OldSolduer
Army.ca Relic
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Unions do have a role to play but many have turned into a self licking ice cream cone....only doing what is good for the union, not the membership.
Strike
- Thread starter Chargersfan
- Start date
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I'm wondering if that's the case here; 'Overwhelming Mandate' doesn't really seem to match 20% of the union voting with 80 % going for strike (ie 16% of total membership).
But that does reflect the total lack of enthusiasm for the strike I saw at work. I'm guessing there may have been a different outcome if they had put the GoCs offer to the membership.
Agreed. And they are justifying the strike with those numbers. If they were so confident that those numbers justified a strike, they wouldn’t have kept them from the membership.
Same. None of were keen on this. Don’t get me wrong, signing a new contract is nice but the current environment is not the best. To be fair, the government only came to the table after a strike mandate was declared though.
QV
Army.ca Veteran
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The union better take what’s on the table… knowing the lack of enthusiasm if I was TB I’d say take it or leave it and lol back to my office.
The union has to present it to the membership for a ratification vote. Relatively low engagement in the strike vote is one thing, but they'll be voting to ratify or go back to the table on three years' worth of pay and comp. People care a lot more when it's time to decide on the impact to the wallet.
The union's job, regardless of popular support, is to get the best deal they can for their members. They'll squeeze as hard as they can while they can afford to strike. The membership of the union doesn't have any mechanism to directly force the union's board and negotiators to follow a certain course of action; the remedy if membership doesn't like what's going on is when it comes time to elect union leadership. Incumbents always have a significant advantage there.
If anything, in the face of a strike with only modest support, they may fight even harder to try to get a deal that makes it worth it.
Colin Parkinson
Army.ca Myth
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A strike always means a long term loss to the employees. However a union that gets a strike mandate and never uses it, will lose it as an effective bargaining tool. At some point all unions will have to suck it up and go on strike. It is the cost of doing business.
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I'd be curious to know how many members are actually showing up for the picket line and their $75/day vs. how many are opting to either just stay home or cross the line and work from home. I'm also not so sure that the PSAC president is really good at math. His statements in the news today indicate that they can strike for a long time, as they have access to over $200 million for strike pay. So, if 120K members are actually on strike, and they all do their picket line duties every day, then the quick math says the union can afford about 22 days of strike pay.
Linked to this, all I have seen is the union pushing for a 3 year contract. That means they would be be in a position to strike again fairly soon if the next round of negotiations goes the same route. Seems like good Gov't strategy to extend this out as long as possible, deplete their strike funds, and then take it to them when negotiating the next contract, because the union can't afford to strike.
Linked to this, all I have seen is the union pushing for a 3 year contract. That means they would be be in a position to strike again fairly soon if the next round of negotiations goes the same route. Seems like good Gov't strategy to extend this out as long as possible, deplete their strike funds, and then take it to them when negotiating the next contract, because the union can't afford to strike.
Halifax Tar
Army.ca Fixture
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There is little support for this strike from the public, the unions seems to have "over stated" its memberships willingness to strike, and they have funds for 22 days... This seems to be progressing well.
Halifax Tar
Army.ca Fixture
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What happens to the union leadership if most of the strikers cross the line and go back to work ?
Depends on how members feel come the next union elections.
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Like a dying despot they go full nuclear?? Hire 'professional strikers"......same groups that get hired to be assholes at demonstrations.
Brad Sallows
Army.ca Legend
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The kitties from which strike pay funds are drawn aren't designed for long stoppages.
I am not sure what is considered a long strike. The TELUS/TWU strike in 2005 was over 17 weeks. My recollection of third-hand information is that strike pay was about $250/week, but did not last anywhere near the full duration.
I am not sure what is considered a long strike. The TELUS/TWU strike in 2005 was over 17 weeks. My recollection of third-hand information is that strike pay was about $250/week, but did not last anywhere near the full duration.
Halifax Tar
Army.ca Fixture
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If the membership has RTB'd and gone back to work, can they not be ignored ?
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Maybe they can claim CERB? It’s not like the Government would take it back…what’s a few more 10s or millions on $15B?
The union apparently can fine picket crossers and pull union benefits. Not sure how enforceable that is.
Spencer100
Army.ca Veteran
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Yes they can. The government is closed shop. If you are not in good standing with the Union you lose your job. When you sign your union card you sign an incredible amount of rights to them. They are your sole bargaining agent. You can not hire a lawyer and sue your employer. (there are cases that the union will allow you too but they must approve.) If you break union rules and union expels you, you will be ineligible to work at your employer.
Not sure how that applies to the public sector. I know a lawsuit was brought a while ago on the fines issue and the complainant won and the union was unable to enforce its fine.
All I know is that a lot of people are out striking because of those consequences.
Spencer100
Army.ca Veteran
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Correct but the member had to sue the union not the employer.
Read your contract. The employer will recognize the Union as the sole bargaining agent. Then it say something like the employer will employ the members in good standing with the union. In the Union bylaws it will have what a member in good standing is.
If the union comes to the employer and says Joe is not in good standing with the union. The employer must terminate their employment relationship.
