Social Problem Resolved?
A better question would be: "can a social problem ever truly be resolved?" Although there have indeed been great strides in the Canadian Labour Movement, vestiges of this social problem persist to this day. First, however, it is important to consider just what has been accomplished. 1944 can be seen as being an early date of significance as the Canadian government passed PC 1003 which made it so that workers’ rights to become
union members were protected and so that employers would have to recognize this
membership.1 Also in 1944, the Co-Cooperative Commonwealth Foundation (CCF) (see J.S. Woodsworth under Subjective Factors) became the elected government in Saskatchewan.1 In fact, during the 1940s, the labour-minded CCF clearly gained much influence, as it was the official opposition in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and BC for this decade.1 At the end of the 1940s,
CCF and Communist party had membership of 50 000.1 Also in the 1940s, following the Windsor Strike from September 12th to December 29th, 1945, which involved 1 700 workers, Justice Ivan Rand made a decision which has come to be known as the Rand Formula.1 This
decision, issued on January 29th, 1946, allocated a portion of a a worker’s salary to support his/her respective union.2 This provided unions with more funding for their endeavors and, in
addition, could be used to discourage strike actions as this funding could be cut.2
In the 1970s, government employees constituted some 20% of all workers.3 Until the 1960s, government employees were not allowed to unionize.3 The only exception was Saskatchewan, which had allowed government employees this right, all the way back in 1944.3 A major postal workers strike led to government workers finally achieving the right to collectively bargain.3 A number of years earlier, on April 23rd, 1956, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) was founded as a union hub, involving several unions.4 The One Big Union developed into this.4 The CLC supports trade unionism.4 In 1997, for instance, there were 2.5 million trade unionists who were part of 51 unions around the world involved with the CLC.4 There is a conference every 3 years featuring some 3 000 delegates from numerous unions, who meet to discuss matters regarding the CLC.4 In 1961, the CLC joined forces with the CCF in order to create the New Democratic Party, a federal party which supports trade unionism and labour matters such as unemployment insurance.5 In 2011, the NDP earned an outstanding 103 seats in the House of Commons.5
A later development was the 1997 foundation of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board following the passage of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.6 This board is essentially responsible for setting and maintaining safety and health standards in work environments.6 (See Evidence section for more info). Another significant labour act was the 1985 federal act known as the Canada Labour Code.7 This Code was intended to, “consolidate certain statutes respecting labour.”7 In addition to these significant legislative pieces, another improvement in the labour movement is that, by 1996, 59% of Canadian women were union members. They constituted some 45% of the labour force and 40% of the union membership.8
Even considering these significant developments, it is important to note that the social problem does continue to persist. For instance, let us take a look at work-related injuries. From 1993 – 2005 the number of work-related deaths increased from 758 to 1 097 annually (a 45% increase!).9 Considering an average work rate to be 230 days annually, there are approx. 5 deaths per work day.9 In fact, this is such a significant issue that there is actually a National Day of Mourning (April 28th) to recognize yearly work fatalities.9