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Union Coverage in Canada, 2014 - Labour Program
Union Coverage in Canada - 2014
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Union coverage remains unchanged overall
Union coverage is highly concentrated
Labour Congress affiliation changes and union mergers
Appendix 1: Union coverage in Canada, 1998-2014
Appendix 2: Labour organizations with 30,000 or more covered employees, 2014
Appendix 3: Union coverage, by type of union and affiliation, 2013 and 2014	Appendix 4: Canadian Labour Congress coverage, by affiliation, 2013 and 2014
Appendix 5: Composition of unions in Canada, by type of organization, 2013 and 2014
Appendix 6: Composition of unions in Canada, by size
Appendix 7: Union coverage, by congress affiliation, 2013 and 2014
The Workplace Information and Research Division (WIRD) of the Labour Program conducts an annual census of all labour organizations in Canada that represent bargaining units of 50 or more employees. This census provides information on employees covered by collective agreements by organization type, size, and affiliation
Union coverage in Canada remained largely unchanged in 2014. The total number of employees covered by collective agreements reported by labour organizations is 4,753,232, an increase of 0.9% from 2013. However, the total number of employees rose by 0.8% leaving the union coverage rate unchanged from the previous year at 31.5%, after decreasing by 0.6 percentage points from 2012.Footnote 1
Chart 1: Union coverage rate in Canada (%), 1998-2014
Show data table: Chart 1: Union coverage rate in Canada (%), 1998-2014
Union coverage is highly concentrated Unionized employees in Canada remain clustered in a few large unions and labour congresses.
There are four types of unions in Canada: National;
Independent local organization; and
Directly chartered local.
Compared to 2013, there has been virtually no change in the distribution of unionized employees by union type in 2014. National unions continue to represent 69.6% of total unionized employees, followed by International unions (25%) (Chart 2-A). Independent local organizations represent almost 3.9% of unionized employees, and Directly chartered locals still retain the smallest share (1.6%). Chart 2-A: Share of covered employees, by organization type, 2014
Description Chart 2-A: Share of covered employees, by organization type, 2014
Share of covered employees
Note: Percentages do not sum to 100% due to rounding
Chart 2-B: Share of unions, by organization type, 2014
Description Share of unions, by organization type, 2014
Share of unions
Directly chartered locals and Independent local organizations continue to account for more than two thirds (69.3%) of all unions, followed by National (25.5%) and International (5.3%) unions (Chart 2-B). In 2014, almost 45% of all unionized employees belonged to one of only eight large unions, each of which represents more than 100,000 employees. Of these, five were National and three International. On the other hand, 11.9% of unionized employees belonged to 418 unions (out of a total of 770 unions) representing less than 10,000 employees each. In addition, 1.9% of unionized employees belonged to 278 even smaller unions, with less than 1,000 employees each. In 2014, most unions (80.9%) were affiliated with a labour congress. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) continued to represent the largest proportion of unionized employees (68.8%), followed by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), which represented 6.9% of unionized employees (Appendix 7 and Chart 3). Just over 19% of all unionized employees were not affiliated with a labour congress. Chart 3: Union coverage rate in Canada (%), 1998-2014
Description Union coverage rate in Canada (%), 1998-2014
Congress affiliation Percentage
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations only
Four unions, which previously had no affiliation, became affiliated to a labour congress during 2014:
the Association des professeurs(es) du Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy (115 members) and the Syndicat des professeures et professeurs de l'Université du Québec en Outaouais (222 members) affiliated with the CSN;
the Syndicat des salariés de Vic Royal (241 members) affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats démocratique (CSD); and the Syndicat des employées et employés professionnels-les et de bureau-Québec-local 610 (432 members) affiliated with the CLC.
Only one merger between two unions was observed during 2014: The Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association and its 583 members joined the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
A number of amendments were made to labour legislation in Canada in 2014 that will have an impact on union certification and decertification processes.
At the federal level, Bill C-525, the Employees' Voting Rights Act, received Royal Assent on December 16, 2014 and will come into force on June 16, 2015. The Bill modifies the union de/certification rules under the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Public Service Labour Relations Act by moving from a card-check system (whereby a union is certified by demonstrating majority support) to a mandatory vote system (whereby a union is de/certified based on a secret ballot representation vote). Parties seeking the de/certification of a union will need the support of at least 40% of employees in the bargaining unit to hold a vote. Results of a representation vote are to be determined on the basis of the majority of ballots cast. Changes to union certification rules also occurred in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2014. Bill 22, An Act to Amend the Labour Relations Act, came into force on June 5, 2014. It modified the Labour Relations Act to reintroduce the mandatory vote system for union certification, reversing legislative amendments enacted in 2012 that allowed union certification with the support of at least 65% of employees in a bargaining unit. Under the new rules, the union may hold a representation vote if it has the support of at least 40% of employees in the bargaining unit. When 70% of eligible employees or more participate in the vote, a union can be certified if it obtains the support of a majority of those who cast a ballot. If fewer than 70% of eligible employees vote, union certification can be obtained only if a majority of employees in the bargaining unit have cast a ballot in favour. In Quebec, legislation (Bill 8, An Act to amend the Labour Code with respect to certain employees of farming business) came into force on October 22, 2014 to replace a provision in the provincial Labour Code that excluded farm workers from the right to unionize and bargain collectively unless at least three such employees were ordinarily and continuously employed in a farm business. In 2013, the Superior Court of Quebec ruled that the exclusion violated the right to freedom of association guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The amended Labour Code now provides for limited associational rights and protections for workers in farming businesses where fewer than three employees are ordinarily and continuously employed.
Covered Employees (000s)
Union Coverage Rate (%)
4,058 11,961 33.9
4,261 13,249 32.2
14,171 32.4
4,664 14,559
4,753 15,077
Source: Labour Program, ESDC
Appendix 2 - Labour organizations with 30,000 or more covered employees, 2014
126,932 Service Employees International Union
CtW / CLC
Independent national 65,038
Syndicat de la fonction publique du Québec et parapublique du Québec
Affiliations legend:
Appendix 3 - Union coverage, by type of union and affiliation, 2013
2013 Unions
2013 Locals
2013 Covered workers
2014 Unions
2014 Covered workers
7,109 2,122,599
720,817 15.2
128,648 2.7
4,946 0.1
American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) / Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
Change to Win (CtW) / Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) only
4,710,458
Appendix 4 - Canadian Labour Congress coverage, by affiliation, 2013 and 2014
2013 Covered Employees
2014 Covered Employees
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) only
CtW/ CLC
3,247,715
3,282,898
Source: Labour Progam, ESDC
Composition of unions in Canada, by size, 2013 National
Directly CharteredFootnote 2
125,598 1
Composition of unions in Canada, by size, 2014
Directly CharteredFootnote 3
127,120 1
316,167 1
776,271 6
397,870 -
1,174,141 100,000 and over
2,130,262
927,396 19.5
2,115,823
2,122,332 44.6
222,342 4.7
326,836 6.9
75,361 1.6
4,961 0.1
7,924 0.2
7,566 0.2
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) only
35,518 0.8
183,429 3.9
4,710,458 100.0
In 2014, the Labour Program reviewed the methodology used to collect information from labour organizations as well as the calculation of the union coverage rate.
Prior to 2014, organizations were asked to provide an estimate of the number of unionized employees they represent as of the beginning of the year (January 1st). Those estimates were considered to be representative of that calendar year. However, the review determined that the January 1st data point was better thought of as reflecting the previous calendar year. Consequently, the previously published series was shifted back one year – for example, the union coverage statistic that was previously given for 2013 is now reported as 2012. For this year’s census, organizations were asked to estimate union coverage for December 31st. To avoid data breaks, respondents were asked for the coverage estimate for 2013 as well as for 2014.
The collection period was also assessed in this review. Prior to 2014, data was collected from organizations during May and June of the current year. It was determined that the collection period should be moved closer to the reference date, December 31st. Letters and emails requesting data were therefore sent out to organizations in December 2014 and they were asked to respond by the end of January 2015. This practice will continue for future years.
The review also evaluated the calculation of the union coverage rate in Canada. The coverage rate had been calculated as a proportion of all “non-agricultural paid workers” (NAPW). NAPW is derived from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS). Given that NAPW includes the self -employed, a group that is largely unable to take part in collective bargaining, the review determined that NAPW should be replaced by a count of only employees. Going forward, the union coverage rate in Canada will be calculated as a proportion of all employees in Canada, as derived from the LFS. The union coverage time series has also been recalculated accordingly.
If the requested information is not provided by the labour organization, the latest reported figures are used.
Union coverage: All persons, whether union members or not, who are covered by a collective agreement.
Local: The basic unit of labour organizations formed in a particular plant or establishment. The members participate directly in the affairs of their local including the election of officers, financial and other business matters, and relations between their organization and employer, and they pay dues to the local.
Union: The unit of labour organizations that organizes and charters locals, sets general policy for its locals, assists them in the conduct of their affairs, and is the medium for co-ordinating their activities.
National Union: A union that charters locals in Canada only.
International Union: A union that charters locals in Canada and the United States. For the purpose of this survey only workers in Canada are reported.
Independent Local Organization: A local that is not formally affiliated with any other labour organization.
Directly Chartered Local: A local that is organized and receives its charter from a labour congress. It pays per capita dues to the congress and receives services from the congress
Footnote 1	Statistics Canada reported the union coverage rate as 31.1% in 2013 and 30.4% in 2014. Statistics Canada coverage rate is based on Labour Force Survey (LFS) data collected monthly from a sample of working age individuals. Labour Program’s union coverage data is collected directly from labour organizations using a self reporting survey. Return to footnote 1 referrer	Footnote 2	Only aggregate data is available for Directly Chartered Unions.	Return to footnote 2 referrer	Footnote 3	Only aggregate data is available for Directly Chartered Unions.	Return to footnote 3 referrer	Date modified:2015-12-21