Private sector unions on the decline claims expert
Posted September 1, 2013 9:25 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A University of Victoria professor says the merging of Canada’s two largest unions won’t solve their downfall.
Over the weekend, the Canadian Auto Workers Union and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada have merged to form a new mega-union called Unifor.
The move, claims UVic labour specialist John Fryer, highlights the downfall of private sector unions as a whole.
“I don’t think the merger in and of itself is going to stop the decline. The decline in private sector union membership is largely due to the decline of the manufacturing sector in our economy as a whole.”
He says CAW has actually been growing in membership, but not because there are more workers in the auto industry to add to their rosters.
In fact CAW has been acquiring smaller unions like the Canadian Brotherhood of Railroad and Transport Workers, and the Fisherman’s Union, which gives it the appearance it’s been growing.
Fryer points out the unions started to crumble when the Cold War ended, and manufacturing jobs started being outsourced to developing countries for cost reasons.
“With the end of the Soviet Union, it lead ultimately to the decline of manufacturing in North America in particular, and in Europe. And with that a decline in decent, well-paid unionized jobs in that sector.”
Fryer argues in order for unions to survive in the future they must reach out to younger workers who’ve grown up in an atmosphere where governments and media demonize unions.
The newly formed Unifor will initially represent over 300,000 workers across 20 different industries, primarily in communications, manufacturing and transportation.
The union will also represent some public sector employees in the health, education and transit sectors.
