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A Comparison Of Business In Malaysia Vs Canada

Labour Relations in Canada

The largest national federation in Canada, whose member unions account for almost three-quarters of all union workers, is the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). As of 2003, it consisted of 113 member unions, which in combination comprised over 10,000 locals (Godard 220). The CLC attempts to influence the formulation and administration of government laws and policies. Union density in Canada (that is to say, the percent of non-agricultural paid workers who are members of a union) was 30.5% in 2003. Half of all union employees are in the public sector.
As for eligibility to join a union, workers are generally deemed eligible under most Canadian legislations unless they are a managerial employee, or an employee in a position of confidentiality by virtue of their access to sensitive information. Also in some jurisdictions, professional employees and domestics are excluded as well. General practise for union recognition is when 50 percent plus one of the total eligible workers votes in favour of the union. (283)
Collective agreements can be highly complex and usually vary a great deal in both their structure and their content. The six aspects of an agreement are: Wages/benefits, hours of work and overtime, work rules, job and income security, seniority, and union security and rights. These are the most important clauses but often the most controversial (378).
Labour law plays a critical role in shaping the structure and functioning of the Canadian industrial relations system. It does so by first recognizing and protecting the rights of workers to join unions and to bargain collectively with management over the terms and conditions of their employment. Secondly, labour law helps to maintain and protect the organizational basis and hence the strength of the labour movement in Canada. Labour law states, for example, that management may not dismiss workers for legitimate union activities, even if these appear to form only part of the reason...