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(Stats Can) said the drop in union coverage of young men has cost them money. "It accounts for about one-fifth of the 10 per cent drop in hourly wages young men experienced between 1981 and 1998..."

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redlion: Certification ought to be automatic after the majority sign union cards.

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Anti-scab legislation, like the kind recently defeated in Parliament (I think it was a Private Members' Bill), is really also a necessity to prevent events like the ones in Yellowknife, NT a few years back. But there really needs to be a serious debate about organizing in this country like there is in the U.S. right now. Otherwise, their present may become our future.

[ 22 April 2005: Message edited by: N.Beltov ]

Actually, in writing this I realize that I am trivializing the great public-sector organizing, particulary in Canada, that has gone on since the 1960's. Nevertheless, my question still stands.

[ 22 April 2005: Message edited by: N.Beltov ]

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Wal-Mart is to today what Ford and GM were to the 1930s.

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It came from a second year commerce student (in my experience first to third year commerce students are far and away the most rigid in thought of all business students, but obviously that doesn't hold for all), which means that no matter what kind of argument I come up with , I'm most likely dealing with a fairly entrenched belief that unions have FAR too much power, but how would I counter this with the most success?

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Originally posted by N.Beltov:
I see in today's Winnipeg Free Press that a group of employees at the (Quebec) Wal-Mart store that is scheduled to close on May 6 have filed a class action suit against Wal-Mart.

Hell, if Wal-Mart brings US-style labour relations to Canada, then why not bring U.S. style litigation to them? It's only fair. I will see if I can find a link for this Can-West story.

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Amy quoted some Commerce zombie: "Union threats of strikes and job action are the only legal form of coercion in North America".

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A steaming pile. It's a steaming pile because the state has a monopoly on the use of force in society. That's what the state is - it's the sole institution that has the legitimate use of force at it's disposal. And there's practically an infinite number of examples of coercion by the state. All that your commerce zombie wants is to end the "coercion" that benefits working people. Does your acquiaintance oppose the use of the police to scab-herd (escort scabs into a workplace that is in a lockout or strike situation)? That's coercion.

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I'm most likely dealing with a fairly entrenched belief that unions have FAR too much power, but how would I counter this with the most success?

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I don't know if there is a way to counter this with "success" because you will often find that people who hold beliefs like this, tend to do so almost religiously. You could ask your friend whether he plans on just accepting at face value the first job offer he receives when he graduates, or if he intends to try and negotiate any of the terms. Because that's what unions do - they negotiate on behalf of the workers who belong to them. Workers have just as much right to negotiate together as they do separately. Realistically, they will only be able to have any negotiating power if they do so together.

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josh: Litigation .... can't be relied on alone, if for no other reason than who knows how long it will take, and must be complemented with some form of direct action.

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Well, yea. It might even be good to have a short-term AND a long-term strategy when it comes to organizing Wal-Marts.

Not a surprise. In my opinion the IWA (CLC), and the Canadian Labour Congress/BC Federation of Labour screwed many members of the Hospital Employees' Union (CLC).

[ 22 April 2005: Message edited by: CUPE_Reformer ]

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Originally posted by CUPE_Reformer:
The biggest drops in union membership were reported in British Columbia and New Brunswick.

Not a surprise. In my opinion the IWA (CLC), and the Canadian Labour Congress/BC Federation of Labour screwed many members of the Hospital Employees' Union (CLC).

[ 22 April 2005: Message edited by: CUPE_Reformer ]

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The effective action of unions against a liberal and corporate dictatorships should be and is everyones concern. This is just one more reminder going into the election in BC, about rolling back negotiated wages and destroying contracts.

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Originally posted by N.Beltov:
Union membership drops sharply, especially among young, male workers.
Apparently women are more class conscious than men. Time to help us dumb, backwards males.

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