The Art of Union Busting

May 27, 2022 Al Perreault

What does the term union busting mean?

Union-busting refers to any action taken that is designed to prevent employees from exercising their right to organize. Normally this is done by the management of an individual company, who are trying to stop their workers from unionizing (for example,Amazon is well-known to be involved in this effort) but In Alberta the UCP itself has been engaged in the biggest attempt by any government to date to bust unions. In this article I hope to help us all gain a better understanding of what union busting is and what it means to us, and our union.

In Canada (and the world) unions have continuously fought for safe and fair workplaces. Over time they have made a huge difference in improving workers’ rights. Sadly, over the last few years these rights, and the unions that have helped create them, have been under attack by many governments and workplaces around the world, especially here in Alberta.

On July 7th, 2020, the UCP passed Bill 32. Although it was termed the “Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act” it is far from balanced; instead, it tips the scale heavily in favour of the employer. It is the epitome of what union busting is all about on a grand scale, forming a direct attack on unions in Alberta. It should be noted that union busting isn’t the only serious concern with this bill, but those other issues are not the purpose of this article. Bill 32, in conjunction with other bills (namely 1, 9, 21, 47 and 81) in pushing forward the ideology of a government intent on curtailing, and ultimately busting, the power of unions.

Why does it matter?

When the bargaining power of workers is weakened (which bill 32 achieves byeffectively tying the hands of the unions and its workers) the government hopes that workers will be so weak they will just have to accept whatever offer is made to them, even if (as it usually is) that offer is totally unfair. Union busting is a good way for them to achieve this aim.

It is no secret that the UCP is mostly funded by big industry and corporations, who donate large amounts to the party. These companies won’t have the same restrictions placed on their freedom of expression, or ability to lobby, as the unions have under bill 32, and the rest. The net effect will be to raise the corporate voice whilst drowning out that of the worker.

Why don’t they like Unions?

Unions in Alberta have been at the forefront of the fight against the multitude of cuts implemented by the UCP, especially those imposed on our public services. Unions havealso been involved in the campaigns for affordable childcare, pharmacare,diversification and many other issues that go against the ideology of the current government. It is no wonder they would dearly like to see an end to this collective voice.

Ultimately this government fears the power that working people have when they can voice their concerns collectively and act together. Unions are the main counterbalance to corporate power and this government wants to shut that down because they favour their biggest contributors more than the actual workers in Alberta. They are also active proponents of privatization, something the unions have always been wholly and fully against.

The union is not like a big corporation, and that is a good thing. the decision-makers in a union are the members themselves. These decisions are made collectively, through a democratic vote. It should also be noted that achievements made by one union can impact many different workplaces. Union solidarity is a powerful weapon in the fight for both economic and social justice. That is why so many right-wing governments’ want to end them because they put businesses and dollar signs before people. What they fail to appreciate is that the economy will actually thrive with a healthy and happier workforce and for that, it is clear throughout history, we need our unions.

We only need to look at recent bargaining to see why the government would want to end the ability for large scale collective bargaining. Recent examples from both the private sector (for example Carghill), and public sector (for example our own recent UNA bargaining) show the power of a collective, unionized workforce. Whilst we can all accept our result wasn’t perfect, compared to what the government and employer had been wanting it was a huge win. Without the union your wages and working conditions would have been rolled back a long way and you would not have had a big enough voice to prevent it. That is the aim of union busting, silencing your voice.

How are they trying to achieve union busting?

Initially (and continually) this government engages in direct attacks on unions, or union services, in the mainstream media and on social media. These attacks are based wholly on their ideology, without any actual evidence or logical arguments to support them. Albertans have become used to a “union bad’ mentality over the decades, so the UCP and companies already had a softer target.

They try to paint unions as anti-Albertan by statements such as this, from Jason Copping in July 2020, when he was Minister of Labour: “It is unacceptable that unions are campaigning against Alberta’s key sectors that employ the workers they are supposed to represent.” (cited UCP Reducing Rights of Unions | Canadian Union of Public Employees (cupe.ca)) This statement has zero base in any facts but that doesn’t matter when the goal is to depict unions as bad, in order to make people not want to join them or form them. It is also highly doubtful that he’s changed his mind now that he is minster of health.

Bill 32 aims to cut the amount of money that a union gets by mandating that, whilst dues can still be collected for what the UCP terms “core union activities,” employees can choose to opt-in if they want to pay dues toward “political parties or causes.” Exactly what that means, or how it will be interpreted and implemented, is truly unknown at the time of writing. However, the aim of reducing the money being collected is clear.

Whilst the unions are required to get permission from each member before using their funds for purposes that the government deems “political” (noting that unions already have a good system of democratically made decision-making) corporations, who are by their very nature way more secretive, are allowed huge levels of political spending and lobbying without having to get any permission from their shareholders to do so. That is the glaring imbalance entrenched bill 32, which is blatantly aimed at union busting. Without money the union will lose its power and, ultimately its voice.

The UCP are also employing another well-known union busting tactic by pretending that they are defending workers’ rights in Alberta. They cast doubt that belonging to a union is necessary. They make statements to the effect that federal and provincial labour laws already exist to protect workers’ rights, or that belonging to a union limits an employer’s ability to offer better pay and conditions. None of which stands up to scrutiny, in fact it is absolutely proven to be the opposite. Unions have consistently ensured better pay, workers’ rights and working conditions. In other words, you can’t afford not to have a union.

Another common tactic is sowing the seeds of division in the work force. By pitting those with more money against those with less, and insinuating that unions are the reason for the lower pay (which in fact it’s the opposite) they divide the loyalty of workers and turn some against their union. They put forward rhetoric such as “your salary would be higher if you didn’t pay union dues.” Whereas the facts clearly show that without unions salaries are measurably lower. The improvements in pay and benefits, which you will only win with the backing of a strong union, will more than offset the dues you pay. Not to mention the role the union plays in helping you achieve a safe and respectful workplace and how your dues help provide assistance and resources, should you needthem, to resolve workplace concerns. Without the union the employer is much more powerful, and big businesses want that.

They also love to propagate myths about what unions do, none of which are based in any fact at all. They perpetuate beliefs such as the union giving money to politicians the worker doesn’t support, when in fact the union does not financially support any political party. However, by casting doubt they undermine a union’s ability to gain useful membership. In reality the union is the best way to have a real voice in government because of its collective power to amplify your voice and its members democratically agreed upon wishes.

What can we do?

Whilst the pandemic took our collective minds off what this government has been doing to unions and somewhat curtailed our fight back, it hasn’t stopped our government from continuing to wage its ideological war. However, the flip side of that coin is that with the various bills that have attacked our unions comes opportunity. This government has laid bare, for all to see, its true contempt for the workers of Alberta.

We need to stop seeing ourselves as the victims in all this. We have a lot of power we can wield, and the best way to wield that power is through supporting our unions. The union, in its turn, needs to paint us as a strong workforce, able to fight against our own exploitation. Together we can ensure that the UCP doesn’t win in its attempt to bust our union. For ultimately, bill 32 (and its ilk) are just things that we, collectively, can work todismantle because, ultimately, we do have the power, we just need to realize it.

So, what can you, as an individual, do to help strengthen your union? It starts by gettingto know what the UNA does and then, if you are able to, get involved. Attend your Local 115 meetings if you can. That’s especially easy now, as they’re being held virtually. Stand for election to a committee when they have opportunities (there are a few right now), get to know who your unit rep is, or offer to be a unit rep if you don’t have one. Register for UNA information days, such as “know your rights.” Call your executive if you have any questions, get to know who they are. Ensure you file OHS and PCR reports if you have an issue that needs resolving. Talk about the good things your union does to other people. Remember, all members have the right to participate in union events, so exercise that right.

Lastly a reminder that the UNA doesn’t only work towards you to having a fair salary and benefits; it also helps to protect you in cases of harassment and discrimination, and to ensure a healthy and safe the working environment for you. We truly cannot afford to lose the protection we get from being a member of the UNA.

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