Are you looking for:
– Better pay for what you do?
– Benefits and a pension plan?
– Opportunity for training and advancement?
— Predictable working hours?
– Confidence you won’t lose your job without a very good reason?
– A voice in how your employer treats you and your colleagues?
– A way to make your working life better, without finding a new job?
If you answered yes to some or all of these questions, it sounds like you need a union!
A union gives employees a say in their workplace. Together, you have more power to negotiate with your employer and get the fair treatment you deserve.
What is a union?
A union is a democratic organization run by its members to represent the interests of all members. The union negotiates wages and working conditions and defends the rights of its members.
Canadian law says it is your right to join a union and it’s illegal for your employer to take action against you for participating in union activities.
What can a union do for you?
By linking workers together, a union gives them more clout to negotiate with the boss. Acting alone, you have little power. If you ask for a raise or want something improved and your boss says no, what can you do? By speaking with a united voice and bargaining collectively, you can get results. The union will also go to bat for you if you get into a dispute at work.
Belonging to a union also connects you to other workers in your area and in your industry. Media unions, including the Canadian Media Guild, have secured better pay, benefits, job security and training for their members.
They have also opposed the increasing power of owners to buy more TV stations and newspapers and cut content solely to boost profits. And they’ve fought for the tradition of quality public broadcasting in Canada.
How do you form a union where you work?
The first step is to talk to co-workers you trust and respect to see if they too feel like something needs to change. If the answer is yes, the next step is to contact a union and ask for help.
To find out more about unions in Canada go to the Canadian Labour Congress website at www.canadianlabour.ca.
Talk to Nasr Ahmed ( nahmed@cwacanada.ca) or Katherine Lapointe ( kat@cmg.ca) about how to get a union in your workplace.