Ewan noun D THE LABOUR MOVEMENT Collective bargaining peaceful @ __|n December Quebec Federation of Labour secretary-general Rene Roy pointed out that only 5.5 per cent of labour negotiations are effected by strikes or lock outs. Meanwhile over 80 per cent of collective agreements signed in /a belle province in 2003 where done without third party intervention. Conciliation was used in 17 per cent of cases. In other words, collective is working in Quebec. AFL warns about fake unions Beware of phoney unions, says Alberta Federation of Labour presi- dent Kerry Barrett. “Dummy” or “rat” unions are continually being estab- lished in the province to prevent the forma- tion of real unions that represent the interests of workers. They negotiate “sweet deals” with employers on a voluntary basis. While company unions are an issue that the AFL is dealing with, groups like the Christian Labour Alliance of Canada (CLAC) are very similar, negotiating employ- er-friendly agreements without input from workers. Fed supports Steelworkers on Weyerhaeuser resolution Delegates to this year’s B.C. Federation of Labour convention, held in late November and early December, came out in strong support of an emergency resolution introduced to help the Steelworkers in our battle with the Weyerhaeuser corporation. The adopt- ed resolution opposes the company’s impo- sition of dangerous shifts in the logging BCFED sector, calls on the provincial government to demand that companies invest in resource-depen- dent communities, opposes the exports of raw logs and supports the union in its strategic campaign against Weyco. Part-timers need protection too says Saskatchewan Fed The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour says the NDP government must finally proclaim in law the “Most Available Hours” amendment passed at the spring session of the provincial legislature over ten years ago. Back in 1994 there was widespread consulta- tion with both business groups and labour organizations on the legislation. The law requires that if employers offer their ( workers more hours of work, those opportuni- ties be alloted to qualified part-timers based on seniority. The law would allow the workers to decline the addi- tional hours. Fed president Larry Hubich says the law would allow employees to work towards full-time work, rather that having two or three part-time jobs which may be miles apart with different employers. IN ITS ANNUAL report card on employment - trends in Canada and their impact on living stan- dards, entitled “Is Your Work Working for You,” the Canadian Labour Congress says there have been some minor improvements in the lot of working Canadians since last year’s report but that there is much progress yet to be made. The country’s “official” unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 per cent from 6.4 per cent in 2003, (the lowest national rate since 2000) while the “broad unemployment rate,” known as the “unofficial” rate, dropped to 10.1 per cent from 11.3 per cent a year earlier. There were signficant job gains PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA. In Canada there have been some improvements to employment levels. Work is working better for some in the public sector and the construc- tion sector, where there are relatively high levels of unionization. A move to more permanent work, both full and part-time, were positive factors. But the growth in unionization rates across the country appear to have stopped, underscoring that collective agrement gains, which bring up the standards for all workers in the econo- my, are not as great as they should be throughout the workforce. All of this has taken place despite the increase in the value of the Canadian dollar versus the American greenback and numerous trade disputes such as the softwood lumber battle with the Unites States and the American block- ade against cattle exports. The country’s employment insur- ance system is still failing the joblesss. Only 38 per cent of jobless Canadians are eligible — failing especially women and young workers under 25. Real wages (the hourly wages adjust- ed to account for changes in the cost of living) climbed by 1.4 per cent, I because working women acro: Canada saw their wages grow by 2.5 per cent. But 10.6 per cent of adults over the age of 25 earned less than $9.65 per hour, which is the low income thresh- old. That is a .1 per cent increase from 2003. And despite higher average wage increases, a greater percentage of women workers (15.6 per cent) remained mired under the poverty threshold. The report notes that in 2004, women earned, on average, 83.2 per cent of what male workers earned, an improvement of 1.4 per cent. But, at the same time, inequality in earnings (pay equity) and lower wages for young workers, did not improve over the pre- vious year. It also notes that fewer workers were afraid of losing their jobs this year (22 per cent versus 24 per cent in 2003). But most of those who have a house- hold income of under $40,000, believe they may lose their jobs in the next two years. Younger workers still have a greater fear of losing their jobs and suf- fered from higher unemployment rates. Nearly 14 per cent of Canadians under 25 were jobless. On job quality, there has been a reduction in the total percentage of workers who put in over 50 hours a week (in the late gos) that exceeded 16 per cent. All in all, the report card marks a shift in the right direction. States the report: “Even though the progress is small, so much so that the average working family will not have noticed, it is significant. It is also the result of a number of factors, not the least of which is the Bank of Canada’s decision to maintain low interest rates.” Most importantly, the report notes, the work done by unions on issues like pay equity and gender equality, have greatly helped women make ere gains in the workforce. NB Fed supports pay equity bill In a November submission to public hearings on Bill 77 - Pay Equity Law, the New Brunswick Federation of Labour, which represents some 35,000 members, said the province's women earn 18 per cent less than their male counter- part for doing the same work. The Fed urged the rapid adoption of the new bill which includes the establishment of joint labour-managment committees to imple- ment and maintain pay equity programs, the provision of education for workers and employers and create an indepen- dent commission to ensure the law is upheld. The submission says the fact that public hearings are still being held in 2004, is evidence in itself that voluntary measures have not worked. Fed helps out voluntary sectors The Manitoba Federation of Labour is working to connect volunteers with the many voluntary and non-profit sector organizations @ throughout the Y / province, by entering p 4. FL. into a partnership yf with the Manitoba —_ Voluntary Initiative program. There are some 8,800 formally-structured organi- zations and groups in the province that are faced with challenges such a rais- ing funds, recruiting volunteers and adapting to changes in the information age. The Fed has stated its commit- ment to work with other partners in order to strengthen and sustain the sector for the benefit of all Manitobans. For more information about the initia- tive: www.voluntarysector.mb.ca OFL calls for fair organizing rules Ontario Federation of Labour presi- dent Wayne Samuelson says that changes recently introduced to the Ontario Labour » Relations Act, re- establishing the card-based certifica- cae tion system for the OFL/FTO construction sector, must be extended to all workers in the province. “Many, many sectors and thousands of people struggle to make a living in the part-time and contin- gent workforce,” says Brother Samuelson. “They work shift work, contract work and often more than one job. The exclusion of the majority of workers from the card-based sys- tem hurts women and new Canadians the most. Contingent workers have few basic rights and no protection.” 18 | THE ALLIED WORKER SEPTEMBER 2004 4 , 4 Ee ee ee