If you are in a union, you have a say in how you are treated at work because you have a set of rules that the company and the union have agreed to, basically a collective agreement.
It sets out things like salary, working hours, shifts, annual leave and other practical information. Having this in writing gives staff a sense of confidence that everyone knows the rules and will be treated equally. It has taken years to get to the stage where we can hammer out these productive mutual agreements with employers. So its alarming to see the Harper government stepping in to order workers back to work; The Death of The Collective Agreement http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/3992/the-death-of-collective-bargaining.html .
Equally concerning are suggestions the Conservative government wants to change Canada’s 100 year old Labour Code.