Question

1a. Compare and contrast the nature and conditions of employment between unionized and non-unionized employees in the province of Ontario

1b. Describe the various ways in which unions can provide “voice” for their members and society. Provide examples

Answer 1

Compare and contrast the nature and conditions of employment between unionized and non-unionized employees in the province of Ontario

In a non-union workplace:
The employer makes all the rules, sets all the wage rates, and makes all the decisions on things like discipline, promotions, and hours of work. The worker has no voice.

In a Union workplace:
The Union bargains with the employer for a contract, and then makes sure that the contract is carried out. Your Collective Agreement is a contract. Contracts are legal documents between you and your employer that spell out wages, benefits, and rules of employment.

The Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the "Act") provides for certain minimum terms and conditions of employment for most employees in Ontario. The legislation provides minimum standards of employment only. Where an employer has agreed to provide some greater benefit than that that set out in the legislation. the Canadian Labour Congress releases research to show the economic benefits of having unions at work – for workers and the communities where they live.

By and large, every employee has the right under labour legislation to join and participate in a trade union of her or his choice. Under the Constitution of Canada, labour legislation is primarily a provincial responsibility. Each province has its own labour legislation to govern workers and employers in the province.

In general, the purpose of labour legislation is to facilitate the relationship between an employer, its employees, and a trade union, most notably during union organizing, certification, collective agreement negotiation, strikes and lockouts, and dispute resolution.

When the term "labour relations" is used, it typically refers to the body of law that governs unionized workplaces. This area of the law is quite different from employment law (master and servant/common law) and is also different from ordinary commercial contract law. In Ontario, the principal piece of labour legislation is the Labour Relations Act. The Labour Relations Act deals with organization and certification of Unions as bargaining agent for groups of employees, collective bargaining, unfair labour practices and termination of bargaining rights.

1b. Describe the various ways in which unions can provide “voice” for their members and society. Provide examples

Through unions, people join together to strive for improvements at the place where they spend a large portion of their waking hours: work.

The freedom of workers to join together in unions and negotiate with employers (in a process known as collective bargaining) is widely recognized as a fundamental human right across. Labor unions join workers together, allowing the voices of individual workers to be heard and made into a goal of the whole union. For example a single worker might feel that a certain new safety measure should be implemented in his factory, but he might have limited power to get the company to install the new measure. If the entire workforce is made aware of the need for the new measure and bands together to pressure the company to install it, there is a much greater chance that the company will comply.

When unions stand up for fairness, they raise the bar for everyone. Many of the things first won by unions are enjoyed by all workers today – minimum wages, overtime pay, workplace safety standards, maternity and parental leave, vacation pay, and protection from discrimination and harassment.

People join unions in many industries and occupations. Union members include dental hygienists, graduate students, firefighters, security guards etc. They join Unions due to some of the reasons:
Unions negotiate better terms and conditions.
Better job security
Unions fight for equal opportunities in the workplace. They stand for equal pay and treatment and against discrimination
Unions offer legal services and advice

Unions are a dynamic and ever-evolving institution of the economy that exist to give working people a voice and leverage over their working conditions and the economic policy decisions that shape these conditions.