Ottawa-area school board becoming impatient
February 24, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: The Upper Canada District School Board says it’s worried about the length of time the Ontario Labour Relations Board is taking to decide on an application for a cease-and-desist order.
Source: The Ottawa Citizen
Date: 02/22/2013
Related links:
- Earlier Toronto Star story
- Upper Canada District School Board
- District media release
- Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
- Ontario Labour Relations Board
- Earlier update
Questions for discussion:
- What actions does the school board want the OLRB to halt?
- What did the school board argue before the OLRB?
- Review the related links above. What was the teachers’ argument?
- Do you think the teachers’ activities fit the definition of a strike? Why or why not?
- Why do you think it has taken so long to reach a decision?
Classes to resume at St. Francis Xavier
February 17, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: The St. F.X. Association of University Teachers has voted 96 per cent in favour of a new collective agreement with St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S.
Source: The Halifax Chronicle Herald
Date: 02/16/2013
Link: http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/703539-st-fx-faculty-union-oks-deal
Related links:
- Earlier CBC story
- The U – StFX Students’ Union on Facebook
- St. F.X. Association of University Teachers
- University negotiation update
- Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union Local 88
- Earlier update
Questions for discussion:
- What are the key features of the new collective agreement?
- Why does the union head argue that the “strike was worth it?”
- Do you agree with him?
- What is happening in the other labour dispute mentioned in this story?
- What happens if NSGEU Local 88 rejects the university’s offer?
Faculty association strikes at St. Francis Xavier
February 3, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: Striking faculty met for informal talks with the administration of St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, N.S.
Source: CBC
Date: 02/01/2013
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/02/01/ns-st-fx-rally-strike.html
Related links:
- Earlier story
- University FAQ for students
- Halifax Chronicle Herald story
- StFX Association of University Teachers
- The U – StFX Students’ Union on Facebook
Questions for discussion:
- Browse the related links above: What salary increase is the university proposing?
- What increase is the faculty association proposing?
- What are the other issues in this dispute?
- How are students responding to the strike?
- What would you do if you were a student at St. FX?
LRB declares teachers’ protest unlawful
January 13, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: The Ontario Labour Relations Board has declared a planned one-day walkout by elementary school teachers illegal.
Source: CTV
Date: 01/11/2013
Link: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/etfo-osstf-cancel-planned-walkouts-1.1109787
Related links:
- Labour board decision (pdf)
- Blog post by Prof. David Doorey
- Statement by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
- Ontario Labour Relations Board
- Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
- Ontario Ministry of Education
Questions for discussion:
- Who brought the application to the Ontario LRB?
- What did the Elementary Teachers’ Federation intend to do?
- Summarize the arguments made by the two sides.
- What reasons did the board give for its decision?
- Prof. David Doorey asks: “Do you think the definition of ‘strikes’ should include a protest against a government’s public policies?” What do you think? Why?
NHL, players reach tentative agreement
Description: The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association have reached a tentative agreement after the second-longest lockout in league history.
Source: The Toronto Star
Date: 01/06/2013
Related links:
- Industrial relations expert Mark Thompson offers some advice to negotiators
- Globe and Mail story
- Earlier update
- NHLPA
- NHL
Questions for discussion:
- Read Mark Thompson’s commentary and summarize his rules for negotiators in your own words.
- Do any of these rules surprise you? Explain.
- How would these rules apply to the NHL lockout?
- Do you think the lockout would have been ended sooner if the parties had followed these rules?
- Why do you think the parties didn’t follow these rules?
Buzz Hargrove criticizes “amateur hour” NHL talks
December 9, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement, Chapter 7 - Defining and Commencing Collective Bargaining, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: Former Canadian Auto Workers head Buzz Hargrove says the NHL Players’ Association shouldn’t have agreed to meet with team owners without the association’s executive director.
Source: CBC
Date: 12/06/2012
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/ID/2313280372/
Related links:
- Donald Fehr speaks to the CAW
- Two sides still in contact after talks break off
- Earlier update
- NHL
- NHLPA
Questions for discussion:
- Why does Hargrove refer to these talks as an “amateur hour”?
- What does Hargrove believe may be needed to reach a settlement?
- Consult your textbook and make a list of the advantages to such an approach.
- Now make a list of the disadvantages.
- Based on what you have learned in this course, what do you think should be done to reach a settlement?
York Region elementary teachers poised for job action
November 18, 2012 by admin
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: Elementary school teachers in Ontario’s York Region appear ready to take job action.
Source: CBC
Date: 11/18/2012
Related links:
Questions for discussion:
- What is an “escalating withdrawal of administrative services”?
- How does that differ from an all-out strike?
- What are the issues in this dispute?
- Consult the related links above: What happens on Dec. 31?
- What effect do you think that will have on this dispute?
Two-day strike ends at Whitby auto parts plant
November 4, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: Production has resumed at General Motors’ Oshawa, Ont. assembly plant after a two-day strike by Canadian Auto Workers members at a plant that makes car seats.
Source Reuters Canada
Date: 10/20/2012
Link: http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCABRE89T14020121030
Related links:
Questions for discussion:
- What was the immediate cause of this strike?
- What were the issues in this dispute?
- What effect did this strike have on GM operations?
- What effect do you think the strike had on the tentative resolution of this dispute?
- What arguments can you think of in favour of and against workers’ concessions at the Lear plant?
Alberta LRB allows NHL lockout to continue
October 14, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: The Alberta Labour Relations Board has rejected an NHL Players’ Association application to have the NHL lockout ruled unlawful.
Source: Toronto Star
Date: 10/10/2012
Related links:
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the NHLPA’s argument.
- What did the Alberta LRB decide?
- What was their reasoning?
- What do you think would have happened if the LRB had found in favour of the players’ association?
- Do you agree with this ruling?
Ontario teachers boycott after-school programs
September 23, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario is calling for a “pause” in extra-curricular activities after the Ontario government brought in a bill that freezes their wages and limits their bargaining rights.
Source: The Toronto Star
Date: 09/18/2012
Related links:
- Professor David Doorey discusses the legal issues in this dispute
- Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act
- Statement from the Ontario ministry of education
- The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
- Earlier update on B.C. teachers’ job action
Questions for discussion:
- What are the teachers doing here?
- What is work to rule? Why can’t Ontario teachers apply that term to this dispute?
- How is this situation similar to that in B.C. last year? How is it different?
- The Toronto Star story describes parents trying to explain this action to students. What would you say if you were a parent?
- Prof. Doorey asks: “If you think a law like that is a good idea, then should it apply beyond teachers? Should all employees be required to perform volunteer work, or just teachers?” What do you think?
Fiona McQuarrie's Industrial Relations in Canada received wide praise for helping students to understand the complex and sometimes controversial field of Industrial Relations, by using just the right blend of practice, process and theory. The text engages business students with diverse backgrounds and teaches them how an understanding of this field will help them become better managers.