Labour pains key to saving union jobs

In Canada, one in every 10 workers belongs to some kind of a union.

Chances are by the time this economic tsunami subsides, that number will change drastically and so will the makeup of the labour movement in Canada.

The central dilemma facing unions today is their ability and willingness to change. If they don’t change they will not remain relevant for long.

The people they represent will be out of work. The pensions their members hoped to live on in retirement may evaporate. The plants where the workers earn a wage will be mothballed and shipped to non-union jurisdictions far from restrictive labour laws.

This is not fear mongering.

This is a reality as more and more companies in Canada, especially those in heavily-unionized industries, are looking at their labour contracts while both seeking and trying to avoid bankruptcy protection.

In many of these cases the labour contracts have become too costly, too restrictive and have made companies non-competitive.

Some companies like Air Canada, General Motors, Chrysler and Ford are already tackling the issue to streamline labour costs and seek concessions.

Others in media conglomerates have been rebuffed by their unions, who primarily think their role is to protect jobs not serve their members.

Protests and strikes are being threatened but no union leadership in Canada seems to want come to the table in a proactive way to share some pain for long term gain.

Emboldened by entrenched successor rights, unions feel that even if their current masters can’t keep to the contract they have signed; their new employers are bound to by law.

Labour experts and union bosses all reiterate that you can’t bust unions in Canada by going through a bankruptcy.

But the levels of scrutiny on existing union-employer language are increasing with many companies finding creative ways to circumvent restrictive clauses. Entities like Air Canada and the Vancouver Port Authority have already hired hard-nosed "union-negotiators" to help them ride the recession.

While some union leaders see the writing on the wall, most adamantly cling to the mantra that their primarily role is the protection of jobs and turf.

They are wrong because there will not be much to protect if they keep going down this road.

In industries like media and construction, union workers are so heavily categorized that they are not allowed the flexibility to work where work is needed or improve their skills with new technology.

For instance, reporters are not allowed to take photographs while the carpenter on a union construction site can’t help out doing some dry walling.

Archaic manning clauses that ignore advancements in technology and protection provisions of senior employees over multi-skilled junior staff litter Canadian collective agreements to render our companies ineffective.

Unions and their members should take heed of a recently published poll that shows diminishing support for auto industry bailouts. One of the key reasons for this is the insistence by the Canadian Auto Workers union that it will go no further in discussions on rollbacks.

This poll illustrates a growing frustration by many that is rooted in "if you don’t help yourself, why should the taxpayer help you."

Today’s world requires radical change. Unions need to enable that change.