Worker Unions

Transactions come with conflict. The kid wants to play, but you want them to do their homework instead. After some "appropriate action" from you, the kid drops the play and proceeds to do the homework, whining. Who has the power over whom? why do kids listen to their parents? are all parents behave the same way? how about new and inexperienced parents, parents who do not have any knowledge or support to handle children? will they beat the \*\*\*\* out of their own children? is it happening? is it acceptable?

There is a power imbalance. Employers have power over employees by constantly exerting a threat of firing, directly or indirctly. Employees in their defense will cite many reasons, like for e.g insubordination, productivity or safety issues. Employees do use termination as a "weapon", apart from termination there are hundreds of things an employer can do to influence employees' behavior, with an intention of a favorable outcome. For e.g, the employee may choose to ignore replacing a broken fridge. In such situations, employees need solutions for their grievances, and it is like the sheep telling the wolf not to eat them. A union is the only answer to make employees accountable.

However, the union could also be weaponized by employees to bargain higher wages and benefits

## Value of Human versus Value of human Labour.

The cost of a Mac computer runs in thousands of dollars, or say a Windows PC. To demonstrate the point, let us take an automobile. The cost of an average automobile is around $40,000, excluding the operating cost. An automobile usually does about 4000 hours before it is scrapped. That puts the automobile at a cost of $10 for every one hour of operation. That sounds cheaper than employing a human being, comparing what a human being is capable of at a minimum wage. If the windshield washer fluid is less, the Car is not going to complain. However modern cars will "refuse" to start if the air filter is clogged, or something which could cause critical damage to its components.

The value of human labor and the value of humans are two different things. A human needs to be respected, should not be discriminated based on skin color, or sex, etc, which is fine. But the salary and wages are totally different.

## Issues

### Issues faced by Workers

1. Worker's grievances are ignored by the management.
2. Workers are intimidated so that they keep their mouth shut.
3. Salary and wages are always on the lower side.
4. Some workers will find it hopeless and miserable, where could they possibly go? everybody is not going to get a government job or become a nurse, protected by the AUPE. So workers either stay in misery, till they get a job in a perceived better company. Or like the employees of Red Lobster, Edmonton did, they can form their union and negotiate with the management.

#### Issues faced by Employers

1. **Liberty:** Unions take away the employer's liberty. The employer likes to control all parts of the business and as such would like to view the employees as either assets or liabilities. Simply put they would like to view employees as "machines". This view of the employer is understandable, but we should not proceed to crucify the employer as a "heartless bastard". What we should understand here is the "control" part of the business that the employer feels is losing. If an employer feels so and so employee needs to go away, the employer feels that nobody should stop them.
2. **Reduced Profits:** Higher demands of employees obviously increase the business expenses and reduce the profit. It could be argued that a reduction in profit offsets gains made in (1) Increased quality, (2) Increased brand, (3) increased employee morale thereby increasing productivity, quality and reducing employee turnover, (3) reduced cost of recruitment and training since employees will stay, and the training and experience stays within the company. However, from the employer's point of view, these gains are not as good as "cash gains". Nothing speaks like "cash". for e.g. the employer could argue the same that "what if I provide everyone with their own coffee machine, would you prefer to take back your request for a wage hike?", obviously the answer from the workers will be "no". Because of the fact that just like the employer to need the "Cash" to improve other parts of their life, say for e.g. an employee wants to take their children to Disney land. The coffee machine is not going to fly the kids to Florida. Similarly, if the employee wants to open another store, or buy a machine, the quality of the product, reduced employee turnover, or brand image is not going to get them that new machine or sign a lease for the new store.

## Employee Associations

### Scope

This is our proposal. We can call it a soft-union. An Employee association is very similar to a union, but it provides greater protection to employers and does not touch salary, wages, and scheduling.

We are dividing employee issues into five groups,

1. Soft Issues (amenities)
2. Employer Conduct (racism, bullying, harassment)
3. Scheduling
4. Salary and Wages
5. Job Security

#### Mandate

The movement will mandate the following as legislation, we will make the following law.

1. Employers who employ more than 5 employees, should set up an employee association within their organizations.
2. An organization can have more than one employee association.
3. All employees should be a member of an association.
4. Employers will provide employees paid time, subject to a maximum limit.
5. Employees can use the work premises to conduct the associations business.
6. Employers will be required to respond and act on the issues within a timeframe by the association

### Working

An Employee Association (EA) will conduct periodic meetings and listen to employees. Demands, requests are formulated by the representatives who will take it up with the management for resolution.

## References

https://thewalrus.ca/walmart-has-everything-except-unions/

https://mcmillan.ca/Right-to-Close-Business-The-Supreme-Court-of-Canada-Rules-Store-Closure-Illegal-During-Statutory-Freeze