B.C. teachers reject premier’s call for 10-year contract
January 27, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 2 - Theories of Industrial Relations, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process
Description: The B.C. Teachers’ Federation wants no part of a government proposal that would include a 10-year collective agreement.
Source: CBC
Date: 01/24/2013
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/01/24/bc-teachers-plan.html
Related links:
- YouTube video of Premier Christy Clark’s announcement
- Government statement
- Government plan (pdf)
- BCTF response
- Earlier update
Questions for discussion:
- What would the teachers gain under the government proposal?
- What would the teachers lose?
- Ten-year collective agreements are extremely rare. Why do you think that is?
- Who do you think would benefit the most from this proposal? Why?
- B.C. voters go to the polls May 14 and the Clark government is well back in the opinion polls. How do you think that affects the contents of this proposal and the teachers’ response?
Nurses, New Brunswick government reach tentative agreement
January 20, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process
Description: The New Brunswick government and the province’s nurses union have negotiated a tentative collective agreement. The last contract between the two sides was reached in 2009 after the nurses threatened to strike.
Source: CBC
Date: 01/14/2012
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/01/14/nb-nurses-union-tentative-deal.html
Related links:
- Story from 2009
- New Brunswick Human Resources ministry
- New Brunswick Nurses Union
- Union YouTube page
- New Brunswick Public Service Labour Relations Act
Questions for discussion:
- How long had the nurses been without a contract?
- What were the main issues in the 2009 negotiations?
- What were the highlights of the 2009 agreement?
- Look at the videos on the union YouTube page. Whom do you think they are aimed at?
- Do you think they are effective?
Ontario government imposes contracts on teachers
January 6, 2013 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process
Description: The Ontario government has imposed contracts on elementary and secondary school teachers, freezing pay and reducing sick days.
Source: The Globe and Mail
Date: 01/03/2013
Related links:
- Video: Education Minister Laurel Broten announces government move
- Andrew Coyne opinion piece
- Thomas Walkom opinion piece
- Ontario education ministry
- The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
- The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
Questions for discussion:
- What are the main features of the contracts imposed by the Ontario government?
- What reason does the government give for taking this action?
- What is the teachers’ response?
- Summarize the arguments made by Andrew Coyne and Thomas Walkom.
- Which arguments do you find to be the most persuasive? Why?
Protesters picket Raitt
November 4, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 3 - HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement
Description: A group of about 20 federal government workers protested government job cuts at an appearance in Cape Breton by Labour Minister Lisa Raitt.
Source: CBC
Date: 10/29/2012
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/10/29/ns-raitt-protest.html
Related links:
- Cape Breton Post story
- Earlier story
- Canada Post to close N.S. undeliverable mail office
- Canada Employment and Immigration Union
- Glace Bay Service Canada centre
- Veterans Affairs Canada Atlantic region
- Labour Minister Lisa Raitt
Questions for discussion:
- What were the protesters upset about?
- What did they say they hope to gain from their protest?
- What was Raitt’s response?
- What do you think the protest will accomplish?
- What are the pros and cons of cutting government jobs in a community like Cape Breton?
Ontario nurses reach deal on pensions
October 28, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process
Description: The Ontario Nurses’ Association has reached an agreement with the provincial government that will allow it to continue to exercise joint control over its members’ pension fund. The deal follows a similar deal struck between the government and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
Source: Canadian Labour Reporter
Date: 10/24/2012
Related links:
- Globe and Mail story
- Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan
- OPSEU media release
- Ontario Nurses’ Association
- Ontario government media release
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the agreement between the Ontario nurses and the provincial government.
- Summarize the agreement between the OPSEU and the government.
- What will be the likely impact of the agreements on the union members?
- On the government?
- What was the government’s original goal in these negotiations? Did it achieve it?
Canada Post, CUPW reach tentative agreement
October 8, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process
Description: Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have reached a tentative agreement without arbitration in a bitter year-long dispute.
Source: CBC
Date: 10/07/2012
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/10/07/canada-post-deal.html
Related links:
- Toronto Star story
- Earlier story: Federal Court orders new arbitrator for Canada Post dispute
- Earlier update: Federal government orders CUPW back to work
- Canada Post
- CUPW
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the steps that led to this tentative agreement.
- Why did the Federal Court order a new arbitrator in this dispute?
- Do you think it is a positive sign that the two sides reached a tentative agreement without an arbitrator?
- Why or why not?
- Do you think the government’s back-to-work order looks like a wise move in retrospect?
- Why or why not?
BC licensed practical nurses switch unions
Description: B.C.’s licensed practical nurses have voted to leave the Hospital Employees’ Union for the B.C. Nurses’ Union.
Source: The Vancouver Sun
Date: 10/05/2012
Link: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/After+bitter+battle+LPNs+join+Nurses+Union/7352263/story.html
Related links:
Questions for discussion:
- What do licensed practical nurses do?
- What reasons does this story give for LPNs wanting to leave the HEU for the Nurses’ Union?
- What do you think will be the advantages for LPNs related to this move? The disadvantages?
- What does your textbook say about union “raiding”? Why is it controversial?
- Do you think this situation fits the definition of “raiding”?
BC government workers reach agreement
September 30, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process
Description: The B.C. government and the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union have reached a tentative agreement that includes cancelling plans to privatize the government’s liquor wholesaler.
Source: The Vancouver Sun
Date: 09/28/2012
Related links:
- Columnist says BCGEU agreement gives premier an opportunity to duck a scandal
- Earlier update
- BCGEU
- BCGEU collective agreements
- B.C. government – public sector bargaining
Questions for discussion:
- What are the main features of this agreement?
- Why does columnist Vaughn Palmer think the government agreed to drop its plans to privatize liquor distribution?
- How does the agreement’s wage increase fit with the government’s “cooperative gains mandate”?
- How does the situation in B.C. compare to public sector bargaining in Ontario?
- Pundits had written earlier that the B.C. government was planning a confrontation with the BCGEU for political purposes. Can you think of some reasons why that didn’t happen?
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?
B.C., Ontario governments battle public sector workers
September 16, 2012 by tbarrett
Filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts
Description: Cash-strapped governments in B.C. and Ontario have targeted public sector workers, leading to threats of job action.
Source: The Globe and Mail
Date: 09/11/2012
Related links:
- Ontario government plans wage freeze – Globe and Mail
- Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty
- Ontario Public Service Employees Union
- ICBC workers plan walkout – Vancouver Sun
- ICBC
- Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378
Questions for discussion:
- What does this article say is the cause of the disputes in these two provinces?
- What is the Ontario government’s position? What arguments does it make?
- What is the response of the Ontario public sector employees?
- What is the B.C. government’s position? What arguments does it make?
- Which arguments do you feel are most persuasive?
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.