The history of unions in Canada is a long one. Trade and skilled-worker unions have existed since the 1820s, but it was typographers that took the first union action in 1872. Unions exist to assist workers with negotiations in the workplace for things like wages, benefits or better hours, like the Toronto Typographical Union wanted. All unions, regardless of industry, were and are created for employees and their rights. However, we often see that they can also be harmful.

While unions begin with good intentions, they can lead to strikes if the employer’s collective agreement does not meet what union members want.

How strikes affect the public

As we have seen with the Canada Post and Alberta Teachers’ Association strikes, the public has an up-and-down relationship with unions. While many union workers appreciate the fight that unions put up on their behalf, we can’t ignore how many people are affected by strikes.

People still need to get their mail; kids still need to learn.

With the Canada Post strike, people saw important payments not be met, cheques not delivered on time and parcels not being picked up.

With the teachers’ strike, we saw kids not in school receiving an education, causing parents to find out-of-school care for their young children, often costing them time and money. But we need to keep in mind that most of the time, employees don’t want to strike.

Their priority is to go back to work with the hopes that they get what they are worth from their employer. For that matter, sometimes the employees that do want to work are not allowed to — this was the case with Alberta teachers, who experienced a lockout and suspended pay.

Since schools were not operational during the teachers’ strike, the unionized teachers did not participate in picketing but instead raised awareness in the form of public demonstrations, like at the Alberta Legislature.

Industrialized union workers who go on strike, on the other hand, often create a picket line at the entrance of their workplace. When watching the media, you often see people with signs in large gatherings; those are picket lines.

Picket lines are used to gain public support and convince others to avoid supporting the business or employer. Crossing a picket line is a pretty significant no-no. If a worker crosses a picket line and goes against the union strike, they are undermining the efforts of their unions and may not be paid for the work they decide to do.

Negotiation, compromise and union wins

Most unions achieve their desired response by holding firm on what they expect, or by constant compromise and negotiation. According to UFCW Canada, over 95 per cent of union negotiations in Canada do not end with a strike.

Unions have negotiated for social causes, too. The Canadian Labour Congress released a statement advocating for better mental health care for employees, and the UFCW has a committee for women and gender equality. 

Should you join a union?

If you are new to unions or are just getting your first job and feel you should have a union in your workplace, keep in mind that while you are legally entitled to unionize, oftentimes workplaces do not want you to because it would mean giving up “power and control to you, the worker,” according to UFCW Canada.

With a union, you will pay financial dues, but in return, you will often get better wages, better benefits, better time off, a safer workplace — just about everything better than those not in a union. Once you leave college and university, chances are you will be approached in your new workplace by a union rep or a coworker fed up with whatever they feel is unfair in your workplace.

There are plenty of pros and cons to having a union, but keep in mind that with a union comes the possibility of a walkout, a strike and constant negotiations.

But it also could mean better pay, stronger protections and someone fighting for your rights.

So that bodes the question: are you willing to have someone fight on your behalf and risk not getting everything you want, or do you want to hope you find the unicorn of workplaces that gives you everything you want out of a job?