Unions and the Collective Agreement

Many workplaces in Canada have one or more unions in place. The agreement between workers and management is called a collective agreement. There are union representatives called shop stewards who are elected by employees to negotiate with management on many issues.

The history of unions in Canada actually started almost two centuries ago (e.g., local unions of dock workers in the War of 1812, Montreal shoemakers and Toronto printers of the 1830's). By the middle of the 1800's the unions were becoming more international. These unions had their headquarters and most of their members in other countries.

These early unions existed on their own, but this began to rapidly change:

• 1863: several Hamilton unions formed a central Trades union
• 1873: there were 100+ unions in Canada
• 1873: the first national convention which set up a national organization, the Canadian Labour Union

As you can see, unions have a very long history in Canada. Many of the employment standards that provide basic minimum rights for Canadian workers are the results of union activity. These standards include things like minimum wage laws, overtime pay, maternity leave benefits etc.

Brainstorm any ideas you have about the pros and cons of unions. Fill in the chart with your ideas. Compare them to the ideas of others. Find a friend or relative who belongs to a union and one that works but is not part of a union. Ask them their opinion. Report your findings back to the class. Were there ideas you now need to add to your pro and con lists?