People need time away from work due to illness, to enjoy family vacations, to care for loved ones who need them, and for a number of other reasons. Thanks to our collective agreements with the Government of Canada, members are able to accumulate and take different types of leave.
Article written by Troy Bridgeman, a Guelph author and journalist
When I was a union steward for Local 541 of the CAW, representing workers at the ABB plant here in Guelph, I heard nearly every argument you could imagine against unions.
I had my own issues with the union. I didn’t like the culture of unnecessary and unproductive union-management confrontation that did more to hurt our public image than help us. I also had concerns with the growing disconnect between the workers and the union executives who had adopted a lifestyle not unlike the corporate executives they were paid to negotiate with.
Nevertheless, I took my role as a union steward seriously and did my best to protect the rights of the workers.
I am no longer a union member. There is no international brotherhood of freelance journalists that I am aware of, but I still sympathize with the labour movement and recognize the right and, in many cases, the need for workers to organize.
Before we look at the relevance of unions today, it would help to remember the historical contribution they have made to our standard of living.
Guaranteed work hours, guaranteed wages, minimum wage, pay equity, paid holidays, unemployment insurance, workplace health and safety legislation, universal health care, as well as many other benefits and protections we take for granted, were won through the sacrifice of average working people who organized to improve working conditions.
Some say, now that we have these benefits and protections, unions are no longer necessary. My experience suggests otherwise.
Sure, there are ethical employers who respect their workers and pay them a decent wage. Generally, those employers live in the same community as their employees. They shop at the same stores and their kids go to the same schools and play on the same sports teams. In the case of my former employer, ABB, the company had no connection to the community. The senior managers lived in Sweden and Switzerland and had little or no connection to the community here.
Right or wrong, this is the nature of a globalized economy that is driven primarily by the bottom line and anything that interferes with achieving that narrow goal is an obstacle to be removed.
The single biggest obstacle for ABB was the union, as is the case with most multinationals operating in North America. If you can drive down wages and benefits you can increase profits for the company and shareholders.
I suppose we should ask ourselves what is the purpose of an economic system. Is it to generate wealth for the few or is it to benefit the largest number of people and society as a whole?
The gap between the rich and poor is widening and the middle class is all but wiped out. Over the last four decades wages for working-class people in North America have stagnated and even declined in relation to the cost of living. In the same period, the salaries of corporate executives have tripled, quadrupled and, in some cases, risen 1,000 per cent.
Many economists equate this trend with the reciprocal decline in union membership over the same period. Some would argue this is a simplistic explanation for a complex problem but it makes sense to me.
As the average wage declines it becomes harder for working-class people to afford domestically produced goods so we drive manufacturers that can’t afford to relocate in developing countries to make cuts to wages and benefits or go out of business, thus perpetuating the steady decline.
Why do these multinationals relocate to China and other developing countries? It is not to raise the standard of living for the people there. It is to exploit a cheap workforce and take advantage of weak environmental and labour laws.
We are told we are going to have to give up many of the benefits and protections we fought for if we want to compete. Tell me again why we don’t need unions.
Question:
Dear Jackie,
Things have been so stressful at work lately with all the layoffs and job cuts. The atmosphere at work is so dismal that I feel drained the minute I walk into the building. I am so thankful my job wasn’t one of those cut but I also feel guilty because many of my friends lost jobs. How can I be supportive but not feel dragged down? Also how do I prepare for the next time this happens?
Thanks,
Andrea
Question: My manager recently advised me that they want me to start working a 9:00 to 5:00 shift. For the past year I have been working from 8:00 to 4:00. Working these hours allows me just enough time to be able to pick up my child from the day care before it closes at 4:30. I told my manager that the new work schedule is not possible for me given my family situation, but they are insisting. My question is whether I have the right to refuse and what my rights are.
Question: I seem to take my work home with me and never get time to relax. How do I leave the office at the office and spend quality time with my friends and family?
Answer: It’s easy; don’t take it home with you, it will still be there tomorrow. Seriously though when you get home, first thing you need to do is change out of your work clothes and unless you are on-call, shut off the phone. Make a conscious decision to switch gears and leave the computer and work-worries at the office. Plan for fun at home and focus on what is most important in your life outside of work. If there are times when you just have to take work home make sure you schedule time for yourself. If you are consistently overloaded with work, maybe it is time to have a discussion with your manager to talk about workload, priority setting and expectations. They may not know that you are taking work home all the time. Maybe there is someone else in your work unit who may be able to lighten your load.
Categories
Ask Your Local: Work Hours
Question: My manager recently advised me that they want me to start working a 9:00 to 5:00 shift. For the past year I have been working from 8:00 to 4:00. Working these hours allows me just enough time to be able to pick up my child from the day care before it closes at 4:30. I told my manager that the new work schedule is not possible for me given my family situation, but they are insisting. My question is whether I have the right to refuse and what my rights are.
Categories
Ask the Local: Medical Illness
Question: A few years ago, my doctor diagnosed me with a medical illness that the insurance company would not approve. That decision was appealed twice and, finally, a last appeal confirmed the Industrial Alliance decision to deny benefits. During the process, a new medical claim was filed and denied. The complication is that during the ensuing period of time, my diagnosis changed, but the insurance company refused to allow the original diagnosis to change on the original claim. My employer has been fair and I have returned to work at various times with accommodations, but the illness is wearing me down and I know that there is no way I can continue to work. I am upset that the insurance company refused to allow the original claim to be altered and that I lost the financial support from my policy for the past 3 years. I don’t know what to do next.
Answer: The appeal process for claims filed with the Industrial Alliance is different than with Sun Life. The major difference is that clients of the Industrial Alliance are represented by the Treasury Board of Canada during the appeal process. Once the final appeal is denied, there is little (if anything) that can be done to change the decision. In order to submit a new medical claim and have the likelihood of it being approved, the following criteria (at a minimum) must be met:
• The employee must return to work on a full-time basis for at least 30 consecutive days and then submit a new claim with new medical information;
• The qualifying period of 90 days or 13 week would apply again before any Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits would be paid if approved.
• The past must be the past and, in my opinion, the years of lost financial compensation cannot be regained. The claim that was re-submitted and denied while the first claim was under review or appeal, probably did not meet the criteria as indicated above.
For specific case information, you would be well advised to consult with a Human Resources advisor.
Question: My manager won’t let me make any decisions on my own. She complains about everything I do. I hate going in to work and have used up almost all my sick days.
Answer: If you are feeling like this, chances are your manager is feeling frustrated as well. Have you ever spoken to her about the issues? Have you ever asked her why she is unhappy with your work? Maybe her personality is to be controlling and negative, and it really has nothing to do with you. But even so, if your work is making you sick perhaps it is time for a change. You have resources available for you if you need someone to talk to about these kinds of problems. Contact your union local, or call the employee assistance program.
Question: I joined the Public Service in December 2010 and had a pre-existing medical condition. For the 1st three months of my employment, the health issues were not a problem. However, they have recurred recently and I may need to go on medical leave. Will my Sun Life disability policy cover me?
Answer: Pre-existing condition
During the first year of your coverage under the Disability Insurance plan you may experience a worsening of a condition that already existed at the time that you were hired. If this pre-existing condition results in total disability, you will only get Disability (DI) Benefits if:
• You had a consecutive 13 week period when you did not need medical attention for that condition.
AND
• You were not absent from work for more than two full days.
Unless you meet both conditions, your claim will not be paid. However, this restriction no longer applies after your first full year of employment. It does not apply to any other disabling condition that is unrelated to your pre-existing condition.
Question: My husband’s company is downsizing and his hours are going to be cut. It is only a matter of time before his position is cut completely. We are worried about our finances and what will happen to us.
Answer: First off you need to have a clear picture of how much money you owe and how much you are making. It is a shock to me when I realize how many people don’t know the answer to this question.
Next, right now I want you to put away your credit cards and debit. I recommend switching to cash using the envelope system. Make a list of all bills and have an envelope for each one. Each pay put the money in the envelope and pay the bill. Have an envelope for entertainment and stick to it.
Next step is to have your husband list his skills and passions. Now is the time to take training courses or switch careers before his job is cut. Make a list of his strengths and interests, take a career test.
Something else you may want to do is to call the bank or mortgage company and see if your mortgage is coming up for renewal. It may be easier to renew now while your husband is employed, than when his job is reduced or cut.
Always think ahead, if you hear your company is about to have layoffs or cuts, renew your resume and list your strengths. This is the time to make changes; it’s much easier now than after the fact.