Unions

Collective Agreement

is a contract, negotiated between an employer and a union, that states terms and conditions of employment for unionized staff.

Collective Bargaining

is the process where the union and management come together to discuss and negotiate the terms and conditions of employment for the employees in the bargaining unit.

Cost of Living Adjustments

(COLA’s) are general wage and salary increases or extra payments based on changes in a referenced price index, usually the Consumer Price Index (CPI). They may be implemented automatically, if stipulated by a union contract.

Lockout

is a work stoppage that includes the closing of the place of employment or refusal to continue to provide work for the union members as a means to pressure them to agree to the terms or condition of employment. 

Spillover Effect

(Union Threat Effect) pressures non-unionized organizations to take measures to avoid unionization.  Non-union employers match or exceed compensation packages and working conditions offered to unionized organizations. 

Strike

is a work stoppage that takes place when the union is unable to negotiate a collective agreement.  Bargaining members refuse to continue working for the employer until the employer agrees to the terms or conditions of employment.

Trade Unions Act

falls under federal legislation however each province has its own employment laws giving workers in both the public and private sectors the right to organize and bargain collectively. Union rights are officially guaranteed and anti-union discrimination is prohibited. 

Union

is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment through negotiations and a legal contract (collective agreement).