Unit 2: Labour Unions Flashcards
Labour union:
An organization of workers that collectively promote the interests of its members negotiates with their employers.
- A workers’ organization that negotiates with employers and promotes the interests of its members
Trade union:
Known as craft unions, represent workers in a single occupation regardless of where they work. Example: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Trade unions are common in the construction industry.
Unions that represent workers in a single occupation: also called craft unions
Industrial union:
Represent all workers in a given industry regardless of the job that they perform. Example: Canadian Auto Workers Union; represents workers in the automobile industry, whether in the assembly line or sweeping the shop floor. Many industrial unions are expanding memberships outside the original industry in which it was established and represents workers in retail sales and fast food.
Unions that represent all workers in a given industry, regardless of the type of job they do.
Closed shop: Union membership is voluntary
Union membership is voluntary
Open shop:
Employer may only hire workers who are already members of the union. More common in trade unions.
Union shop:
Somewhere between an open shop and a closed shop. Employer may hire whomever, but after a probationary period, they’re required to join a union.
Mediation:
When a third party is brought in to study the situation and suggest possible ways to reach an agreement, helping both parties find a middle ground.
Voluntary Arbitration:
Both sides agree to have a third party who acts as a judge, and makes a decision about what position is fair.
Compulsory Arbitration:
Government orders both parties to submit disputes to an arbitrator.
Identify and explain the items that are bargained through collective bargaining. Identify and explain the advantages of collective bargaining.
Process of arriving at a collective agreement is collective bargaining, the contract negotiated is the collective agreement. Wages and working conditions are usually negotiated. Collective agreements states responsibilities of the workers and employers concerning wages, vacations, job safety, benefits, training, hours of work, and grieving procedures. Cost-of-living allowances are often a factor of negotiations. Unions own security is negotiated in agreement. Union seeks to enroll as many workers possible from each workplace. Members of unions also get a source of revenue: union dues. Union dues are an amount of money each union member pays to support its activities.
What is the difference between a strike and a lock out?
A strike is a temporary work stoppage by employees, designed to force an employer to meet the union’s contractual demand. Strike can only occur once a majority of workers approve this action and after certain conditions are met, such as an expiry of an old collective agreement, and the use of conciliation or mediation. Lockout: employer shuts down place of employment in order to force workersto accept its contract offer.
Besides a strike, what tools are available to a union in order to place pressure on an employer when negotiating a collective agreement? In general, do unions prefer a strike or one of the alternatives? Explain why?
Unions have tools such as a rotating strike to limit lost pay of workers in the union, but enought to disrupt the employer’s production. Work-to-rule, employees only perform duties that are specifically stated in their contracts. So stop working overtime. Encouraging boycott of a product madeby the employer
How do unions attempt to raise the wages of their members besides negotiating collective agreements?
Unions attempt to increase the demand for labour, because demand for labour is a derived demand. Increasing demand for service, can increase wages. Unions encourage to buy union-made products to increase demand for labour. Also, increasing worker productivity. Unions may attempt to raise wages by reducing supply. They also influence government labour laws for wages.
