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Canadian Content: Website and Image of Canadian  workers striking in Ottawa 

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Canadian Content: Website and Image of Canadian  workers striking in Ottawa 

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http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/reevely-ontario-nails-early-labour-deals-with-two-education-unions

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http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/09/02/the-worlds-most-powerful-labor-unions/

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Local Content: Website and Image or workers striking at Durham college in 2017.

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Local Content: Website and Image or workers striking at Durham college in 2017.

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https://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/7772925-as-talks-resume-durham-college-confirms-strike-won-t-change-holiday-campus-closure/

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a. What I learned, that most surprised me, was that even though there has been a resurgence in labour movements and labour actions, strikes, protest globally, labour unions in Eurpoe and North America are experiencing a decline in membership and interest. This worries me as I believe the next generation of workers in these countries are going to be unprotected and have declining work conditions.

As discussed on https://www.fedee.com/ article Trade Union Trends Across The World. “Over the last twenty five years there has been a widespread decline in trade union membership throughout most of western Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, unionisation in many eastern European states has collapsed at an even more dramatic rate. In Poland, for example, today’s 13 % level of unionisation is in marked contrast to that of the Soviet-controlled era, when almost all workplaces were unionised. Most of those who remain trade union members in Poland work for former state-owned companies.

In only 8 out of the current 27 member states of the European Union (EU) are more than half of the employed population members of a trade union. In fact, the EU’s four most populated states all have modest levels of unionisation, with Italy at 37%, the UK 25%, Germany 18% and France at only 8%.

And in the "The Weakening State of Labour Unions” article by Janet McFarland, The Globe and Mail. “Although four million Canadians are members of unions, organized labour is nonetheless facing shrinking coverage across Canada's work force. Unions are coping with growing pressure from employers and governments to accept wage freezes and reduced benefits, while they are also being asked to become active partners in boosting company productivity and improving work processes. Labour leaders are confronting growing hostility about their role from both governments and broad swaths of the non-unionized public. In this difficult and complex climate, we talked to leaders in labour, business and education about their take on the challenges and new roles facing unions this Labour Day.” https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-weakening-state-of-canadian-labour-unions/article4515873/

b. I used to work for a municipal government, in another province, and I had to pay union dues and was automatically a member of the local union for public employees. I thought this would afford me some protection and shield me from the bully behaviour and poisoned work environment in which I found myself. As the situation worsened and attempts to solve the situation on our own were ignored or met with further bullying, the hope was that the union would be able to represent our concerns and issues to management and effect some short term and long-term changes.  However, to make a 3-year long story short, nothing changed. I eventually went on a leave of absence because of anxiety and stress caused by the work conditions. I was extremely disappointed with the unions ineffectiveness and inability to make any changes for the better for any of us. I don’t believe that I was being bullied or treated badly because of my gender. I believe the threat was because there was little understanding or respect for the job that we were doing. However, I don’t think this different from what many people experience in other countries where management of public service workers set a hostile and derogatory tone .

c. I found it very interesting that South American countries and Asian countries have had slight increases to union memberships. “Whilst trade union membership has declined in Europe and North America it has tended to grow in a number of other regions. Running with this trend have been Brazil (stable since 2006). New Zealand (stable since 2004), South Africa (stable since 1999), Australia (since 2010), Costa Rica (since 2001), India (since 2004), South Korea (since 2005), Syria (since 2000), Chile, Columbia, (slight increase), and China, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan (longer term major increases). Figures are also highly erratic for Peru – but an increase seems to have taken place since 2002. Many of the regions where trade unionism has grown have been production centres for outsourced goods and services. As the supply of available skilled labour in Asia and South America declines workers have begun to assert their economic power. The is been strengthened by improvements in communications via the social media – which have made it much easier to organize industrial action. This has become such a problem that China has been forced to introduce legal restrictions on “the use of the Internet to disturb social order”.” https://www.fedee.com/ . What I find most interesting is how the internet, social media and other communications are making these movements possible, and I find it quite scary how some governments actively pursue ways to disable communications to disrupt people coming together and having a voice.

d. I am most likely to remember, that, despite hundreds and thousands of people who want to effect positive changes to their lives and the lives of others, profits are still what most companies are interested. Wages are usually consider a company’s “biggest cost” and with that company’s do not see the value of the wage earners work, ongoing contribution and mentoring potential.

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by Sarah Bleach

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It may be right to say that 2016 was a year that the labour movement in Nigeria laboured in almost futility. There are many factors that influenced this conclusion. Major events that shaped the direction of the nation that labour failed included, but not limited to, the increment in the pump price from N87 per litre to N145. Labour failed to sway a reduction in the fixed price, the non-payment of salaries at the state and federal levels and failure to raise a committee for the negotiation of the minimum wage.

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Trade unions must change or face permanent decline. The future should be full of potential for trade unions. Four in five people in Great Britain think that trade unions are “essential” to protect workers’ interests. Public concerns about low pay have soared to record levels over recent years. And, after almost disappearing from view, there is now a resurgent debate about the quality and dignity of work in today’s Britain. Yet, as things stand, none of these currents are likely to reverse long-term decline. Membership has fallen by almost half since the late 1970s and at the same time the number of people in work has risen by a quarter. Unions are heavily skewed towards the public sector, older workers and middle-to-high earners. Overall, membership is now just under 25 per cent of all employees, however in the private sector it falls to 14 per cent nationally and 10 per cent in London. Less than 1 in 10 of the lowest paid are members. Across large swathes of our economy unions are near invisible.

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VIDEO of Conference speakers on the future of Labour relations and the challenges trade unions, in western Europe, discussions of Union decline and its impact in all parts of Europe.

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VIDEO of Conference speakers on the future of Labour relations and the challenges trade unions, in western Europe, discussions of Union decline and its impact in all parts of Europe.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifBBb1wx57k

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https://www.ft.com/content/f65a8510-4626-11e7-8d27-59b4dd6296b8

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VIDEO of an interview with Bernie Sanders about the lack of worker's movement historically in the USA. Discussion of the power of collective bargaining and many younger people not standing together for equal benefits, health care and union limitations.

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VIDEO of an interview with Bernie Sanders about the lack of worker's movement historically in the USA. Discussion of the power of collective bargaining and many younger people not standing together for equal benefits, health care and union limitations.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR7YT7sAZbY

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VIDEO of "A Short History of Unions." A quick but effective history of how unions began.

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VIDEO of "A Short History of Unions." A quick but effective history of how unions began.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPPeDO4dMRA

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https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/trade-union