You don’t have to go far these days to hear negative things being said about unions. Many politicians, employers and people in the media openly criticize the labour movement. They say that unions are out of touch and out of date. They also claim that unions no longer “deliver the goods” for their members. Yet despite all these criticisms and complaints, 4 million Canadian workers proudly call themselves union members (Bartkiw, 2005). In fact, one in every three working people in the country belongs to a union (Bartkiw, 2005). In Alberta alone, more than 300,000 people are covered by union contracts – an increase of over 40,000 members since 1996 (Hart, 2002). Why do so many people choose to belong to unions? Because it makes sense! Unions are a major issue in the world of work. The truth is that unions help workers handle grievances (written complaint), a healthier and safer workplace, higher wages and better benefits than non-union workplace.
Unions help workers to better handle grievances. In a non-union workplace, workers are at the mercy of the boss. If an employee has a complaint related to the workplace, he or she can attempt to talk to a manager about it, but the manager can choose not to do anything. The manager might act on the complaint, ignore it or even punish the employee for raising the issue – it all depends on the nature of the complaint, the company’s labour-management philosophy or even the manager’s mood on that particular day. In a unionized workplace, on the other hand, grievances and complaints are handled in an entirely different manner. Unlike the non-union environment where the workers are basically subject to the whims of management, workers in unionized firms have a clear set of rights which are outlined in detail in their collective agreements. Workers with grievance privileges are more satisfied with their job. In a survey conducted by the WES (Workplace and Employee Survey) of over 5 million employees across the country in 2001, 91% of the these workers stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their job overall compared with 88% of those without grievance privileges (Stats Canada, 2001). If the employer breaches provisions of the collective agreement – for example, if he or she fires a worker without just cause or if an employee is being harassed in some way on the job – then the worker can take defensive action through the established grievance procedure. Union members don’t have to face the boss or make their way through the red tape of labour law alone. Union representatives are there to support individual workers who have been treated unfairly. In a union workplace, about 9 in 10 unionized workers had access to a grievance system, compared to a roughly 4 in 10 in non-union workplace (Colvin, 2004). Through grievance procedures and negotiated contracts, unions protect workers from employer retaliation and, furthermore, act to dispel the notion among workers that employer retaliation is a commonplace (Colvin, 2004).
Not only do unions help workers better handle grievances, unions also help to provide a healthier and safer workplace for the workers. Health and safety is a major concern for unions. Evidence clearly shows that unions lead to healthier and safer workplaces. A 2002 study showed that 79 percent of unionized workplaces reported high compliance with health and safety regulations, compared to only 54 percent of non-unionized workplaces (Stats Canada, 2002). Unions give workers a voice in making their workplaces safe by participating in decision making about health and safety through Joint Health and Safety Committees. Unionized workers also have access to training on health and safety and they have support when they challenge employers about unsafe working conditions. In cases where workers do get injured on the job, the union can help workers through the maze of Workers Compensation. Studies have shown that this support results in a higher likelihood of unionized workers receiving WCB (Workers Compensation Board) benefits. Unionized workers receive more generous health benefits than non-unionized workers. They also pay 18% lower health care deductibles and a smaller share of the costs for family coverage (Hart, 2002). In retirement, unionized workers are 24% more likely to be covered by health insurance paid for by their employer (Stats Canada, 2002). In two studies of OSHA (Occupation Safety and Health Act) and unions in the manufacturing and construction industries (2000), it’s been found that unions greatly improve OSHA enforcement. In the manufacturing industry, for example, the probability that OSHA inspections would be initiated by worker complaints was as much as 45% higher in unionized workplaces than in non-union ones.
Just as unions help workers better handle grievances and provide a healthier and safer workplace, unions also help workers to earn higher wages and better benefits than non-union workplaces. There are several ways that unionization’s impact on wages goes beyond the workers covered by collective bargaining to affect non-union wages and labour practices. For example, in industries and occupations where a strong core of workplaces are unionized, non-union employers will frequently try to meet union standards or, at least, improve their compensation and labour practices beyond what they would have provided if there were no union presence. This dynamic is sometimes called the “union threat effect,” the degree to which non-union workers get paid more because their employers are trying to avert unionization. In Canada, the average full time worker who belongs to a union earns $20.29 an hour compared to $17.22 per hour for non-unionized workers (Reynolds, 2002). The difference for part-time workers is even more dramatic. Non-union part-timers earn $10.60 an hour compared to $17.31 for union workers (Reynolds, 2002). This means the union wage advantage for part-time workers is almost 70 percent! Unionized part time employees also tend to work more hours per week, and when combined with higher average hourly wages, this means that weekly earnings nearly double ($343.94 versus $181.65) (Reynolds, 2002). Unions have also significantly closed the gender gap. Women with union representation earn an average of 89 percent of the wages earned by men, compared to 71 percent in non-unionized workplaces (Taras, 2002). As Statistics Canada says, “It has long been known that unionized employees make more than non-union workers.”
In conclusion, unions are a major issue in the world of work as they help workers handle grievances, provide a healthier and safer workplace and earn higher wages and better benefits than non-unionized workplace. Workers are stronger when they face management shoulder to shoulder than when they stand alone. Almost all workers have the right to form and belong to unions, and labour laws protect your right to join a union and to participate in union activities. With a strong and democratic union, it can improve the quality of life for workers in Canada. Women and men working together form local unions to have a stronger voice – a collective voice – in their workplace and in society as a whole.
