A wave of job actions: New survey sheds light on Canadians’ perceptions of organized labour

With wages which have largely didn’t sustain with inflation, many Canadians have come out of the COVID-19 pandemic with bolder calls for for the standard of labor that they hope to do, in addition to the advantages and compensation they want to obtain.

This spring, federal public servants made headlines after they led the biggest strike in Canadian historical past. That motion was adopted by a port employee strike in British Columbia, a strike by 3,000 Metro grocery employees in Toronto, which wrapped up this week, and ongoing strike motion from Ontario’s public broadcaster.

And the wave of job actions is way from over. Elementary faculty academics in Ontario are planning to take a strike vote this fall, whereas Canadian employees at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate over the weekend, to call just a few.

So how do Canadians really feel about labour unions and the worth they create to employees? A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute hopes to shed some gentle on these perceptions.

CANADIANS LARGELY BELIEVE UNIONS HAVE HAD POSITIVE IMPACT

Released Friday, simply days earlier than Labour Day, the survey of two,023 Canadian adults discovered that three-in-five folks really feel that unions have had a constructive affect for the employees they characterize — roughly 3 times as many because the quantity of people that imagine unions have had a unfavorable affect.

Canadians are extra divided when contemplating the affect of unions on the nation’s economic system as an entire, the survey notes. Forty per cent of individuals surveyed stated the cost-benefit calculation has been constructive, whereas 30 per cent stated it has been unfavorable.

In many of the nation, nearly all of folks imagine the proper to strike and cut price for higher work situations is extra vital than the danger of injury to Canada’s economic system. Only in Saskatchewan was this discovered to be the reverse.   

SATISFACTION WITH UNION REPRESENTATION  

Most employees stated union membership has been a plus. Roughly 62 per cent of members of public sector unions and 63 per cent of members of personal sector unions indicated that they’re glad with the illustration they obtain. Half as many stated they’re dissatisfied.

Many union members have turned to a union-representative for recommendation on a work-related challenge. Roughly one-in-five (22 per cent of individuals) surveyed stated they’ve completed this greater than as soon as and two-in-five (39 per cent) stated they’ve completed this a few times.

Of those that spoke to a consultant, 30 per cent stated they felt completely supported throughout this course of, 38 per cent stated they felt principally supported and 33 per cent stated their consultant made them really feel unsupported.

Women usually tend to really feel they didn’t obtain sufficient assist than males, the survey discovered, with 36 per cent and 30 per cent expressing this respectively.

BENEFITS OF UNION MEMBERSHIP VS. COSTS

When discussing the advantages of labour unions, folks usually weigh the price of union membership towards the advantages that collective motion can ship.

Approximately one-in-five union members surveyed stated they obtain an enormous profit in return for his or her membership dues, whereas nearer to two-in-five (38 per cent) stated that is extra of a profit than price.

On the flipside, roughly two-in-five (39 per cent) stated they don’t assume they obtain sufficient of a profit to cancel out the price of their membership dues. Public and personal sector union members are equally prone to say this.

The survey notes that ladies are extra seemingly than males to say they don’t obtain sufficient profit for the fee related to union membership (47 per cent versus 34 per cent respectively).

POWER OF ORGANIZED LABOUR

The survey additionally requested members how they felt concerning the energy of organized labour in Canada.

According to Statistics Canada, there have been 481 work stoppages throughout the nation since 2021, leading to greater than 5.1 million misplaced work days — essentially the most misplaced work days in a three-year interval since 2003-05.

Overall, 35 per cent stated the ability of organized labour has elevated previously decade or so. One-quarter (25 per cent) of Canadians stated it has decreased.

Current union members had been divided, the survey discovered, with 28 per cent saying union energy has elevated and 31 per cent saying it has decreased.

Approximately 39 per cent of Canadians stated unions are too highly effective in Canada, in comparison with 20 per cent who imagine they aren’t as highly effective as they need to be, the survey states, noting that assessments of union energy range throughout social gathering traces.      

WORKERS WEIGH IN ON DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES      

When requested which of the principle federal political events they assume is presently greatest suited to enhance their state of affairs, 49 per cent of public sector union members stated the NDP, historically related to organized labour, is the best choice — reflecting a 31-point benefit over the subsequent choice chosen.

Meanwhile, employees in personal sector unions are much less sure. Approximately one-third (32 per cent) surveyed stated the Conservative Party could be greatest, one-third selected the NDP (32 per cent) and 26 per cent picked the governing Liberal Party.

METHODOLOGY

The Angus Reid Institute performed the web survey from Aug. 25 to 29 amongst a random pattern of two,023 Canadian adults who’re members of the Angus Reid Forum.

For comparative functions solely, a likelihood pattern of this dimension would carry a margin of error of plus or minus two share factors, 19 occasions out of 20, in keeping with the nationwide, non-profit group.

The survey and full record of findings can be found on-line.