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STRATEGIES FOR REDUCED WORKTIME AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
(306) 525-0197
[email protected]
This project was sponsored by
Status of Women
Canada
6
A REPORT ON THE SASKATCHEWAN FEDERATION OF LABOUR’S CONFERENCE
Strategies for Reduced Worktime and Family-Friendly Workplaces
A report on the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s
‘Get a Life’ Conference
©2001
Prepared and written by Cara Banks
SFL Distribution of Work/Worktime Committee
Photos by David Durning and Beth Smillie
Front cover photo – Eyewire Stock Images
For additional copies of this report and further information contact:
The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
#220 – 2445 13th Avenue
Regina, SK S4P 0W1
phone: (306) 525-0197
fax: (306) 525-8960
[email protected]
www.sfl.sk.ca
T
he Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s Distri-
work in the private sector tends to be 40 hours or
bution of Work/Worktime Committee wanted to
more per week. Some unions are bargaining shorter
find out: Are unions negotiating provisions that
workweeks with no loss of pay, which in some cases
give workers more time away from work, i.e. shortened
workweeks, compressed schedules, longer vacations? Are
has prevented layoffs.
•
Compressed Scheduling/EDOs: In the public
unions bargaining provisions that help workers balance
sector, earned days off are common, extremely
work and family, i.e. family and emergency leaves, child-
popular and are considered a strike issue. In the
care programs, flextime, job sharing?
private sector, particularly in mining and mills, full-
We analyzed 41 collective agreements from SFL-
time workers tend to be on a system of compressed
affiliated unions, representing 65,198 workers in total.
scheduling, also a very popular scheduling option
Approximately 77 percent of all SFL-affiliated workers are
with workers.
represented in the study.
The collective agreements cover 57,726 public sector
•
Overtime: Most unionized workers in Saskatchewan
have good rates of overtime, either time and a half or
workers and 7, 472 private sector workers, from work-
double time. Most overtime is technically voluntary,
places ranging between 12 and 12,000 employees.
although several workplaces are shortstaffed so in
Here’s what we found out.
reality there is much more pressure to work it. The
reduction of overtime has in some cases prevented
On Worktime Issues
layoffs and encouraged employers to rehire laid off
•
Hours of Work: In the public sector, a high number
workers. Several workers have bargained the option
of full-time workers average under 40 hours per
to take time off in lieu of overtime pay; however, in
week. In the private sector there is much more part-
the vast majority of cases workers aren’t actually able
time work, where the main concerns around hours of
to access the time off because employers complain
work are most available hours, and the option to limit
that they are too shortstaffed to replace the worker
one’s availability to particular days or hours. Full-time
who wants to take the time.
background
FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKPLACES:
A STUDY OF SASKATCHEWAN COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS
1
SOME TIPS FOR UNIONS
ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT
MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY
• Group existing family-related
clauses together in your agree-
Where Unions Need Better Provisions
themselves in order to get time off to care for a sick
•
Homeworking: Not one union in the study has
family member. About one-fifth have no access at all
language around homeworking. While homeworking
to time off to care for a sick family member.
ment so that members can
or teleworking may not be a serious problem in
easily locate their options.
Childcare: Only the Canadian Union of Postal
Saskatchewan currently, the overall trend of an
Workers has negotiated an employer-paid childcare
increase in homeworking across Canada suggests
fund, enabling them to work on several childcare
that unions should be looking at this area. Home-
projects, including a program for children with
working can be very exploitative and isolating.
special needs. Projects are funded by the employer,
Homeworkers are also less likely to be active trade
administered by the union, and driven by the needs
unionists because of lack of access to the union.
of members. Only two contracts have leave without
Maternity Supplementary Unemployment
pay for the care and nurturing of preschool age
We found several clauses in
Benefit (SUB) Plans: Only one-quarter of agreements
children. Only one contract has onsite childcare: not
Saskatchewan collective agree-
have maternity SUB plans. New legislation that gives
surprisingly, it’s a daycare local.
ments that provide less weeks
mothers and fathers up to a year off for maternity and
of leave than the Labour
parental leave is a positive step, but many parents can’t
provisions, yet it is the most commonly cited clause
afford to take the time off without a salary top-up.
negotiators believe they will be bargaining in the
Family Illness Leave: Only one-quarter of agree-
near future, as many workers now have aging
ments, mostly from the public sector, have paid time
parents. Elder care should not be treated identically
off for family illness, ranging from one to five days per
to childcare needs: many workers are finding that the
A clearly organized agreement
will help members to access
the benefits they already have.
• Where applicable, make sure
to negotiate minimum labour
standards into your agreement.
•
Standards Act!
• Do a needs assessment of your
members on work-family
issues. Find out the key areas
2
•
•
•
Elder Care: Only one agreement has elder care
year. Over half have to rely on compassionate leave,
care of elderly relatives can be far more complicated
where members are struggling
pressing necessity clauses or the use of personal sick
and demanding than childcare.
to balance work and family
leave credits to care for sick family members. Some
and make those issues bargain-
workers are in danger of running out of sick leave
language around breastfeeding on the job, although
ing priorities.
credits and many workers have to pretend to be sick
at least one other union has previously attempted to
•
Breastfeeding Provisions: Only nurses have
• Consider bargaining a family
sick leave credits system where
workers earn up to five days
per year to care for sick family
bargain it. With more women in the workforce, some
Areas where Unions are Doing Well
members or dependants.
of whom want to return to work and continue to
•
Remind any resistant cowork-
Bereavement or Compassionate Leave: All agree-
breastfeed, this may become a more pressing issue in
ments have better bereavement leave than labour
the future.
standards because they all provide paid, rather than
unpaid leave. The length of leave in Saskatchewan
Provisions that Few Workers are Accessing
agreements is consistent with labour standards
•
Flextime: Flextime is only found in less than one
minimums. Many contracts also have a wider
quarter of agreements, and has only been bargained
definition of immediate family than the Labour
for office workers. Flextime is very popular with those
Standards Act.
individuals are better able to
reach their full potential when
families are supported.
• Consider bargaining a personal
leave clause, which provides
Deferred Salary Plans: Only five contracts have this
vacation leave than the labour standards minimum,
five paid days of leave to be
option, all from the public sector. Very few workers
and they tend to earn increased weeks of leave after
used by workers for whatever
actually access this option, perhaps because it gives
shorter lengths of service than labour standards
reasons they choose. Workers
time away from work, but does not solve day-to-day
requires.
can use the time to care for
Statutory Holidays: The vast majority of contracts
families or to pursue commu-
conflicts with balancing work and family. It may also
•
•
be that many workers could not or would not live on
in the study have more statutory holidays than the
reduced salary for that long of a period or at all,
labour standards minimum. Statutory holidays are a
particularly if they have to pay some of their benefits
particularly strong area in the private sector.
Job Sharing: Only one-quarter of agreements,
almost exclusively from the public sector, have job
nity or personal interests. Paid
personal days that everyone
can access will reduce tensions
while they are on leave.
•
whole community benefits and
Vacation Leave: In most cases, workers earn more
who access it.
•
ers and management that the
The Challenges of Bargaining
We also explored how much of a priority balancing
between workers with few
family responsiblities and
sharing provisions. Several unions expressed the need
work and family issues are at the negotiating table and
workers with many dependent
to negotiate job sharing with safeguards to protect
the sorts of challenges unions face in bargaining family-
care responsibilities.
full-time jobs.
friendly or reduced worktime language.
3
• Provisions are more likely to
survive at the bargaining table
if they have first become official union policy. Sometimes
the push for progressive
•
balancing work and family
language comes from the
leadership in the union first,
at the level of the bargaining
committee, rather than from
demands. They may resist negotiating some provi-
ing work and family issues? In some cases, yes, but
sions such as maternity leave, or leave to care for sick
lack of money in the public sector has made it very
children, viewing them as so-called “special rights”.
difficult to make gains. In the private sector, layoffs
Electing women to bargaining committees in order to
and skeleton staffing are often more pressing prob-
educate coworkers and management alike about
lems. In many cases, other issues tend to supercede
work-family conflicts may help change attitudes.
balancing work and family issues, including job evalu-
the membership. Once the
In other cases, workers with few or no family
ations, training, occupational health and safety, and
responsibilities may feel resentful towards workers
in the majority of cases, wages and benefit packages.
who receive paid time off for family obligations.
Is there a strong degree of opposition from
Divisions between workers can be prevented if
firsthand the benefits of these
management on work-family issues? In most
unions negotiate clauses in which all workers reap
provisions.
cases, yes, particularly where there will be increased
the benefits, such as shorter workweeks, reduced
expense to the employer. Management tends to need
overtime, better vacation leave, and flextime.
language is in the contract,
members then experience
•
• Remember that just because
•
language exists in the con-
convincing that work-family programs will help the
tract, it doesn’t mean that
company’s bottom line. Several unions indicated that
proposals are anticipated in the near future?
the gains they have made on worktime and work-
Language on elder care and improved family leave
family issues have been hard fought.
are the most commonly cited issues. Union members
Is there a strong degree of opposition from the
want increased family leave days and several nego-
membership on these issues? Opposition from
tiators indicate that they will try to bargain paid family
workers are knowledgeable
about their rights, or that the
employer is applying the
language fairly. Be vigilant
4
Are unions having success in bargaining balanc-
•
What sort of balancing work and family
memberships on work-family issues may exist because
leave that does not come out of individuals’ sick leave
about supporting workers who
issues such as wages and layoffs are more urgent
credits. A few unions will be negotiating increased
access work-family programs
priorities. Also, some workers may be used to the
sick leave provisions and paternity leave. Increased
and policies.
more traditional model of the nuclear family, in which
vacation time and improved pension plans were also
wives and mothers are solely responsible for family
mentioned as upcoming priorities.
RESOURCES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Five workshops, led by union
activists, met throughout the
conference on the following
I
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
topics:
6
• The Shorter Workweek;
• Reduced/Restricted Overtime;
• Alternate Working Arrange-
Bruce O’Hara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
ments;
• Family Leave and Elder Care;
and
• Parental Leave and Childcare.
Penni Richmond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
Change strategies from each
workshop are printed in the sidebars of this report, including how
Mike Verdiel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
to organize within workplaces
and unions, and how to influence
government policy and legislation.
Julie White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
Anders Hayden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24
5
SHORTER WORKWEEK
INTRODUCTION
How can we organize for
a shorter workweek?
• First do research, then educate
coworkers, bargaining committee, and employer.
• Distribute information and
W
orkers and their families are undergoing
a great deal of strain in today’s economy.
Families are under increased economic
families are faring in regards to work-family overload.
It found that many Saskatchewan workers are undergoing high levels of work-family conflict. Family-friendly
pressure as average family incomes decline, and they are
programs and policies both at work and within their
also experiencing increased time pressures. More women
communities are urgently required. At the same time, the
are entering the workforce for greater periods of time,
provincial government also commissioned a survey study
and as the population ages, women in particular have
of Saskatchewan workplaces to examine work-family
increased elder care responsibilities. Many workplaces
balance, work climate, work attitudes, and outcomes and
ards to champion the cause.
have downsized, leaving remaining employees to work
health of workers. The survey found that workers have
• Use newsletters and any other
longer and harder. Computerization and globalization of
high dependent care responsibilities, and heavy work
communications tools to reach
the economy are putting greater pressure on workers to
demands, but few workplace and community supports to
be available anywhere, anytime.
deal with these demands. These pressures are resulting in
statistics supporting the
benefits in a persistent,
comprehensive strategy.
• Use personal contact by stew-
people.
• Emphasize the creation of jobs
In 1998, the Saskatchewan government’s Public Task
Force on Balancing Work and Family explored how
in communities, and among
young people.
• Promote the health and family
benefits of shorter workweek.
• Use statistics and success
high stress levels and negative health implications for
workers. The Task Force’s final report “Towards More WorkFamily Balance in Saskatchewan” and the final report of
the survey, “Work-Life Balance in Saskatchewan: Realities
and Challenges”, are available from the Department of
Labour, Work and Family Unit.
In 2000, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s
stories from other companies
Distribution of Work/Worktime Committee and the SFL’s
and countries.
Balancing Work and Family Co-ordinator began their
• Start with a pilot project to
show the benefits.
“Next Steps Towards Balancing Work and Family” initiative. This initiative, sponsored by the Status of Women,
Women’s Program, was designed to assess how well
6
• Unions should submit the
following resolution to the
next SFL convention:
*Note: It has more impact
if many locals submit a
resolution!
Whereas full time workers
are working long hours with
increasing workloads and;
Whereas full time workers find
balancing work and family
responsibilities an ever inSaskatchewan unions are doing in the areas of reduced
grams in their workplaces. Several workers from manage-
creasing hardship and;
worktime and balancing work and family policies. The
ment and government positions expressed interest in
Whereas employers believe
resulting research, completed in early 2001, was com-
attending the conference and participation was thus
piled into a report titled Family Friendly Workplaces:
opened up to non-affiliates. All participants received a
A Study of Saskatchewan Collective Agreements.
copy of Family-Friendly Workplaces as a reference
This report highlights that while some unions have
guide to the key issues and to provide participants with
bargained innovative and progressive language around
sample contract language. Copies of this document
balancing work and family in certain areas, there is a long
are available from the SFL office. Workshops allowed
increases productivity,
way to go in providing union members with choices and
participants to come together to share experiences,
decreases absenteeism and
flexibility in worktime and family-friendly provisions. (See
struggles, solutions, and ideas.
creates more employment
pages 1-4 of this report for more information.)
The ‘Get a Life’ conference was organized as the
Expert guest speakers also spoke on the topics of
shorter working time, work-family balance, restricted
second phase of the SFL’s “Next Steps” initiative to bring
overtime, and the feminist case for balancing work and
together union members interested in bargaining and
family. Excerpts from five of the conference’s guest
lobbying for shorter worktime and family-friendly pro-
speakers follow.
it is up to employees to find
solutions to work and family
conflicts and;
Whereas a shorter workweek
opportunities for the unemployed;
7
Therefore be it resolved that
BRUCE O’HARA
the Saskatchewan Federation of
Labour lobby the Saskatchewan
government and our MLAs to
implement a public policy and
legislation on a 32-hour workweek without a reduction in
pay;
B
Structuring the Shorter Workweek
duals, and “Working Harder Isn’t Working” (1993), on the
plant and equipment idle more of the time. On the other
need to move to a 32-hour workweek standard.
hand, if making the standard workweek shorter makes
ruce is the author of “Put Work in its Place: The
Complete Guide to the Flexible Workplace”
(1988), a 250-page self-help guide for indivi-
And be it further resolved that
all affiliates and non-affiliates
work towards one common goal
Employers complain that overhead costs per workstation go up if you shorten the workweek and leave
the weekend shift long enough to provide a liveable
Who Pays for the Shorter Workweek
It’s a rule of thumb in Europe that a third of any work-
income, and a weekend shift is hired, then shorter workweeks can lead to plant and equipment being utilized
of negotiating a 32-hour work-
time reduction will be offset by higher productivity. It’s
more fully. Shorter workweeks can either reduce or
week without a reduction in
also becoming a rule of thumb that reduced outlays for
increase the hours of service a business is able to offer,
pay for all working people;
unemployment-related costs will save government the
depending on whether a single or multi-shift model is
equivalent of one-third of the wage costs of any work
used.
And be it finally resolved
that the Saskatchewan
Federation of Labour form a
committee to launch an immediate campaign to make the
time reduction. And finally, in Europe, shorter workweeks
In capital-intensive industries, a work time reduction
have been pursued primarily as a quality of life issue.
on a single shift model can increase overhead costs by
Workers have usually been willing to chip in about a third
an amount equivalent to one half of the extra wage costs
of the cost of working less.
of the work-time reduction. On the other hand, shorter
So when, for example, a company goes from a 35 to
public aware of the benefits of
a 32-hour workweek, workers will get paid for 34 hours,
a 32-hour workweek.
the government will kick in the equivalent of an hour’s
wages in the form of payroll tax reductions, and the
employer recoups the remaining hour through higher
productivity.
workweeks on a multi-shift model save an equally large
amount.
Who’s More Competitive?
Let’s do a side by side comparison between the
nation with the longest work hours in the OECD, the
nation with the shortest work hours in the OECD, and
Canada. The nation with the longest work hours in the
8
How can we convince the
government to improve labour
standards around a shorter
workweek?
industrial world is not Japan, but the United States. The
• Work with the employer to
nation with the shortest work hours is Holland. Let’s see
lobby the federal government
how they compare (see table below).
to lower/level payroll taxes.
Holland, a nation where people work the equivalent
• Petitions, letters, e-mail cam-
of a day a week less than we do, is a major winner in
paigns, and rallies to educate
global trade. And while I’ve chosen Holland, we could as
easily have selected Belgium, Denmark or Norway. They
ourselves, the public business,
all have unemployment rates of less than five percent,
and government.
• Stress the increase in jobs, the
trade surpluses, and work far less than we do.
possibilities for youth employment, and a more productive
workforce.
• Get bureaucrats on side.
United States
Canada
Holland
2.5 weeks
3 weeks
5 weeks
1950 hours
1750 hours
1350 hours
Minimum Wage
Modest/ none
Mid-range
High
Unpaid overtime
Massive
Mid-range
Low
Child Poverty Rate
21%
15%
7%
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
6.6%
3.0%
$1 billion deficit/day
Trade Surplus
Trade Surplus
Average Vacation Time
Average Work Year
• Form a coalition of business
groups, non-profit organizations, and family interest
groups.
• Have an outside agency do a
study of existing pilots and
Trade Position
publicize the results.
9
PARENTAL LEAVE
AND CHILDCARE
How can we organize for better
parental leave and childcare?
• Start a work/family committee
at worksite, preferably a union/
management committee.
Changing the Payroll Reward Structure
Benefit costs typically make up between one quarter
and one third of payroll costs in Canada. The way
around, so as to penalise overwork and reward shorter
work times.
1. Modify EIC, CPP, and Worker’s Compensation
Canada now structures benefits, most benefit costs stop
Contributions
at forty hours per week. When those costs do not
France has now structured its payroll taxes to have
increase beyond 40 hours, the net costs to employers of
a low rate on the first 32 hours, and a very high rate
overtime — even paying time and a half — is insignifi-
thereafter. Employees on a four-day week are
cant. On the other hand, because some benefit costs —
cheaper. Employees on a six-day are expensive. We
accept the needs of children so
dental plan premiums, for example — don’t decrease
could do the same in Canada with CPP and EIC.
workers aren’t shunned if they
when work time is shortened, shorter workweeks
access leave.
increase the net cost-per-hour of staff time, providing a
Insurance contribution rates zero on the first $8,000
strong disincentive to shorter work times. Continental
of income per year, and removed ceilings on con-
Europe has structured its payroll tax the other way
tributory income at the same time, the EI program
• Educate coworkers on their
existing rights and enforce
what we’ve got.
• Work to change the culture to
• Create a supportive work environment with some flexible
If the Federal Government made Employment
• Combat outdated attitudes like
that of ‘A woman’s place is in
the home’ and the male breadwinner stereotype.
• Educate about the undervaluing of women’s work
(caregiving) in home and
community.
10
DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
work arrangements for parents.
• Do a needs assessment of
membership around childcare
issues and share the results
with the employer.
would take in about the same amount of money as it
• Make work and family a bar-
does now, and EI benefits could remain unchanged.
gaining priority, develop a
Structuring EIC in this way would make overtime
union checklist for work and
more expensive and lower the costs associated with
family and put an end to
working less. Canada Pension Plan and Workers’
male-dominated bargaining
Compensation contributions could be restructured in
committees.
the same way.
• Negotiate a letter of under-
2. Fund Medicare Differently
Most healthcare benefits are fixed costs: costed on a
standing/agreement on
per-hour basis, they rise when employees work less,
maternity/parental benefits
and fall when employees put in overtime. Much of
to allow at least one year with
Europe funds its healthcare system as a percentage of
total payroll costs, so as to stop Medicare premiums
from discouraging part-time work.
3. Fund Dental and Pharmacare Plans Differently
guarantee of returning to
Belgium now has a program that reduces an
equivalent job and all the same
employer’s social security contributions by $6500 for
each new job created by a reduction in the length
rights and benefits. Convince
the employer that it’s easier to
Most of Europe funds their dental and pharmacare
of the standard workweek, expanded part-time use,
plans publicly, so they’re also not a fixed part of an
phased retirement, or leaves of absence. While that
find a replacement for a year’s
employee’s benefit package.
sounds like a large amount of money, governments
absence than for just a few
typically save twice that amount of money when they
months.
4. Reward Workers and Employers Who Share
the Work
France and Italy are both establishing incentive
put an unemployed person back to work.
The job-creation potential of implementing
programs whereby employers and employees who
a new reward structure for payroll costs could
voluntarily move to a 32-hour workweek are given
create a quarter million new hires in Canada.
• Negotiate a better top-up for
maternity or paternity leave.
• Create an employer reward
incentive program.
big reductions in their payroll taxes.
11
• Create a Family-friendly
Workplace decal.
• Do a report card for employers
— give a poopy diaper award
to the worst!
• Devise and post good contract
language on SFL website.
• Create SFL and/or union newsletters on work and family.
Support Family Life
The primary motivation behind continental Europe’s
2. Financial Support for Parenting Time
In Sweden, every parent is entitled to choose to work
move towards shorter work times has not been job
three-quarters time until their youngest child is eight
creation: that was a bonus. Their main concerns have
years old. If they do so, they are partially compen-
been quality of life, and in particular the protection of
sated for lost earnings.
family life. And there’s a whole slew of social indicators
3. Promotion of Family-Friendly Work Schedules
How can we convince the
where Europe is looking much healthier than North
In Europe, governments have taken a leadership role
government to improve
America as a place to raise kids. Whether we’re talking
in promoting family-friendly work schedules, and in
parental leave and childcare?
about child suicide, child crime, child violence, eating
providing information and resources about how alter-
• Pressure the provincial govern-
disorders among children, school performance, psychi-
native work schedules can be made most effective.
ment and the federal govern-
atric admissions to hospitals for teens, or rates of family
ment for a childcare program
that:
– is high-quality and afford-
4. Right to Work Less Legislation
breakdown: Europe is doing better than we are and the
Holland is currently putting in place an employment
gap is widening.
standards provision that requires employers to justify
1. Rights for Part-time Workers
to an arbitration board any time they refuse an
In Holland, part-time workers must be given the same
employee’s request for less than full-time work.
hourly rate of pay as full time workers, at least a pro-
Germany requires that employers make a six-hour
– meets the needs of: shift-
rated share of benefits, union membership where
workday option available to all parents of young
workers; rural families;
there’s a union, and eligibility for the pension plan.
children.
special needs cases
Because there’s no exploitation attached to part-time
able; i.e. publicly funded
– meets provincial standards
for quality child care
– utilizes workplaces, schools
and other public spaces
12
5. Expanded Family Leave Provisions
work, unions are actively supportive of part-time posi-
In Denmark, taking childcare and parental leave
tions. The result is that 38 percent of the Dutch work-
together, each family has the right to 136 weeks of
force works part-time, by choice. The voluntary move
leave. In Sweden, parental leave provisions entitle
to part-time work is the biggest single reason why Hol-
both parents to full-time leave from work until their
land’s unemployment rate has fallen to three percent.
child is 18 months old.
PENNI RICHMOND
Women’s and Human Rights Department, Canadian Labour Congress
• Lobby provincial government
to make top-up of EI mandatory for maternity/paternity
leave.
W
omen’s Work
childcare workers who reflect perhaps most vividly the
Numerous recent studies show that women
relationship between the value assigned to women’s
still continue to be responsible for the vast
unpaid, caring work and women’s paid work with
majority of unpaid work, caring for children, for aging
children. Childcare workers are at the bottom of the
parents, sick family members and for households. These
wage heap.
same studies report that this work is increasing with
It’s important we also remember that families are
• Lobby provincial government
and school boards for before
and after school and days off
program.
• Form a government committee
deregulation and cuts to government services and social
increasingly diverse. Mom and Dad with a couple of kids is
with union representation to
programs — the downloading of previously paid, public
no longer the majority family formation: there are more
review labour standards,
sector (women’s) work into the home. While individual
blended families, more same sex families, many with
improve family leave (five
men have made some changes in the traditional house-
children, and dramatically more single parent led families,
days paid, five days unpaid);
hold division of labour, women still are more implicated in
the majority of whom are led by women. All families’ needs
increase minimum wage;
the conflicts between work and family. Women take more
must be taken into account in balancing work and family.
leave for family responsibility, far more sick leave (there’s
In 1997 the CLC completed our “Women and Work”
improve childcare subsidies.
• Work in coalition with existing
been a dramatic jump in the past few years) and work
study, which examined the impact of economic restruc-
more hours at home. Much of household maintenance is
turing on women’s work and on women’s lives. The core
invisible: the scheduling and planning which is often a
of the project consisted of discussions with hundreds of
constant list in women’s heads likely isn’t measured in the
women across the country, unionized and non-unionized
pregnant, you can take a
hours attributed to unpaid work in the home.
women, employed and unemployed, immigrant, visible
health-related leave of absence
minority and aboriginal women, women with disabilities,
(using your sick leave credits)
a household as it did twenty years ago. This is a devas-
young women and older women. The report shows that
with a doctor’s note. You don’t
tating reality for us all. It’s a devastating reality for the
systemic gender discrimination in the workplace is not
need to have any special
significant proportion of women who work part-time
disappearing. Apart from a minority of white professional
because they can’t find full-time work or for the heads of
women, women are losing ground as government and
single families who have to count on one wage. Or for
corporate restructuring barrels along.
It takes twice the number of paid hours to maintain
child care centres.
DID YOU KNOW? When
complications or illness.
13
For more information, contact
the SFL at (306) 525-0197 or
[email protected]
REDUCED/RESTRICTED
“Women and Work” documented the increased
parental leaves with wage-top up; paid family responsi-
precariousness of women’s jobs that has come with the
bility leaves; breast-feeding provisions; harassment clauses
shift to temporary, contract and involuntary part-time
— nothing can destroy your health and quality of life like
work, particularly among clericals and sales and service
unchecked or unresolved harassment; measures to
workers in the private sector. We also documented, in
ensure women who are experiencing violence within
the context of neo-liberal policies, the loss of secure and
their home are not disciplined for absenteeism and have
mindset (i.e. you don’t need
well-paid jobs for women particularly in public services
access to counselling; pensions and medical benefits;
overtime). Humanize the issue
and in manufacturing.
paid sick leave; benefits for part-time workers. And in a
OVERTIME
How can we organize around
reducing/restricting overtime?
• Work to change the cultural
by talking about how families
lose out.
• Get the community behind it.
Talk to labour councils, city or
town councils, schools (Grade
11-12), chambers of commerce,
small business owners, social
groups, newspapers, radio.
• Talk about reducing overtime
Where women’s employment is expanding most
rapidly is in the private service sector of the economy
CUPW, for example, has bargained a major fund, paid for
(doing “women’s work”), for workers in small firms, and
by the employer and controlled by the union, to develop
in precarious jobs such as contract and casual work.
innovative, community- based childcare programs.
More women are now doing “homework” because of
And same-sex spousal benefits — unions did that.
the lack of childcare, many under obscene conditions.
We grieved, we went before the courts, including the
It is precisely these areas where we find the most vulner-
Supreme Court — and were instrumental in winning a
able women — visibility minority and aboriginal women
major victory.
— where they’re employed at all — and where rates of
unionization are very low.
on the shopfloor and in the
coffee room; use stewards to
get conversations going.
couple of cases significant funds for child care. The
There’s an additional side to collective bargaining,
too. In some cases, the gains made by unions through
collective bargaining and strikes, as in the case with
Women’s Gains
Collective bargaining is obviously central to many
winning paid maternity leave by CUPW and then PSAC
in ‘81, has exerted pressure on governments to improve
of the gains unionized women have made over the past
labour standards. This is important to ensure broad
thirty years. What are some of these gains? Maternity and
coverage of labour standards to the majority of workers
who are not members of unions.
14
• Get a clear understanding of
what constitutes an emergency
and when overtime is necessary.
Offloading Services
onto the Backs of Women
We know that governments are moving away — and
There are broader structural, societal reasons for the
• Find out where overtime is
continuing unequal division of caring and household
worked, how much is worked,
maintenance within many families — that division which
and the cost to the employer
in many instances very, very quickly — from high stand-
results in a double load for women working outside
ards in legislation and social spending. The slash and
the home. Since the early ’80s, neo-liberal economic
burn policies and shutting down of programs have
restructuring and changing government policies have
caused enormous suffering and upheaval. In labour’s
created a labour market where, for many workers, paid
ongoing fight for maintaining and improving our social
employment is increasingly incompatible with other
the collective agreement —
programs we must focus on the responsibility of govern-
responsibilities. At the same time, deregulation and cuts
interpret what the language
ments to use our collective wealth (taxes) to cover social
to government services and social programs, and
really means.
infrastructure costs — childcare, healthcare, social
increased reliance on the tax system (individual solutions
housing, publicly funded elder care, education, all costs
rather than collective) have imposed increased responsi-
that most workers and employers individually cannot
bilities on individuals and their families. Furthermore,
afford.
many government cuts have been justified on the
• Popularize the notion of ‘Just
say no’.
• Apply the language already in
• Design a questionnaire of
members, with their families
involved, on overtime.
• Create bulletins and informaDILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
tion on attrition that has
happened over the last several
years.
• Share the questionnaire and
attrition information with the
union executive and the
membership at all local and
annual meetings.
15
• Organize educationals on
overtime union-wide, including
regional and national labour
meetings and conferences.
policies.” Think of the restructuring within the healthcare
• Prepare and put forward over-
system, of the unbelievable intensification of work for
time resolutions to conven-
some women, of the loss of jobs for others. Think of the
tions demanding regional and
impact within families of increased loads related to home
national research initiatives on
care of the sick and the elderly, with negligible social
the benefits of restricted
insurance support.
overtime.
And as Meg Luxton, a leading sociologist on work/
• Attend and set up balancing
family matters says, “They are also predicated on the
work and family conferences.
assumption that precarious employment with its low
pay, unpredictable and irregular hours, and long-term
• Sell it to the membership by
insecurity, can become increasingly the norm without a
talking about job creation.
significant increase in social costs. The evidence suggests
• Negotiate: voluntary overtime
otherwise.” The less control and flexibility people have in
instead of scheduled overtime
as first step; restrictions on
overtime; tougher penalties for
overtime; payment of pensions
grounds that such work is more appropriately done in
their paid workplace, the more they experience conflict
communities or in households by unpaid volunteer
between work and family which is then associated with
labour.
negative consequences such as decreased productivity
Current economic policies are predicated on the
and poor health. In this context, work organization and
and holiday pay on overtime
assumption that women’s unpaid labour can stretch to
pay, and intentional social, economic policy stack the
wages; a living wage; the con-
cope with the impact of economic restructuring. As
deck, making it difficult to step back and figure out equal
version of part-time positions
researcher Diane Elson puts it, “In the context of econo-
roles in the home. Of course, we have to consider
to full-time after so many
mic crisis and structural adjustment, women are particu-
entrenched notions about who does what and think
larly valued for their ability to devise and implement
about our individual reluctance to address inequalities —
survival strategies for their families, using their unpaid
including responsibilities of children. We have the right
labour to absorb adverse effects of structural adjustment
to demand more systemic support.
hours.
16
MIKE VERDIEL
President CEP local 76, a paper mill in Powell River, BC
• Pressure company to fill vacant
positions — mandatory staff
replacement, with full-time/
part-time complement if
n 1989, when I took over as President of our local,
I
step backwards in our industry when we agreed to a
we had almost 1450 members in one location. Last
carry over of vacation of up to three weeks. These days
month, we only collected dues from 598 people —
could be carried over to use towards your retirement. In
in just over 10 years. Back in the early ’90s we said we
our mill at that time, we had about 1000 employees. So
have to look ahead to the future because we could see
if each one of my members took even one week of the
the effects of modernization shrinking our workforce.
three and carried it over, that’s a thousand weeks of
necessary.
• Charge more dues when overtime is worked.
• Show the employer that
overtime is not cheaper and
vacation. Think how many full-time people you’d be
that reduced overtime is a
had retirement packages; we got the company to kick
employing if those people were taking their time off. By
recruitment and retention
in more money; we did severance packages. But the
restricting the vacation and saying, “No you are required
of employees issue.
problem was that the whole time, we were still losing
to take all of your vacation in the year that you earn it” —
jobs in the community. We were not employing the
that’s created employment.
We did the usual things over the last ten years: we
young people.
We also negotiated how a week of vacation is defined.
What is a week of vacation? Is it five days of work, is it
Overtime Reduction
In 1992, we redid our bylaws. As an Executive we
• Make employers feel guilty
about lost family time and
about their role in job creation
for the community’s sake.
Sunday to Saturday, or is it Monday to Sunday? The company was arguing that a week for day workers was five
How can we convince
government to reduce/
started by charging our local dues on all hours worked:
days — Monday to Friday. Therefore you could work over-
if you want to work 20 hours overtime, you pay twenty
time on Sunday and you could work overtime on Saturday
restrict overtime?
hours more in dues. So that the membership who
because it was not in your vacation. We took the position
• Lobby for improved employ-
worked only 40 hours a week weren’t paying the penal-
that it says in our contract that you cannot earn money
ment standards: maximum
ties for people who were working more. Dues are paid
while you’re collecting vacation. We took the position that
60 hours of voluntary overtime
on a percentage basis: if you worked one hour, you paid
a week of vacation is exactly that — seven days.
in a year (or other restric-
a percentage of that; if you worked 60 hours you paid a
percentage of that.
In 1994, we looked at vacations. I think we took a
We also negotiated that workers on vacation were
not accessible, except in an emergency. We identified
tions); no mandatory overtime;
increased time between shifts;
what was an emergency and if it’s an emergency they
17
32-hour workweek; four weeks
minimum vacation; family
leave provisions.
• Lobby for occupational health
and safety standards re: excessive hours, workload and stress.
• Point out that with more
have to contact the union president or his designate to
enough people to give us what we’ve bargained without
allow the overtime.
working the overtime. It’s a hard push but you’ve got to
Most of the tour workers I represent are on 12-hour
shift schedules, which means they work two days, two
people working, the tax base
grows.
nights, four off. In that situation the company argued that
keep focusing back to, “Why did we agree to another
week’s vacation if you don’t hire anybody?”
So that’s where a lot of focus can be put — into
a vacation week was four days, so we had people work-
existing agreements. I don’t think we have to reinvent the
ing their four days before, taking four days vacation, and
wheel on some of the stuff that we have in our collective
convince employers to main-
working their four days after in the mill. We negotiated
agreements. It’s about how we want to get it interpreted.
tain good paying jobs in small
that a week’s vacation for tour workers was eight days.
For too long, we’ve been listening to what the employer’s
communities.
Starting on your first day shift right through until your
position is on our collective agreement, instead of saying
next first day shift, you could not work. That created more
this is our position on the collective agreement. If you
employment. And if they came in and worked, even in
don’t get it the first round of bargaining, then you push
an emergency, even for just one or two hours, they had
it at the second round of bargaining.
• Seek government assistance to
ALTERNATIVE WORKING
ARRANGEMENTS
to take another day off without pay, because they
How can we organize for job
sharing and flextime programs?
Job Sharing
• Explain that job sharing is
worked during their vacation period. So it wasn’t just a
penalty to the employer. It was a penalty to the people
who were coming in on their vacation.
Job Creation
In 1997 bargaining, we gave notice to our employer
about our 12-hour shift agreement, which is a 42-hour
We’ve taken a position all along and it’s still
average. I tell you it was not an easy thing to do, to give
important for certain workers:
our position that the employer has to have enough
notice to cancel 12-hour shifts and go to a 40-hour week
those who need flexibility
people in the mill to give us our contractual time
from the 42. We gave that in April of ‘97. Then the com-
when they have small children/
off. We’ve taken the position that we’ve got an agree-
pany gave us notice of layoff of a number of employees
ment that says you provide five floaters. We’re saying to
for May of ‘97. We put together a bulletin on overtime
the employer that you already know that you have this
and we held special meetings with our membership. It
liability. We say it’s your liability, so you’ve got to have
states:
dependants; those continuing
their education or exploring
18
other work; those approaching
retirement.
• Ask workers with informal
arrangements to formalize
them to provide models for
others.
• Where there is already
language, encourage support
of the job sharers. Make sure
“Where overtime is worked, when employees who can
to one per cent and it stayed there for a year and a half.
the workload is shared evenly
do work or can be trained to do the work are on lay-
In that time, we had a number of members who worked
and that it isn’t two full-time
off and available, overtime worked in these circum-
overtime that we say contradicted the collective agree-
jobs rolled into one.
stances is contrary to the collective agreement.”
ment. They were sent warning letters. In November of
We held three special membership meetings and we
1997, our first member was charged under the CEP
moved forward with our interpretation of what the collec-
Constitution with wilfully violating the adopted standards
tive agreement meant. If you don’t have the commitment
as to wages, hours of work, benefits and working
in the leadership of the individual locals, then you are
conditions and he was fined.
wasting your time trying to move something forward
When we bargained the new 40-hour average, it
• Popularize the notion that
there is more to life than work.
• Remind workers that it is a
choice, not an enforcement.
• Bargain language, making sure
to maintain full-time positions.
because it’s the individual leadership that’s got the power
created 22 full time jobs, by just going from 42 to 40.
to keep putting things in the forefront.
We did it at a time that we were also going to get a
Flextime
wage increase, so when it actually came to those people
• Talk about how families ben-
We found that when we did our survey in BC on
working time, that when we got past the leadership, the
going from 42 to 40, their pay cheques didn’t really
efit. In tough times, there may
membership was in favour of creating jobs and less over-
change. And they saw a new person in their department
be more families living together
time. If it created a job or saved a job, they were willing
that wasn’t there before we had the contract.
with dependants who need
to give up their overtime. You’ve got to be able to show
that somebody is gaining by it, especially in communities.
Our overtime dropped in our mill from seven per cent
Copies of the CBC documentary on Powell
care.
River’s Overtime Reduction are available on loan
from the SFL office (306) 525-0197.
19
• Point out that self-scheduling
JULIE WHITE
offers more control over our
lives.
• To prevent backlash and
stigma, encourage dialogue
between workers not interested in these benefits and
ndependent researcher and author, Julie has re-
I
would be political suicide to propose taking it away.
searched and written two reports on hours of work
Well, it was a shock for many, but 73% of our mem-
for CEP. “More Jobs More Fun”, highlights four case
bers in BC mills said take it away and create jobs.
shorter hours, and “Working Less for More Jobs”, is a study
every hour of overtime available, but it is a stereo-
of hours and overtime in the BC pulp and paper industry.
type. The real story is more mixed. We found a
studies where CEP members had already negotiated
those with lots of family
responsibilities who could
There is a stereotype that every worker is working
benefit from them.
• Establish balancing work and
pattern of a small minority (5-15%) who work all the
What We’ve Learned in CEP – Overtime
family labour/management
overtime they can, but there is a similar proportion
Our BC study on overtime and job creation produced
who do not work any overtime, while the majority
committee to work on issues.
three controversial results that questioned traditional
are spread through the middle working some and
Get commitment from manage-
wisdom on overtime.
refusing some. I’d advise having a closer look at who
ment to implement commit-
•
Is overtime caused by emergency situations?
really works overtime and why. We also found that
Contrary to common understanding, overtime is
the majority did not report that they worked overtime
not mainly the result of emergency situations. Most
because they needed it, but for extras and to obtain
overtime is used for covering time off, including
banked time away from work.
tee’s recommendations.
• Create information kits or
pamphlets that explain these
vacations, statutory holidays, sickness and floaters
•
Is overtime cheaper than hiring more workers?
arrangements. Give presenta-
(individual days off during the year). Downsizing has
It is commonly stated that employers use overtime to
tions at union meetings and
reduced the number of workers to the point where
save money, to avoid paying the benefit package. We
hold lunch ’n’ learns.
there are not enough workers to cover for negotiated
found that employers would save money by reducing
time off.
overtime and hiring new workers. We had a sophis-
Are workers willing to reduce overtime?
ticated analysis of payroll costs by an economist,
This is a hot issue and we heard all about how you
including everything from benefits and payroll taxes
can’t touch overtime, because our members want the
down to training and tools. To put it simply, in BC
money, how members fight over overtime and that it
pulp and paper mills, overtime costs double the
• Form strategy committees/
women’s committees to push
the issue with leadership.
20
•
• Encourage women to join
bargaining committees and
become shop stewards.
• Get sample contract language
straight time rate (this includes time and a half pay,
What We’ve Learned in CEP – Shorter Hours
from SFL, CEP, SaskTel, Depart-
the cost of a banked overtime arrangement, call in
•
ment of Labour, websites.
Workers on shorter hours love it.
and meal tickets). What does it cost to hire a new
In interviews with workers already on shorter hours,
worker? Well it costs the straight time rate and some-
I can’t tell you how many times they’ve said they’d
thing less than another 50% to cover all the benefits
walk if their time off was threatened, or be on strike
– in other words a little less than time and a half. In
in a moment over any attempt to return to longer
BC pulp and paper mills, where overtime is costing
hours.
double time, employers would save $11 million by
• Suggest trial periods, pilot
projects with review processes;
share results of work/family
surveys to suggest the changes
needed; use success stories
In Sarnia in southern Ontario, there are a number
from other countries, unions.
cutting overtime in half and replacing all those hours
of petro-chemical plants on 37 1/3 hours per week,
with full-time workers. In a situation where it is cost-
including a rubber plant. The day workers at these
• Point out that these arrange-
ing employers time and a half for overtime, replacing
plants work 40 hours most weeks, but take a Friday
ments mean less use of sick
overtime with new workers would be a no-cost
off work every three weeks to being their average
proposition.
down to 37 1/3. This gives them a long weekend
time and higher retention.
• Negotiate general clause in
agreement that states it is
DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
a family-friendly workplace.
• Inter-union sharing of information — so every union isn’t
‘reinventing the wheel’.
• Bring resolutions on these
issues to conventions.
21
• SFL worktime committee
should develop a package of
resources and do presentations
at union meetings.
• Have a Balancing Work and
Family Day of Awareness.
• Lobby U of S Labour program
and sometimes a four day weekend when combined
it may mean working only three shifts instead of four
with a statutory holiday. These Fridays are called
in a row, that it can mean every ninth week off work
Happy Fridays and are marked on the calendars with
entirely, that it can mean more weekends at home.
happy faces. These days off have even spread to the
to develop a course on worktime issues.
non-union plant and to the public sector in town.
CEP Resolution G-12
Because there are so many workers in the community
Hours of Work
How can we convince govern-
with Fridays off, community events like picnics and
ments to improve labour
tournaments are organised on those days and every-
have struggled for shorter hours of work, both to create
standards around flextime
one in Sarnia knows about Happy Fridays.
employment and for the well-being of workers; and
and job sharing issues?
• Improve labour standards —
increase minimum wage (70%
of average industrial wage);
•
Schedules are critical.
General talk of reduced hours of work is an abstraction. If it’s just expressed as more time off with a
reduction in pay that’s one thing. But if it makes a
difference to members, gives them something they
legislate pay equity so more
women can access these
want, that becomes important. Often it’s whole
blocks of time away from work, but sometimes, and
options; increase in vacation
especially for shiftworkers, shorter hours offers an
weeks; make Family Day a
improved schedule.
statutory holiday (third
For example, proposing a move from 40 or 42
Monday in February); make
hours to 37 1/3 hours a week could mean a long
Easter Monday a statutory
weekend every third week for day workers. Some of
holiday.
our shift workers work four 12 hour shifts followed by
four off, which averages to 42 hours a week. Moving
to 37 1/3 may only look attractive once it’s clear that
22
WHEREAS the CEP and the broader union movement
WHEREAS the CEP has stressed the importance of the
reduction of working time at the 1994 Convention in the
• Push for an assessment of
community needs with commitment to initiate solutions
based on results.
policy documents entitled “Reduction of Working Time”
and “Working Families”; and
WHEREAS the polarization of hours has lead to
increased inequality between workers with long hours
and those who have too few hours of work; and
WHEREAS hours of work, shift work and scheduling
and other activities of the union; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the union will continue its program of research, expanding it to include all
• Public education campaign re:
benefits to family, community
and workplace.
areas where our members work; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the union will undertake to further educate and inform our members about
• Assist families who want to
study budget implications of
are issues of importance to CEP members and have been
questions related to hours of work, including a national
working less by developing an
the subject of negotiations in all sectors of the union; and
conference on hours of work, shift work, scheduling and
information package (pension,
overtime; and
taxation implications).
WHEREAS overtime has increased while the number
of jobs has declined in many CEP industries; and
WHEREAS longer hours of work is part of a strategy
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the union will commit
resources and a budget for research, publications,
by CEP employers, combined with more part-time work
campaigns, education, conferences and negotiations on
and contracting out, to decrease regular full-time work
the issue; and
in favour of a flexible work force; and
WHEREAS the CEP has been at the forefront in
negotiating shorter hours of work and has carried out
groundbreaking research in this area;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the CEP reaffirms
quality childcare.
• Government funding for
employers that establish
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the union will establish hours of work committees in various areas and/or
regions as appropriate in order to further these goals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the union will bring
reduced overtime and shorter hours of work to the
its commitment to making reduced hours of work a union
bargaining table with employers as appropriate in each
priority, both for the welfare of workers and to create
sector, with the objective of increasing the number of
employment; and
regular full time jobs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT as a priority of the
• Fight for universal, subsidized
work family programs.
• Institute provincial pharmacare and dental plan.
• Include worktime issues in
schools’ curriculum.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the union will lobby
union, hours of work issues will be incorporated into
the provincial and federal governments to adopt legisla-
the on-going publications, education, conferences
tion to reduce overtime and standard weekly hours.
23
FAMILY LEAVE AND ELDER CARE
ANDERS HAYDEN
How can we organize for better
family leave and elder care?
• Provide statistics of population
demographics for the future.
• Research what employees’
elder care responsibilities are,
A
nders is a writer and researcher, author of the
report “Europe’s New Movement for Work Time
Reduction” (1998) and “Sharing the Work,
Sparing the Planet: Work Time, Consumption & Ecology”.
and what the possibilities in
the community are for care.
• Demonstrate the costs of this
them possible. This financial support also helps to ensure
that neither employers nor employees have to make
unmanageable financial sacrifices. Similar incentives
policies have been introduced in Belgium, Italy and many
Spanish regions. One incentives-based option being
France
The most striking initiative lately has been France’s 35-
explored in these countries is to tax overtime hours in
order to finance payroll tax cuts for firms that reduce
care being provided by the
hour workweek, which triggered the revival of demands
general public through taxes
for a shorter workweek from Finland to Portugal. In
and social programs.
October 1997, a new left-green government announced
out the details in a way that makes the most sense in
a plan to reduce the workweek from 39 to 35 hours. The
each sector and workplace, including dealing with the
main motivation was to reach out and show solidarity by
question of the effect of shorter hours on wages. One
creating jobs for the 12.5% of the population that had
goal is to renew what the French call “social dialogue”
been cast adrift in unemployment at the time.
between employers and workers, using talks over the
• Discuss the stresses of not
being able to provide necessary
elder care and the strain on
families’ well-being.
• Invite elders to come in and
35 hours became the legislated standard in France
hours and create jobs.
In France, collective bargaining is being used to work
move to a 35-hour week to address a range of issues in
on February 1, 2000. (The law doesn’t apply to firms with
the workplace, from re-organizing shift schedules to
discuss their day to day diffi-
fewer than 20 employees until 2002.) The law includes
reducing reliance on temporary contracts.
culties in coping and how
significant financial incentives, in the form of lower payroll
assistance will improve their
taxes, for companies that reach a 35-hour agreement
workplaces reached shorter work time agreements on the
quality of life.
with their workers. The rationale behind the incentives is
move to a 35-hour week. About half of the full-time work-
that new hiring as a result of shorter hours will reduce the
place in France is already at 35 hours or less, with many
costs of unemployment, such as UI and social assistance
more workplace agreements still to come.
• Provide the employer with
survey information on what
the workplace needs are and
costs. So the government can afford to give these savings
back to the employers and employees who’ve made
24
Between June 1998 and November 2000, 43,000
The 35-hour week is being implemented very flexibly.
It can be in the form of a half day off per week, a day
if any, what needs are already
being met.
• Point out that less sick time
saves money, improves morale,
was certain to scare away investment and to destroy jobs
rather than create them. (By the way, they said the same
thing about cutting the workday to 10 and then 8 hours
and means higher productivity.
• Remind management of their
own family responsibilities,
in the past.)
As it turns out, the last three years have seen record
employment growth in France. Unemployment is still
high, at 9.2%, but it’s fallen a long way from 12.5%. Even
“The Economist” magazine has had to admit that in the
workers get, management
could have too.
• Show studies of success from
last three-and-a-half years, employment growth has been
other workplaces to employers
ten times faster than in the period from 1974-96 and
and employees.
every two weeks, two days every four weeks, or a 7-hour
almost a third of the unemployed have gone back to
day. Sometimes, instead of weekly reductions, workers
work. Last year, employment growth in France was the
get an additional 22 or 23 days off annually — an extra
fastest in Europe.
four-and-a-half weeks. In many cases, “time banks” allow
Of course, the exact degree to which falling unem-
employees to accumulate time off to be taken as longer
ployment is due to the 35-hour week is a matter of debate.
holidays, paid sabbaticals, and even early retirement.
But rapid job creation is exactly the opposite of what you’d
I wouldn’t want to leave the impression that the
and that whatever benefits
have expected if you’d listened to the critics. The govern-
• Suggest trial periods and pilot
projects.
• If necessary, bring family to
work, take work out of the
workplace, or work to rule
(no overtime).
• Bargain family leave clause:
35-hour week has been without controversy. From the
ment maintains that so far, just over 250,000 jobs have
beginning, the 35-hour week has been viciously attacked
been created. Some critics say the government’s estimates
“Each employee shall accumu-
by the political right and business groups, even though
are too high. Others, like the CFDT trade union confeder-
late family leave credits at the
behind the scenes many individual businesses have been
ation, say that when you consider firms that moved to
rate of eight hours per month
open to negotiation. When first announced, the plan was
35 hours under an earlier incentives law, the numbers
called “archaic”, “an attack on entrepreneurs,” and even
are even higher — 325,000 jobs created since 1996.
“economic suicide.” The 35-hour week, we were told,
(pro-rated to other than full
time). This leave can be used
Many employers have gained advantages from a
25
for carrying out personal or
family responsibilities within
the context of today’s societal
demands and pressures.”
• Do not tie family days to sick
leave.
• Bargain elder care clause: “The
employer shall provide elder
care leave credits accumulative
at a rate of one day per month
to be used for elder care which
reorganization of work that extends operating hours,
Giving employers more work time flexibility is not
increases productivity and brings new people and skills
always negative for workers. For example, some com-
into the work force. That’s in addition to the financial
panies have reduced average hours, hired more workers,
incentives they’re receiving from the government. Despite
and in return they get to vary the workweek within a
what the business lobby has said, statistics show that the
manageable range of, say, 32 to 40 hours. That kind of
35-hour week is not adding to unit labour costs. It’s not
flexibility in hours can also be an alternative to temporary
making French firms less competitive.
contracts, reducing the precariousness of work for many.
More serious than the criticism from the right, I think,
But when variations of hours are extreme and unpredict-
includes obligations, emer-
is some of the concern from the left. A major controversy
able, they can create problems, such as making it harder
gencies and necessary care.”
has been the increase in worktime flexibility that has often
for families to coordinate activities. Some flexibility
come with shorter hours. I’m talking here about more
measures linked to the 35-hour week have generated
flexibility for employers, not workers. As just one example,
controversy among unions and even some strikes.
• Mobilize members to support
all of the above. In educationals, remind them of their
at automaker Peugeot-Citroën, workers
are getting a 35 hour week, but in
own family obligations; provide a forum for them to get
return they have to put in more
Saturday work without premium pay.
to know each other personally,
Other cases have seen more evening
including ‘day-in-the-lifes’;
work, to keep capital operating longer,
talk about improved quality
or annual rather than weekly
of life and putting value in
calculations of work hours so that
things other than work.
hours vary from week to week in
response to business ups and downs.
26
• Encourage the union to put
on more conferences on workfamily issues.
• Network with other unions and
Wages have been less controversial than flexibility, at
Another interesting thing the French have done is to
the SFL/CLC, also with child-
least until recently. In roughly 9 out of 10 agreements to
require companies considering layoffs to first try to
date, there has been no loss in pay for workers — and
negotiate shorter work time with their workers. They’ve
minimum wage workers are guaranteed no loss in
called this the “Michelin amendment” in honour of the
monthly pay. For about half the workers involved, how-
tire-maker that in 1999 laid off thousands of workers
ever, there have been salary freezes, over an average
despite a year of high profits. Looking at shorter work
period of two years. Recently, the wage question has
time as an alternative to layoffs is also something worth
become more of an issue. With the French economy
getting serious about here, especially as we head into an
How can we convince
picking up steam, there are signs that workers are
economic slowdown.
governments to improve
becoming less patient with salary moderation than they
Despite controversies over issues like worktime
were when unemployment was the number one
flexibility, a May 2000 poll of workers having moved to a
concern.
35 hour week found that 80% said it had been good for
them personally, and 82% said it
care and elder care groups.
• Set up press conferences to
release studies, stressing the
benefits to employers and
employees.
labour standards around
family leave and elder care?
• Lobby for minimum standards
regarding family leave includ-
allows them to better balance work
and family life. And the 35-hour week
remains the government’s most
ing: eight paid days per year,
pro-rated for part-time, and
popular policy. The 35-hour week has
the broadest definition of
not been perfect, but it’s pretty clear
family. ‘Family’ should be
that no French political party is going
defined as any individual for
to get very far campaigning on a
whom employee has duty of
slogan of “let’s go back to 39 hours.”
care, including same-sex and
common law relationships.
27
These minimum standards will
RESOURCES
raise the floor of collective
agreements.
• Lobby for publicly-funded
and accountable elder care,
expanded homecare program,
and expansion of long-term
To obtain a full written or videotaped copy of
any of the above speeches, or of reports cited within
this document, please contact the SFL office at
(306) 525-0197 or [email protected]
care.
• Say no to GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services),
which threatens public
services.
• Elect leaders who are in
agreement with these ideals.
To regularly receive information on bargaining workfamily issues and on family-friendly policies and legislation, join the SFL’s Balancing Work and Family e-group.
Just send an e-mail to [email protected]
You may also want to check out the following
websites:
• Saskatchewan Labour Work and Family Unit
http://www.workandfamilybalance.com
• Human Resources Development Canada –
Labour Program
http://labour.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/worklife/
welcome-en.cfm
• The Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being
http://www.uoguelph.ca/cfww
• Canadian Labour and Business Centre
http://www.clbc.ca/eng/subjects/balancing.htm
28
Strategies for Reduced Worktime and Family-Friendly Workplaces
A report on the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s
‘Get a Life’ Conference
©2001
Prepared and written by Cara Banks
SFL Distribution of Work/Worktime Committee
Photos by David Durning and Beth Smillie
Front cover photo – Eyewire Stock Images
For additional copies of this report and further information contact:
The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
#220 – 2445 13th Avenue
Regina, SK S4P 0W1
phone: (306) 525-0197
fax: (306) 525-8960
[email protected]
www.sfl.sk.ca
get
alıfe
STRATEGIES FOR REDUCED WORKTIME AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
(306) 525-0197
[email protected]
This project was sponsored by
Status of Women
Canada
6
A REPORT ON THE SASKATCHEWAN FEDERATION OF LABOUR’S CONFERENCE