Learning about Labour Unions Name: Date:

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1 Learning about Labour Unions Name: Date: In this lesson you will use the Internet to discover the following: A) What is a labour union? B) Why were unions formed? C) Union terminology D) The pros and cons of labour unions. Part A As a class read together the following article. It provides an introduction to unions: A hundred years ago, children didn t go to school very often or for very long, unless their parents were very rich. They might get as far as grade three, or third book, learning how to add and subtract, how to read simple things, and how to sign their names. After that, most of them left school and got jobs to help support their families. They worked in mines or mills or factories, ten or twelve hours a day, for as little as twenty-five cents. No matter what your job, it was dangerous. There were no safety rules, no protective clothing or goggles or hard hats, no safeguards on machinery. Thousands of working men, women, and children lost their health, their limbs, their eyes, and too often their lives. Here s a true story of one of those children: My name is John Gale. I m seventeen, and I haven t had steady work for five years now. Nobody wants to hire on a fellow like me, who s missing his right arm. I m a hard worker, too. Leastways I was. I had a good job over in the sawmill on the bay. My dad got me in there before I was eleven, and I was making twenty-five cents a day. I worked at the circular saw, the tow-footer, taking away the rough ends of the planks as they got trimmed. To this day I m not sure what happened, but my arm got caught in the big cog-wheel that drives the machines and chewed it up like it was a sausage. I fainted dead away, right there in the sawdust. It happened just after the noon dinner whistle, but we had a good boss and I got paid for the whole day. Anyhow I m not as bad off as some. It wasn t two months later that another boy at the mill got both his arms and his legs taken off. - Pay Cheques and Picket Lines by Claire Mackay In the nineteenth century, working people had few laws to protect them. Wages were low. Hours of work were long. You could be fired for any reason or for no reason. If business was slow, you were laid off. Your pay stopped. Too sick to work? Too bad. Your pay stopped. Hurt on the job? Tough luck. Your pay stopped. Too old to work? No pay; no pension either. Most people accepted this. They thought it was just the natural order of things, or fate, or the will of God. Some people were rich. Some people were poor. If you were born poor, you d be poor all your life, and you d die poor. So you worked as long and as hard as you could, took the pay the boss gave you, and figured you were lucky to get it. If you ever got a raise, you were really lucky. A few dozen people had most of the money and all of the power. Tens of thousands of people had barely enough money to eat every day no power at all. Workers started to think this was unfair. Then they started to get angry. Then they started to talk about what they could do. We sometimes forget that eight-hour days, minimum wages, workers compensation and regulations prohibiting the exploitation of child labour were victories won by ordinary working people and their unions. Less than one hundred years ago, most Canadians lacked any form of protection in the workplace.

2 Part B A Brief Summary of Unions See the attached article: A Brief Intro to Unions Learn more about unions by reading the article and filling in the blanks in the sentences below: UNIONS The Canadian Youth Encyclopaedia Unions are. First Unions The first unions were formed in the century. They protected members against. Unions were opposed by, and sometimes were formed in. In the federal government passed the, making unions. Still, many employers would not allow them. Many bitter strikes were fought before unions won wide recognition. Today, union members make up about of the non-agricultural workforce; Canadians belong to unions. Membership is greatest in and, where about 50% of the workforce belongs to unions. Most early unions were unions, that is, they in a particular craft or trade. In the late 1930s, unions began to grow in Canada. Industrial unions join all workers in a single industry, whatever their skill. Today the most expanding section of the union movement consists of, made up of employees (for example, teachers, postal workers, and nurses) at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government. Early in this century, most Canadian workers belonged to unions based in the United States. After World War II, Canadian-based unions became stronger. In 1997, of all union members belonged to Canadian unions. Unions are mainly interested in the of their members. But they also become involved in. The Canadian labour movement as a whole supports the, but many union members vote for other parties. In order to on various issues, unions also organize educational and public-relations activities.

3 Part C Union Memberships Check out the Internet to find the current membership (number of participants) for each of the following unions: 1. Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE): 2. Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU): 3. Canadian Auto Workers (CAW): 4. United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada: 5. United Food and Commercial Workers International(Canada): Part D Key Definitions Using the Internet, research and then record the definition of each of the following as it relates to labour and labour unions: 1. Employer - 2. Employee - 3. Collective bargaining- 4. Wage controls- 5. Union Dues - 6. Strike - 7. Arbitration - 8. Lockout -

4 Part E Videos on Labour Unions Visit the following website: This site provides a number of radio broadcasts and videos on labour issues and unions. You will be listening to one radio clip and watching two video clips. Answer the questions according to what you hear and see. 1. Shedding Light on the Rag Trade (Clip 1) What was the typical work week for the women in the garment industry? Could women talk to each other while they worked? (y/n) Describe the environment. i. ii. iii. iv. Did workers have the right to refuse overtime? (y/n) Could workers take holidays? (y/n) How did the foremen treat the workers? i. ii. iii. 2. First Strike in Four Decades (Clip 7) How many garment workers went on strike in Montreal? What were the workers asking for? What was management asking for? Workers walked the picket lines. Describe what you see. i. ii. iii. 3. Working at Night (Clip 8) Garment companies claim they can t afford to make their products using unionized employees. They are using contractors instead. Contractors work with: o Underground shops Describe the pay in underground shops: Describe the working conditions: o Homeworking What is homeworking? Describe the typical pay: Describe the typical work shift: How did the one homeworker who was interviewed feel about the contractor s treatment?

5 Part F Pros and Cons of Labour Unions Imagine you are an employee at a factory. You belong to a union. Read each point about belonging to a union below and write down whether you consider it to be a PRO (benefit) or CON (drawback). The employer cannot fire workers randomly. Employees must pay a portion of their paycheque to the union. Relationship between employees and employer is strained because of the presence of a union. The employee is protected from workplace harassment. When bargaining for a wage increase, all the employees of the factory belong to the union and they are all represented in that bargaining. If negotiations for a work contract do not go well, employees may have to go on strike. Workers are protected from unsafe working conditions. Because the union s action is determined by the employee votes (i.e. employees vote to accept a contract), majority wins and the minority has no say. Use the Internet or speak with adults you know in the workforce to find out general opinions about labour unions. In the spaces below, write down two comments reflecting an opinion that supports unions and record two comments from people who don t support unions. Finally give your opinion in a 4 to 5 sentence paragraph. Viewpoints Supporting Unions Viewpoints NOT Supporting Unions Your viewpoint: Do you think unions are a good idea for the labour force. Why or why not?

6 Evaluation Rubric Name: Knowledge (circle level): Look at whether student completed these parts correctly. - Part B,C Fill-in- Blank: 4 All complete, 3 Most complete, 2 Some complete, 1 almost half complete, R incomplete or not done at all - Part E Video Clips: 4 All complete, 3 Most complete, 2 Some complete, 1 almost half complete, R incomplete or not done at all Thinking (circle level): Check if student analysed employee perspective properly for each point. - Part F Pros/Cons List: 4 All correct, 3 Most correct, 2 Some correct, 1 almost half correct, R mostly incorrect or not Communication (circle level): Look at both the accuracy and clarity of expression. - Part D Definitions: Are expressed: 4 All correctly, 3 Most correctly, 2 Some correctly, 1 almost half correctly, R mostly incorrect or not done Application (circle level): Look at student s viewpoint and see if s/he has used the knowledge gained about unions to formulate a clear and logically valid opinion. Student s application of his/her newly learned union knowledge: - Part F Viewpoint: 4 Very well, 3 Good, 2 Fair/Satisfactory, 1 Poor, R Unsatisfactory or incomplete

7 A Brief History of Unions Unions are organizations formed to protect workers through the establishment and maintenance of standards for working hours and conditions, wages, and other economic benefits. First Unions The first unions were formed in the 19th century. They protected members against financial disaster in times of illness or unemployment. Unions were opposed by employers and sometimes formed in secrecy. In 1872 the federal government passed the Trades Union Act, making unions legal. Still, many employers would not allow them. Many bitter strikes were fought before unions won recognition. Today, union members make up about 34% of the non-agricultural work force; 4 million Canadians belong to unions. Membership is greatest in British Columbia and Newfoundland where about 50% of the workforce belongs to unions. Most early unions were craft unions, that is, they joined all of the skilled workers in a particular craft or trade (bricklayers or garment sewers). In the late 1930 s, industrial unions began to grow in Canada. Industrial unions join all skilled workers of a particular industry whatever the skill (car makers, steel workers). Today the most rapidly growing section of the union movement consists of public-service unions, made up of government employees (teachers, postal workers, nurses) at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government. In the early 1900 s, most Canadian workers belonged to unions based in the United States. After World War II, Canadian based unions became stronger. In 1997, 65% of all union members belonged to Canadian unions. Unions are mainly interested in wages, benefits and working conditions of their members. They also become involved in political action. The Canadian labour movement as a whole supports the New Democratic Party, but many union members vote for other political parties such as the Conservatives or Liberals. In order to explain their position on various issues, unions also organize education and publicrelations activities.