Unit 2 Lesson 6 Flashcards
The term “local” is used to indicate the fact that most workplace- level unions in Canada are smaller units of a larger union
The local union’s name will reflect this relationship with the larger union. For example, the local union representing workers at one Edmonton location of TELUS, the telecommunications company, is Local 208 of the Telecommunications Workers Union.
A local union is created when workers at one or more work sites, often in the same occupation or working at different locations for the same employer or type of employer, come together to form a union.
At the point of formation, the workers can choose to form an independent union or to join an existing union. Usually, workers choose to join an established union, because of the expertise and resources that an existing union can offer new members who may be relatively inexperienced in such skills as negotiating or administering collective agreements.
Explain how a local union is formed.
A local union is created when workers at one or more work sites, often in the same occupation or working at different locations for the same employer or type of employer, come together to form a union.
One example of a new independent Canadian union was the one formed in 2001 by workers at a McDonald’s restaurant in downtown Montreal.
A Quebec labour federation assisted the restaurant workers in organizing the union, but the workers chose to create a new union: le Syndicat des travailleuses et travailleurs du McDo-CSN.1 (The name translates as “McDonald’s Workers’ Union”; the “CSN” indicates the new union’s affiliation with the Confédération des syndicats nationaux, the labour federation that assisted the workers.)
Why do workers create independent unions?
The workers created an independent union because they believed that the working conditions in McDonald’s restaurants were not identical to those at other eating establishments, so an existing union might not be able to fully represent their specific interests (The union was successful in gaining certification at the Montreal location, but soon after the union was certified, the employer closed the business, blaming a rent increase.)
A single local could contain
all the workers at a number of different workplaces, or all the workers who perform the same type of work; it could also contain all the workers at a single work- place regardless of their individual occupations.
there is really no “typical” local size
because the size of a local depends on the specific characteristics of the employer and the employees
The principles of democracy and collectivism are the guiding principles of the
Canadian labour movement. The application of these principles in union operations is demonstrated by the fact that many of the most important functions of unions take place at the local level. It is, essentially, the members of the locals who decide on the direction the union will take. Thus, the structure of the local union is designed to put the principles of participation and democracy into action
Most local unions are governed by
an executive consisting of a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary, and a treasurer. There may be other positions on the executive, depending on the size of the local and the strategic interests of the membership.
There are two other positions in the structure of many local unions
shop stewards and paid staff
In addition to providing support to the union executive members, the business agent usually plays a significant role in important union activities
such as contract negotiations and grievance handling
The local union carries out three major functions
dealing with workplace problems or grievances, collective bargaining, and coordinating political or social activity.
the union is responsible for three types of bargaining-related activity
determining what outcomes the membership wants to achieve from the bargaining process
prioritizing the desired outcomes and determines bargaining strategy participating in bargaining sessions with the employer
the local union usually participates in political or social activities outside the workplace
Examples of this sort of activity include making pre- sentations to local government bodies such as city councils, participating in events to support other unions or social organizations that are facing diffi- culties, and participating in charitable or fundraising activities.
At the convention, delegates usually
They may also vote on issues such as altering the terms of the parent union’s constitution or adjusting the amount of dues that members of local unions pay. More general policies may also be presented to the delegates with a request for a formal motion of support; for example, a human rights organization may request that the convention pass a motion condemning the actions of a certain government or country. The delegates also decide upon the policies and directions that will guide the parent union in its operations. Some parent unions hold executive elections at their conventions as well
What role can a regional, national, or international union play in forming a local union?
Parent unions help support the creation of local unions, often by providing the services of a trained organizer who will guide potential union members through the process of gaining legal recognition for the new local. Once a local is established, the parent union then supports the local’s ongoing activities. This support includes assisting the local union with workplace issues.
As most labour councils across Canada have limited funds and no full-time staff, unpaid elected officers, with volunteers and other union members, usually carry out the labour council’s work.
This work is financed through dues from local union affiliates, usually calculated on a per capita basis. Each union affiliate is charged a membership rate based on how many members the affiliated union has.
Affiliation with a labour council is voluntary for a local union, but all local unions are encouraged to join a labour council.
The constitution of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), the largest national labour federation in Canada, requires that local unions affiliated with the CLC be affiliated with a labour council in their region to maintain their standing as CLC members.
What distinguishes the structure of a labour council from the structure of a local union?
A labour council is an organization composed of delegates from many different local unions. It is distinct from a labour federation in that it usually represents unions in a region within a province or territory, whereas labour federations in Canada are provincial or national in scope.
