Unions Assignments
Part 1
-Read “Unions, Unions and Government & Unions in the Community”
-Complete Part One Question Sheet
Part 2
-Read “Why Workers Join Unions, How A Union is Formed”
-Complete Steps to Forming a Union
Note: (List steps 1 through 9 on your answer sheet)
Part 3
Read “Collective Bargaining –How it Works & Problems”
- Complete The Bargaining Process
Part 4
- Read “Strikes”
-Complete Strike Research Paragraph
Part 5
- Read Union Terms
- Complete Checking Your Knowledge Terms sheets”
Unions
People are feeling a lot of pressure and insecurity about keeping their jobs. Their friends
and neighbours are struggling to get by. Many small businesses have closed and people
are having a harder time providing the basics for their families. Where do you as a
worker and as a citizen fit in this world? Is there a place for unions in this world?
We need unions because they are one of the few ways that workers can have a say on the
job and influence society. Our society is democratic to a degree, but it is not set up to
respond to the average worker’s concerns and daily life. When people come together with
a common goal in mind, they are far more powerful than when they try to reach goals by
themselves. When working people act together they have a better chance of getting what
they need at work, from government and in their communities.
UNIONS AND GOVERNMENT
Some of the minimum benefits that we now receive from employers have come from the
fights unions have made for their members’ wages, benefits and working conditions over
the last 100 years. Unions became more widespread after the1930's and began to have a
positive and lasting effect on how the economy treated workers. Unions were successful
at bargaining against poor wages and working conditions and able to create a better
standard of living for workers. Better pay, shorter hours and safer working conditions
became the standards adopted by non-union employers in order to compete for workers in
the labour market. Eventually through their work at the bargaining table and by lobbying
governments with other members of the community, unions were able to force
governments to set minimum standards of pay, hours of work, overtime, holiday pay and
health and safety regulations. This resulted in minimum standards’ legislation in every
provincial, territorial and federal area of work. Unions were also involved in developing
human rights gains and legislation. These gains are now under attack by right wing
governments across the country. We all have benefited from minimum standards
legislation. The following standards have become the basic minimum rights within many
workplaces and are now required by law in most provinces.
These standards exist because of the bargaining gains that unions achieved over the years
and because unions have lobbied for employment standards laws. These standards
include:
minimum wage laws
hours of work (daily and weekly)
overtime pay
vacation pay
basic health and safety rules
workers’ compensation
basic anti-discrimination laws in human rights legislation
severance pay
unemployment insurance benefit
maternity leave benefits
pension benefits
The above rights are just very basic standards of wages and benefits. Unions have always
pushes beyond these basic rights provided by law. Unions fight for living wages, benefits
and reasonable working conditions for their members all above what the law provides for
workers.
Unions take this action because the law is just a minimum standard. Workers need more
than the minimum wage to live; they also need medical, dental and extended health
benefits for their families. Workers need better levels of sick leave and vacation leave
than minimum laws provide. Unions also fight for a decent standard of living and some
control for workers of their work lives that laws do not provide.
UNIONS IN THE COMMUNITY
Unions primarily represent workers’ interests in the workplace, but they
have had a broader effect on our communities and the larger fabric of our
society as a whole. Unions are an important part of a democratic society and
are one way to organize people to represent their own interests.
Being a member of a church group, neighbourhood association,
parent/teacher advisory group, and ethnic community group are examples of
some of the different identities workers can also have as citizens in their
communities.
Union members as community citizens care about a wide variety of interests.
So their unions also speak out on all kind of issues. Issues like:
• working to make childcare available and affordable for all working
people
• ensuring education is affordable and accessible for everyone
• maintaining our high quality, publicly funded healthcare and social
services systems
• making sure that all workers have a reasonable level of unemployment
insurance and pension benefits
• protecting our environment for future generations
• using our pension funds for affordable housing and other grassroots
community economic development
Please note:
If and when a lock out should occur at your placement, please follow the
same procedures as the employees who have been locked out. Your Co-op
hours are guaranteed for one week. If at that time, the lock out continues,
your Co-op teacher will endeavour to find another placement for you in your
area of interest.
Part One:
Read the attached article on “Unions, Unions and Government & Unions in the
Community” and answer the following questions
Unions:
1) Give two reasons why we need unions. (2)
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2) True or False: When working people act together they have a better chance of
getting what they need at work, from government and in their communities.
____________ (1)
Unions and Government:
1) After what year did unions become more widespread and begin to have a positive
and lasting effect on how the economy treated workers? ________________ (1)
2) List three things that unions were successful at? (3)
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3) Fill in the blanks: Better _______________, shorter __________________ and
safer ________________ conditions became the standards adopted by non-union
employers in order to compete for workers in the labour market. (3)
4) List the eleven basic minimum rights that are now required by law in most
provinces. (11)
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Unions in the Community:
1) List four examples of different identities workers can also have as citizens in their
communities: (4)
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Why Workers Join Unions
In the 1830’s in the United States and in the 1860”s in Canada and the United
Kingdom, workers began to band together to demand fair treatment from
employers. These were the first unions. Their purpose was to identify:

unfair wage levels

too-long work hours

unsafe or inhumane working conditions
In general they fought against unacceptable treatment by employers.
Unions today operate on the same basic principles. The issues that concern them
most are:

fair wages

job security

safe, clean working conditions

recognition of seniority

stopping favoritism and similar injustices to employees

proper grievance procedures

satisfactory retirement programs

employment equity
How A Union Is Formed
STEP ONE
Identify the group of employees the union will
represent. For example, people who work in certain trades or
people who work in the same or related industries often group
together to form a union.
STEP TWO
The union organizers invited employees to join.
Employees who want to join sign an application form and pay
a fee (called dues) to show their interest.
STEP THREE
When the majority or qualified employees
supports the union, an application of certification is
made to the appropriate labor relations board.
STEP FOUR
Once the union is certified; the members elect their own
officers.
STEP FIVE
The union now represents the employees in all further
negotiations with the company concerning wages, benefits and
working conditions.
Please mark ballot with an “X”
I vote to join the union
X
_______
_______
I do not vote to join the
union
_______________
Steps To Forming A Union
Number the following steps in the correct order to describe how a union is formed
NOTE: There are a total of 9 steps
A.
_____ Members elect officers.
B.
_____ The union is certified (recognized as being the representative of the
workers).
C. _____ The group of employees to be represented is identified.
D. _____ Employees who are interested in joining fill out application forms.
E. _____ Union organizers invited employees to join.
F. _____ Employees pay an initiation fee to show their interest.
G. _____ Application to the labor relations board is made.
H. _____ A majority of employees in the company must be interested in joining
before the union can be certified.
I.
_____ Union is set up and represents employees’ working conditions, wages
and benefit negotiations.
Collective Bargaining – How It Works
1. The members of the local union meet to decide on the proposals that will be
made to management.
2. Members are chosen to be on the bargaining committee.
3. The members of the local union vote on what proposals are to be made. The
bargaining committee then arranges a meeting with management’s
representatives.
4. Bargaining can be a slow process. The proposals made by the union might
be met by counter-proposals from management. This is followed by a
discussion and often each side makes concessions (gives things up). The two
groups report back to their respective groups on a regular basis.
5. About 90% of the time the agreement is finally reached between
management and the employees. The terms of the agreement are then
written into a contract.
6. Unions and negotiators must report to the members. The members vote on
whether they accept or reject the offer made.
Problems In The Bargaining Process
If the two sides (management and union) find it impossible to reach an
agreement, the government provides assistance.
1. A conciliation officer is appointed. This person meets with both
sides and, if possible, helps them resolve their differences.
2. If the first step fails, a conciliation board is appointed. This board is
made up of a representative of the union, a representative of
management and a chairperson. They conduct hearings, listen to
both sides and then prepare a report. If agreement can be reached, a
contract is signed. If not, after a legally specified time period,
employees are in a legal position to strike.
The Bargaining Process
Check your knowledge about unions. Based on what you have read about the
bargaining process, mark true or false to the following questions.
Number
1.
True
False
Question
The strike can only take place after a certain time
has passed and only if the sides have not reached a
satisfactory agreement.
2.
Decisions on what the union will ask for are made
by the bargaining committee, not the members.
3.
Bargaining is a slow process.
4.
During bargaining the two sides meet often, and
sometimes change their demands.
5.
Strikes are common among unionized workers.
6.
When both sides finally agree, they write their
agreement into a contract.
7.
A Conciliation Officer works with union and
management if they are having problems agreeing.
8.
Union negotiators make the final decision on what
is right for the members.
9.
If the union members do not like what is offered,
they can vote to strike.
Strikes result in only about 10% of contract negotiations. The employees make the
final decision about going on strike.
When a union does strike, employees usually picket their place of employment.
When a company hires non-union workers to replace the unionized workers during
a strike, the replacements are sometimes called scabs.
Union members vote to strike or to end a strike at the local union level. Sometimes
a strike is ended when management gets an injunction or a court order to end the
strike.
Investigating A Strike
Are there union employees on strike in your area?
If a strike is not occurring in your area, research on the internet to see if one is occurring
some place else.
Write a paragraph about a current strike, or do research and write a paragraph on a past
strike.
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UNION TERMS
1.
A refusal to work because a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated is a STRIKE.
2. An employer and employees who are trying to come to an agreement are
NEGOTIATING.
3. A legal step used by an employer to end a strike or other actions of employees is an
INJUNCTION.
4. The agreement between an employer and a union that involves issues such as wages,
working conditions, and fringe benefits is COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT.
5. Person appointed to help resolve a deadlock at the bargaining table is a
CONCILIATOR.
6.
Dental plans, pension plans, and sick leave plans are FRINGE BENEFITS.
7. An organization of employees that works to represent members in bargaining with
the employer for better wages and working conditions is a UNION.
8. A method of settling a dispute between an employer and employees by bringing in a
third party is called ARBITRATION OR MEDIATION.
9. A branch of a parent union is called a LOCAL.
10. The legal procedures that a group must follow in order to become a union are known
as CERTIFICATION.
11. Workers on strike spend several hours each week PICKETING in front of their
place of work.
12. A unionized employee has the right to file a GRIEVANCE if some part of his/her
contract is not followed.
13. An advantage attained by length of continuous employment is called SENIORITY.
14. All employees belonging to a union have MEMBERSHIP.
15. A work slowdown or a refusal to perform some duties not in the employee’s job
description is known as WORK-TO-RULE.
16.Refusal to buy or use a company’s goods or services in support of a union is
BOYCOTT.
17.The closure of a place of work by an employer in order to pressure employees to agree
to the terms of employment is a LOCKOUT.
18.A method of determining issues such as wages and hours through direct negotiations
between the union and the employer is called COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
19. When the majority votes to accept the contract is to RATIFY.
Vocabulary
Match the correct word or phrase with the meaning by writing the word on the line
next to the meaning. Check the dictionary if you aren’t sure of the meaning of any
of the words.
Arbitrator
Membership
Boycott
Collective Agreement
Conciliator
Grievance
Negotiations
Picketing
Ratify
Union
Certification
Local
Strike
1.
___________________ an organization of employees that works to
represent members in bargaining with the employer for better wages and
working conditions.
2.
______________________ employee’s refusal to work until an agreement
has been reached.
3.
______________________ complaint by an employee or the union that a
term of the collective agreement has not been followed.
4.
______________________ all employees belong to a union.
5.
______________________ contract between an employer and its
unionized employees.
6.
_____________________ branch of a parent union.
7.
_____________________ representatives chosen to bargain for the
collective agreement.
8.
_____________________ public protest by union members to publicize a
labor dispute.
9.
_____________________ when the majority votes to accept the contract.
10.
_____________________ process for settling disputes between union and
management.
11.
______________________ refusal to buy or use a company’s goods or
services in support of a union.
12.
______________________ process by which government recognizes or
certifies a union.
13.
______________________ person appointed to help resolve a deadlock at
the bargaining table.
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES TO UNIONS
There are advantages and disadvantages to both employees and the employers.
Advantages
To The Employees

Employees gain greater
Negotiations with all employees takes
bargaining strength by
place at once.
bargaining as a group.

Union gives employees someone
to back them up in disagreements
with the employer.

To The Employer
Union gives the individual
employee a sense of belonging
and a sense that he/she can
influence the employer.
Disadvantages
To The Employee


Initially It costs money to belong
To The Employer

Employer loses some power and
to a union but initiation fees and
must bargain with the union
dues are tax deductible.
according to labor laws.
Individual employees must go
with the wishes of the majority
even if he/she disagrees.
Union or Non-Union Jobs Quiz
No.
Career/Job
1
Britney Spears
2
Nurse
3
Farmer
4
Police Officer
5
Teacher
6
Daycare Provider
7
Doctor
8
Pilot
9
Television Broadcaster
10
Comedian/Actor
11
NHL Hockey Player
12
Construction Worker
13
School Office Administrators
14
Custodian
True
False