81 Chapter 6: Union Organizing, Drive and Certification 90 Chapter 7: The Collective Agreement 122 Chapter 8: Negotiation of the Collective Agreement 152 Chapter 9: Strikes, Lockouts, and Contra ct Dispute Resolution 182 Chapter 10: Administration of the Collective Agreement 202 Chapter 11: Public-Sector Labour Relations 2
4 0 Instructor’s Manual for Labour Relations , Sixth Edition Chapter 1 Unions Objectives, Processes, and Structure Copyright © 2024 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 CHAPTER 1 UNIONS: OBJECTIVES, PROCESSES, AND STRUCTURE Preface In this chapter students will begin their exploration of unions in Canada. In particular, students will examine union objectives, processes and structure. Union m embership and union operations will also be discussed in relation to how unions function. Unions are key across a prominent business partner in the l abour relations system. Learning Objectives 1.1 Outline the strategic goals of unions. 1.2 Describe union membership. 1.3 Explain the types of unions. 1.4 Outline the objectives and processes of unions. 1.5 Appreciate the various uni on structures and functions. Outline/Table of Contents I.
Union Objectives
II. Union Objectives and ProcessesIII. Union Structure and FunctionsIV. Review QuestionsV. Discussion QuestionsVI. Web Research ActivitiesVII. Vignette
VIII. Case Incident
Lecture Outline/Syllabus I. Union Objectiv
es
Unionization is based on the principle that employees may have little or no individual power when dealing with their employer, but as a group they can reali ze their collective power and im-
prove their terms and conditions o f employment. Therefore, a union or trade union is an organi-
zation, external to and also within a work setting, that has th e primary objective of improving the employee compensation and worki ng conditions it represents. The se organizations have four main objectives. Union is an organization, external to and also within a work setting , that has the primary objective of improving the employee compensation and working co nditions it represents. Union density is the percentage of non-agricultural workers who are union members. It indicates the percentage of potential union members who have actually joi ned a union. Union density is Instructor’s Manual for Labour Relations , Sixth Edition Chapter 1 Unions Objectives, Processes, and Structure Copyright © 2024 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 not the same as the percentage of employees covered by a collec tive agreement. There are situations where more employees are covered by a collective agr eement and do not become union members. Although in some situations employees are requir ed to become union members, this is not always the case. This compares to union coverage wh i c h i s t h e p e r c e n t a g e o f employees covered by a collectiv e agreement, including those wh o do not become union members. In most Canadian jurisdictions, the law allows for union dues t o be deducted from the pay of all bargaining unit employees at the request of the union. Compulso ry union membership may al-so be a stated requirement in a collective agreement. The more fav ourable union security provi-
sions in Canada may assist uni ons by providing a secure financi al base for their operations and by eliminating the contentious i ssue of the deduction of dues f rom the negotiation of first collective agreements. Labour relations legislation is also qui ckly and strictly enforced in Canada. In Canada, legislation gr ants bargaining rights to publ ic-sector employees, and a union’s right to strike during col lective bargaining. Union Members Employment Status, Full- vs. Part-Time The organization of part -time employees continues to be a challenge for unions. Many such employers are employed in the private-service sector, where unions have had difficulty organizing in the past. Part-t ime employees may not be engaged with the same employer for long periods of time, which also can challenge union organizers. Further, the use of part-time employees has been a source of conflict between unions and employers. Unions have sough t to establish or continue cont ract provisions that restrict the use of non-union part-time employe es. One example of a long str uggle by a union to certify part-
time employees was OPSEU’s successful campaign to represent 20, 000 teaching staff at Ontario community colleges. Increase in Female Membership From 2015 to 2022, the union cove rage for Canadian male employees rose slightly from 2,282 to 2,327. While female emplo yees over the same period rose from 2,407.5 to 2,687.4. One reason for the d ecline in the unioni zation rate for young m en was the employment shift from industries and occupations with high unionization rates, such a s construction and manufacturing, to industries and occupations with lower rates, such as retail trade and professional services. However, employment shifts wer e not the sole reason for changes in the unionization rate. Union members may have higher levels of education than is commo nly perceived. In particular, 31 percent of union members have a post-secondary certificate o r diploma, while 30 percent have a university degree. Historically, a distinction has been drawn between craft unions and industrial unions . Craft unions may be traced back to the guild system of the Middle Age s , w h e r e s k i l l e d c r a f t s m e n provided goods and services needed in their community. Blacksmi ths, glaziers, carpenters, among many skilled artisans, also trained apprentices to succee d them, set prices for their work and provided financial support to their peers in times of injur y or illness. A craft union limits its
