Bargaining Workers' Power: Interim Report

Message from the Working Group Chairs

Collective bargaining is essential to our union. This is why we've undertaken to update our National Collective Bargaining Program guided by the ideas and input of our members – a mandate from our 2022 Constitutional Convention and part of Unifor's three-year Action Plan.

Between February and June of this year, Unifor's national leadership and staff met directly with more than 1,700 local union leaders, workplace representatives and activists to talk about collective bargaining.

Over four months, the union held 45 individual Regional Strategy Sessions across the country, including two virtual sessions. These sessions provided space for members to talk openly about their bargaining experiences, strategies, and priorities. The sessions brought together local union representatives in the hopes of sharing their struggles and strengthening their bonds of solidarity. These sessions also allowed members to consider Canada's current economic and political challenges, and how our union must respond.

As we continue to review our members' input from the Regional Strategy Sessions, we are providing this summary report to identify the key themes that will guide the development of the new National Collective Bargaining Program. This Program will be presented, in its full form, to a special Bargaining Workers' Power Summit held on August 17, in conjunction with Unifor's 2023 Canadian Council.

What was made abundantly clear throughout this process is how vital collective bargaining is to win stronger, better paid and more secure jobs for every worker. By negotiating the conditions of work, including wages, scheduling, health and safety, retirement provisions, job security, sickness, health benefits, and so many others, workers participate in the strongest expression of industrial and participatory democracy we have.

Done strategically and with intention, collective bargaining can be a transformative exercise that engages and inspires union members, influences public policy, and grows solidarity among all workers in Canada and abroad.

We are grateful to the members who participated in this process. We hope you see your ideas and views reflected in this summary report.

In solidarity,

Shane Wark
Assistant to the National Officers Executive

Olivier Carriere
Assistant to the Quebec Director

Working Group Participants

The National Collective Bargaining Program was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the Bargaining Workers’ Power Working Group, national staff as well as countless members and local union leadership.

What We've Done

Timeline: August 2022-June 2023

Unifor's Constitutional Convention Delivers Mandate

In August of 2022, delegates to the Unifor Constitutional Convention endorsed the union's 2022-2025 Action Plan. Among the commitments outlined in the plan is for the National Union to update its National Bargaining Program, and to ensure the Program is “informed through a cross-country engagement of Unifor local union leadership, bargaining committee representatives, activists and staff.”

Working Group Launched

In December of 2022, Unifor's National leadership invited various elected officers, National Executive Board members, and senior staff to participate in a Working Group that would oversee the National Bargaining Program update and local union engagement tour – under the project title: Bargaining Workers' Power.

The Working Group was asked to provide input and guidance on the following items:

• Organizing a cross-country engagement effort that is as inclusive and responsive as possible for Unifor members,

• Ensuring that regional meetings are well-attended, and the programming yields meaningful dialogue and input,

• Identifying key themes from regional meeting reports to help guide the design of the new bargaining program,

• Reviewing and commenting on drafts of materials, as well as the bargaining program itself, and

• Developing the agenda of a National Bargaining Summit.

Materials Developed

Over the course of January and February of 2023, a Bargaining Workers' Power “discussion-starter” presentation was prepared by the Research and Education Departments, along with a set of three discussion questions. The presentation and questions were piloted at a special meeting of Unifor's Northern Ontario local union leadership as well as a series of local union events as part of the Unifor Quebec Director's Tour. Feedback from these pilot sessions informed Working Group final decisions on developing the structure of the Regional Strategy Sessions.

Regional Strategy Sessions Promoted

Working Group members also developed a list of targeted communities, dates, and venues for the Regional Strategy Sessions. Registration was facilitated through a dedicated Unifor webpage prepared by the Communications Department.

Outreach materials were sent from the National President's office to staff and local union leadership. Additional outreach to locals was made through the offices of the Regional Directors, as well as direct communication to locals by the appropriate Area Director.

Cross-Canada Regional Strategy Sessions Held

Between February and June of 2023, a series of 45 Regional Strategy Sessions were held in communities across the country with a high concentration of Unifor members. Two additional sessions were held virtually, including a special session involving members of Unifor's Equity Standing Committees.

Information and Member Input Gathered from Regional Sessions

During the Regional Strategy Sessions, Unifor researchers (or designates) took detailed notes of comments and issues raised by members. These notes were grouped together and analyzed with the help of a customized computer program developed in house.

The program helped identify issues and topics mentioned by members across the multiple strategy sessions, produced a list of the most talked about issues, and grouped members' comments by those issues.

Summaries of each issue were then produced by the researchers.

In addition to the program, the raw notes were reviewed by the researchers to extract other interesting and/or noteworthy issues, topics, and quotes by members.

The goal was to produce a document that effectively captured and presents what we heard from members during the strategy sessions.

The summaries of members' discussion points along with a collection of additional top-line issues are presented below. They are presented here as narratives, topic lists, and pie-charts.

Where We've Been

TOTAL SESSIONS: 45
TOTAL NUMBER OF LOCAL UNION PARTICIPANTS: 1,731

What We Heard: Consolidated themes

Discussion held at each of the 45 Regional Strategy Sessions provided unique insights into the workplace challenges members face, as well their priorities. Despite notable differences in the economic circumstances facing workplaces or industries, many common ideas and experiences emerged.

These ideas and experiences were consolidated and categorized into nine themes, as noted, and further explained below.

1. Wages and Income Security

We have lost control, we need to regain our footing on inflation.
(Montréal, February 10)

The increasing cost of living was outlined as a major issue by members in all sessions. Working class families are struggling to make ends meet in the face of price increases and concerns about a potential economic slowdown. The response from members was to look at linking unexpected cost of living increases to automatic wage adjustments in the collective agreement, along with other wage and income security improvements such as enhanced pay premiums, income top-ups and layoff assistance, equal pay for work of equal value provisions, severance pay, among others.

2. Health and Safety

Health and safety issues are always raised with management, and it feels like they are always neglected. We need management to make this a priority.
(Winnipeg, May 24)

Many workers are experiencing the effects of the mental health and addiction crisis in Canada, with mental health surfacing as a priority issue in many Regional Strategy Sessions. Unifor members see great value in the union's health and safety work and stressed the need for strengthening health and safety committees. To make work safer the focus for collective agreement language was for stopping working alone, emergency preparedness plans, better sickness and accident response, among others. Members also called for support dealing with employers attempting to achieve productivity increases through speed-up.

3. Benefits

It’s critical that conversations are had among workers, across generations, to talk about the history – the evolution of our work standards – what we fought to maintain, and what employers tried to take away. History and learning builds solidarity.
Durham, May 29) 

The cost of benefit plans and the need to expand access to benefits was raised in all sessions. Benefits plans are not keeping-up with the increased costs of disability, medications, and additional health services. Benefits are seen as necessary for recruitment and retention of younger workers including expanding access to parental and personal leaves, paid holidays, and expansion of inclusive medical benefits such as gender affirming care.

4. Pensions and Retirement Security

“Taking care of retirees feels a bit like ‘yesterday’s’ issue, which is disheartening. Protecting our retirees is one of the most important things our union can do.”
(Victoria, May 8)

Members are looking to the union to support the expansion of retirement security through pensions for all members. Non-universal and/or tiered access to pensions was seen as a threat to union security and important in recruitment and retention of new and younger workers.

5. Human Rights, Inclusion, and Workplace Equity

In my workplace (transportation industry), ninety percent of the workers are men. Our employer tells us that these jobs ‘just aren’t fit for women.’ It’s astonishing that the employer can’t see that women can do these jobs.
(Virtual Session, Equity Committees, June 6)

Building an inclusive workplace where all workers can work and thrive continues to be a struggle for many Unifor members. Discrimination by employers was identified as the primary obstacle to recruitment of a more representative workforce. Advocate positions being negotiated into collective agreements and increasing diversity on bargaining committees was seen as the best ways to keep inclusion front and centre in the workplace.

A full list of Human Rights, Inclusion and Workplace Equity issues raised are summarized here:

6. New Technology, Climate Change, and the Future of Work

We need guarantees from the companies that we are part of their transition plans, and that we are attached to the potential new jobs that will be created.
(Edmonton, May 16)

The changing nature of work in all workplaces was raised as a source of anxiety for members. Negotiating and enforcing strong technological change and skills development language will be essential to ensuring the future of work will be pro-worker, whether because those changes are caused by climate change or the implementation of new technologies. The union must push employers to be proactive in their training and investment programs.

7. Workforce Attraction and Retention

“Limited housing supply, lack of access to services, the attraction retention challenge is more intense in remote communities.”
(Baie-Comeau, February 15)

The new generation of workers are demanding more work-life balance, options for working from home, stable scheduling and hours of work, and access to full-time jobs. These issues are now central to recruitment and retention in any workplace.

8. Job Security and Precarious Work

I have to care for my kids, and occasionally I get sick and need to take care of myself. Why am I made to feel like a criminal by my employer for being a human being?
Halifax, April 19)

Employers have attempted to bypass existing regulations, worker rights, and collective agreements by using technology-supported contracting-out. Increases in precarious work and undermining existing job security is not just bad for new workers, but also undermines the stability of pension funds, union solidarity, and knowledge transfer between retiring and new workers. Members highlighted the need for stronger enforcement of job security language.

9. Union Building

We need new members to have the opportunity to see themselves as a Unifor member as soon as they start.
(Kitchener-Waterloo, April 4)

Education was consistently identified as the cornerstone of a strong union. Bargaining Paid Education Leave (PEL) and language forcing employers to provide the union with updated membership lists were listed as top issues. The union must also be active in upgrading communication techniques and increasing the diversity of local committees. Campaigns supporting coordinated and/or broader-based bargaining where it would work to workers' advantage was identified as a way to build worker power at the bargaining table.

What We Heard: Regional issues and priorities

What We Heard: Equity Standing Committee Meeting

Members from the Regional Equity Standing Committees came together in a special on-line session on June 6, 2023. The event created space for equity deserving representatives to bring forward ideas to inform the union's National Bargaining Program and raise concerns in a setting that prioritized those workplace issues that are often overlooked or not seen as essential.

Five standing committees were represented at this meeting including:

• Workers with disAbilities,

• Women,

• Black, Indigenous and Workers of Colour,

• Members of the LGBTQ community, and

• Young Workers.

Participants spoke openly about the challenges faced by equity deserving members in their workplaces and within union structures.

While there is much commonality, in terms of the needs of all workers, the unique identities of equity deserving members can create distinctive experiences of work. Unions and employers need to work harder to understand the challenges and implement solutions and accommodations that reduce barriers.

Members spoke about the need for union representatives, particularly advocates, to have specific training to understand the unique experiences of equity deserving members. Members also spoke about the need for representatives to ensure their needs are met and locals and employers follow through on their obligations.

Participants spoke about the fact that laws in place to reduce barriers and decrease oppression are often ignored or misunderstood. This includes the Federal Employment Equity Act, the duty to accommodate, and the requirement to provide a harassment free environment.

Actions required by law must also be enshrined in collective agreements for added layers of protection and to increase the likelihood of enforcement.

Participants highlighted management as a significant barrier. In the view of participants, management often does not understand what is required of them, is not willing to learn and too frequently fails to deliver on promises. It is not uncommon for management to exploit the different needs of workers to further divide union members and create a hierarchy when determining whose needs will be met.

Local Unions need to ensure safe mechanisms exist to report discrimination. Processes must be robust enough to effectively address toxic workplace and union culture.

Participants noted the need for extra mental health supports for members experiencing discrimination.

Members also spoke about the need to engage members from equity deserving groups consistently and not as an afterthought. Early engagement, well in advance of bargaining, is necessary to ensure needs are understood and are included in the main bargaining proposals.

What We Heard: Creative ideas and best practices

Through the Regional Strategy Sessions, members shared creative ideas and best practices to guide the development of the union's National Bargaining Program, including the following:

• Leave/holiday clauses that provide increased flexibility for workers with families abroad,

• Pay premiums that recognize worker versatility (ex. mastering of multiple workstations, equipment, etc.)

• Accessible and flexible early or gradual retirement clauses that focus on mentoring and knowledge transfer,

• Union-employer joint workplace environment committee focussed on decarbonization issues, crafting of net-zero pathways and create the necessary discussion space on investments,

• More time and space afforded to the union to welcome new members, provide relevant information and training,

• Minimum wage “escalator” clauses, ensuring low wages rise in proportion to any legislated minimum wage increase,

• Pay continuation provisions for apprentices,

• Accommodations for students to ensure greater school-work balance (e.g. seniority protections, leave allowances),

• Paid mental health days,

• Workplace Mental Health Advocates,

• Accessible contract language (e.g. provided to members in their native language),

• Cost of living adjustments, to guard against rising inflation,

• Negotiated, and union-appointed “Benefit Representatives” in the workplaces, dedicated to assist members,

• Efforts to attract and retain more diversity in the Skilled Trades,

• Strong language for gender affirming health care,

• Expand the concept of “family” in contract language and benefit plans beyond heteronormative definitions,

• Health and safety protections for workers in public-facing workplaces, subject to customer and client abuse,

• Scope clauses that are broad, cover new subsidiaries and joint ventures under collective agreement terms,

• Minimum staffing levels to address workload challenges as well as contracting-out,

• Expand in-home care and assisted living benefits,

• Equal pay for equal work; end arbitrary pay and benefit disparities for workers doing the same job,

• Guaranteed minimum hours of work, especially for part-time and casual workers,

• Financial planning and financial literacy support for members,

• Strict limits on contract length, across the union,

• Automatic adjustments to benefit maximums, to keep up with rising costs,

• Work hour “ownership” provisions, to guard against excessive workloads,

• Plain language, accessible collective agreements,

• Four-day work-week concept, for any applicable (and interested) group of workers,

• Negotiated requirements for representative voices at the bargaining table (union and management),

• Regular and required labour-management business review meetings, especially around industry and workplace transitions,

• Parental benefit income top-ups,

• Mandatory, employer-paid, workplace training and skills development fund,

• Gender neutral and inclusive language,

• Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination language embedded in the main body of the agreement, not side letters,

• Anti-oppression training,

• Pension plan text included within the collective agreement,

• Access to information on job studies and time studies that the employer has performed,

• Prohibitions on misclassifying workers, clear and enforceable distinctions between full time and part time work,

• Requirements for “career pathing” and opportunities for training and development,

• Language that enshrines Unifor members' refusal to cross-picket lines, refusal to handle goods made with scab labour,

• Ensure negotiated benefits apply to all members, regardless of age or job status,

• Negotiated language that spells out terms and conditions around remote work,

• Fully eliminate two-tier wages,

• Language that holds employers accountable for worker access to safe and sanitary washrooms,

• Pensions and benefits language that is inclusive of trans and non-binary workers,

• Require union representatives on company environmental or sustainability committees,

• Strict limitations and penalties on last-minute scheduling changes,

• Full compensation for all time spent on the job, including prep and travel time,

• Access to fair and reasonable meal and travel allowances, supporting healthy lifestyles,

• Ensure benefit continuation over seasonal lay-off periods,

• Protections and greater control over the employer's use and storage of personal and private information,

• Paid domestic violence leave,

• More Advocate positions for equity deserving groups,

• Neutrality agreements, to ensure workers' rights are upheld in future organizing drives by the same employer,

• Transferring unused sick days into paid personal days,

• Mandatory workplace emergency preparedness plans,

• Mandatory joint training sessions between management representatives and workplace stewards.

Next Steps

The Bargaining Workers' Power Working Group, having reviewed and approved the key bargaining themes (summarized below), will prepare the final National Bargaining Program report including a series of bargaining recommendations that are reflective of the demands presented by members.

A final report will be presented to delegates and debated at the National Bargaining Workers' Power Summit in Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 17 – prior to the 2023 Unifor Canadian Council.

Summary of Key Bargaining Themes

1. Wages and Income Security (including: pay premiums, pay protection, inflation protection, income top-ups and lay-off assistance, severance, equal pay, etc.)

2. Health and Safety (including: mental health, working alone, emergency preparedness, sickness and accident, joint committees, stress, speed-up, etc.)

3. Benefits (including: Access to benefits, paid holidays, leaves, medical, gender affirming care, etc.)

4. Pensions and Retirement Security (including: advancing pension security, higher benefit levels, indexation, universality, etc.)

5. Human rights, Inclusion, and Workplace Equity (including: equity advocates, Social Justice Fund, employment equity and equity hiring practices, language resources, language training, etc.)

6. New technology, Climate Change, and the Future of Work (including: transition supports, technological awareness, training, investment, work ownership, etc.)

7. Workforce Attraction and Retention (including: work-life balance, working from home, scheduling, hours of work, full-time jobs, etc.)

8. Job Security and Precarious Work (including: scope clauses, skilled trades scopes of practice, organizing, classifications, union security, work ownership, contracting-out, etc.)

9. Union-Building (including: Paid Education Leave, union education, new member orientation, representation, membership data collection, communications, diversity of bargaining committees, coordination of bargaining, etc.