Economy :: Unions Labor Work Papers

UnionsWhy Unions? Unions are groups of working people who join to talk to employersabout wages and conditions of work so cardinalr of workers talking to employerson an individual basis.1 Because they speak for everybody, unions can geta better deal for each worker than one employee could by negotiating withthe employer. As seen in the short movie WHY UNIONS?, non-unionized workers talksabout the unfair treatment they experience in the work place. Throughcollective action, workers formed unions so they could have a voice indeciding wages, hours, working conditions and dealing with the manyproblems arises in the workplace. Unions are not just organizations trying to get more dollars and centsor better working conditions for people who hold union cards. People whodont enjoy the benefits of union protection get benefits too. The labourmovement was in the knife edge of the struggles for public health care, forpublic education, for minimum wages, holidays and employment conditions.2 1 D. Martin, Form War To Peace, Canadian mash Congress, Quebec,1991, P.17 2 Notes On Unions, Canadian Labour Congress, Quebec, 1992, P.1Union Nowadays Unions are like businesses their success depends upon attracting andretaining buyers (new members). Recently, one of the major problems facedby the union movement is that few Canadians understand what services unions mother into public.3 The public also dont know the union is also helpingCanada in other parts of areas such as economy, etc. The public remember thatthe exactly time unions come into the publics eye is as a result of strike orwithdrawal of services. This is because of the impressed strikes held bythe union workers. The memorable one would be the strike held by theToronto Transit Commission workers back in September 1991. The lack oftransportation resulted in inconveniences among the public. The Canadianpublic becomes upset over conflict. The strikes make the public forgetabout the con tributions of unions in other areas. From a marketingperspective, the union movement has positioned itself like the nuclearindustry -- it receives attention only when it is about to blow up, melt orleak.4 Five important needs for union movements are 3 Alistair Davidson and Ian Mckinnon, Unions need to studymarketing, The Globe and Mail, may 8 1984, Business section, P.8