In 2015 the percentage of workers in Canada who belong to a trade union increased .1% to 30%. Canada's unionized workforce has actually grown in recent years. Today, the CBC reports that about 4.56 million workers are members of unions up more than 800,000 since 1997. Unions expansion has been outstripped by the non-unionized workforce, which grew by about 2.5 million over the same period.
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@8KMCS9R4yrs4Y
Neither, unions do not exist for the benefit of the economy
@9YFJQZ9Conservative2mos2MO
They help the economy only IF they are actually not being greedy. They should be checked by the goverment for any greedness.
@9H4CMCQ1yr1Y
Help, BUT I do believe some better measures need to be put in place to aid the employer even a little bit when it comes to removing employees who are 'riding the gravy train' because their employer is literally hand tied and cannot get rid of them due to union contracts. There are good honest people willing to work who are not able to due to unproductive workers who 'play the game' and remain employed. These type of employees, become a cost to the product/service their company is providing. At the same time, I do not think power should be given to the employer catre blanche.
Help, but employees should have the ability to influence and or unite on key issues. However, labor unions should be prohibited from publicly or privately supporting one party.
@9GPTJ2D1yr1Y
It depends on the union, some are better at advocating for workers' rights and best interests; others are more focused on justifying and funding their own existence and do not offer value for the union fees they charge members
@9GNXXXT1yr1Y
A mix of both, rather than just one or the other. Depends on the relationship with management, leadership, and other factors.
@9GCWLY71yr1Y
Help, every working person should be unionized as every working person needs a voice as well as protection from abuse and exploitation
@9FYP94M1yr1Y
Help. There should be some sectors that should not be allowed to strike and must negotiated while the individuals still work...eg teachers.
@9FP3QX21yr1Y
Hurt the economy, Help society. Corporations do not benefit from labour unions, but workers do. If the economy in its current form were to crumble because of labour unions, the world would be better off.
@9FKGY8B1yr1Y
Help, as long as they don't go too far in doing things like riots and fights.
@9FCN65T1yr1Y
Mostly hurt but some unions are okay
@9FC8R8W1yr1Y
Regardless, people have a right to freedom of association
@9F2ZGL61yr1Y
It hurts the economy but helps for change
@9WBTJ7S2mos2MO
Hurt. Most unions are puppets of the companies and enforcers of bad company relations and bad policies.
@9RZPX675mos5MO
given that public most public unions in canada are against having to actually work 3 days a week under minimal accommodations, public unions are bad!
@9RTLWCPIndependent5mos5MO
Unions, but public and private can easily be corrupt, I support some unions, but unions and companies should be banned from making any donations
@9RGCB9P5mos5MO
I believe that they currently offer higher rates than privatized industry. This raises the cost to consumer and productivity goes down. Their entitlement appears to be abused. I work in an industry that is both union and non union and see an abuse of this in the union regions more. The cost is higher, causing a higher cost to the consumer, while the worker makes more and contributes more to society creating a catch-22, but their productivity is lower. I believe more research and data informed decision making needs to go into unions.
@9QZCYDN5mos5MO
They can do both. Unions should be made less powerful and corrupt however because people strike over the smallest things now.
Mostly hurt, especially government/public unions. Allow a company to operate with unions AND non-union workers. There have been and are benefits to unions but they also prevent meritocracy from determining financial reward, promotion and productivity.
@9KGWSV210mos10MO
A more democratic society, with a stronger more responsive labour regulator would make unions obsolete. Unions are often wasteful and an impediment.
@96ZYY3JConservative2yrs2Y
Unions are mostly good. Sometimes they can hurt businesses.
@96KPKNQ2yrs2Y
It's about the workers' rights, not the economy
@95LSVQV2yrs2Y
Help, but they should have their power limited to a certain extent
@95J9PCR2yrs2Y
Hurt, but it is necessary for safety and regulation
@95DH7PG2yrs2Y
In the middle. It all depends on many factors.
@958H6MWConservative2yrs2Y
its really in between for me
@957BLNV2yrs2Y
Hurt, and ban their ability to make political decisions as they have become corrupt.
@93TM7X62yrs2Y
Help the economy, but do not allow them to make political donations, publically fund elections.
@93HJWN4Conservative3yrs3Y
Help but should be reviewed by a rotating party of informed workers
@93FG53G3yrs3Y
A mix of both. Unions can do great things in making workplaces safer, and also potentially argue for higher wages which benefits the economy and lessens the burden on government, but they can also be used for hurtful purposes as well.
@93CCWGR3yrs3Y
@92NSVSP3yrs3Y
A mix of both, but overall unions are a force for good in the world. Many of the labour rights we take for granted, such as the 8 hour workday, and weekends off (of course, depending on profession) were fought for by unions.
@9235Q2J3yrs3Y
Help, but workers should be given real representation on boards as in Germany
@8ZN4YG43yrs3Y
I would say unions have a mix of both. It can make it incredibly hard for business to do some things, and lead to tensions between management/workers. But, while there are these flaws, unions can negotiate for great things, such as better pay, hours, benefits, and other things which help ease the burden on our governments/and help people become less dependent on the government.
@8VJKMNM3yrs3Y
Have a time and place but outsized political or economic power should be limited.
@8VJFCMG3yrs3Y
Depends on the labour union
@8VJ7CMY3yrs3Y
Generally help to provide a collective voice and support workers so they are not taken advantage of, but occassionally go too far with demands individuals outside unions don't benefit from.
@8VJ3DNT3yrs3Y
Help and Hurt, regulation and accountability are important
@8VH294R3yrs3Y
Don’t know enough about unions to understand the question.
@8VF9GCZ3yrs3Y
Hurt! They encourage self-entitlement, lazy work ethic, strikes, and even theft from the company when workers leave early, get paid for it and are protected by their union
@8VDJ95R3yrs3Y
It depends entirely on the situation (what the workers are asking for, what they end up getting in return, the working conditions that causes the union etc.)
I find majority of unions useless and aren’t actually in the best interest of the workers. They still follow suit and instruction from higher ups, not requests from workers.
@8V6FSH33yrs3Y
Both. They aren't all the same so generalizing them doesn't make sense.
@8V5YNPV3yrs3Y
Help, I support private unions but am against public unions
@8TXCC9Y3yrs3Y
Change the negotiation process to a court/tribunal model where the union and employer prepare cases before the contract ends to be heard before a judge or representative
@8TRKFLZ3yrs3Y
Hurt, but are more important than economy
@8TQ55PQ3yrs3Y
They had a place once, now overbearing and out of control
@8TL9CJZ3yrs3Y
Don’t know enough about labour unions
@8T4S2VT4yrs4Y
This is complicated and it depends on the union.
@8SZZXNH4yrs4Y
A balance is key, unions should have to play by the same rules are private organizations.
@8SHK8XZ4yrs4Y
We dont really need them anymore
@8SH4CWD4yrs4Y
Hurt but are needed for workers rights
@8SCWFQW4yrs4Y
Help economy is much more stable if workers can produce higher results due to better conditions
Unions benefit their members but hurt consumers generally, and especially workers who are denied job opportunities. Unions decrease the number of jobs available in the economy. The vast majority of manufacturing jobs lost over the past three decades have been among union members.
@8RQRK5PConservative4yrs4Y
Hurt, I support Private Companies workers right to unionize, Public Sector Unions should be outlawed.
@8RK5FXD4yrs4Y
Hurt, extremist and criminal corruption in unions has become a major problem.
@8QYMC73Conservative4yrs4Y
Neither they protect workers
@8QXR442New Democratic4yrs4Y
I think Unions depend on where you live. Where I live Unions control a lot, but in places like Halifax they are probably better
@8QX2RHJ4yrs4Y
both. They both have negative and positive outcomes
@8QDSZ3Y4yrs4Y
I feel it’s circumstantial
@8QDR7RC4yrs4Y
Yes, but there shouldn't be regulations on what an individual can do. They should be able to decide that.
@8PXL3BFNew Democratic4yrs4Y
Help, and they should have more representation in government
@8PPRN77New Democratic4yrs4Y
"Hurting" the economy is irrelevant here. labor unions are essential to ensure workplace dynamics aren't completely one-sided.
@8PKC8BCBloc Québécois4yrs4Y
hurt but it’s a necessary evil
@8PKBLYV4yrs4Y
Its immaterial. They help the employees and their welfare.
@8PJVJTNConservative4yrs4Y
Private unions help by providing the work force needed for large projects. Public unions generally have monopolies on their business and have too much negotiating power at the expense of the taxpayer. Public unions tend to support governments that are generous to them which seems like a conflict of interest to me.
@8PDRZZH4yrs4Y
The issue is not labour unions. There needs to be a balance of power between the employees and employers. The issue is the current way it is implemented. The strike/lockout system should be changed into a more court-like process
@8PBLDKRNew Democratic4yrs4Y
Doesn't really apply to me
@8KLHHQY4yrs4Y
Help, but ban their ability to make political donations and increase their powers.
@8KLCJ9TNew Democratic4yrs4Y
Help, and companies that engage in union busting tactics (such as Amazon) should be punished.
@8H8DY744yrs4Y
Hurt. Once a powerful movement for postive change for the grreater good - now morphed into an opportunistic culture that only serves those within in
@8DGFHHN4yrs4Y
It has its advantages and disadvantages
@8DBP8TM4yrs4Y
Hurt, in Canada there is no more needed
Help. They need a better relationship with employers right now though.
A mix of both, but worth having than no one to stand up for workers and conditions.
@9CBKZDD2yrs2Y
Usually help but not always
@9BSYMVY2yrs2Y
Help, and mandate membership in labour unions for work.
@99P37GG2yrs2Y
theyre helpful to our survival slayyy
@98PQTLX2yrs2Y
Help the economy as they are the are the ones making productions and increase wages
A mix of both. They should be there if the workers want it, but it depends on how they're run that makes me skeptical of them. They can create a really good environment, but also a really antagonistic one, and so that's why I would say that I'm in the middle on this issue rather than just blindly picking a side.
@986L77S2yrs2Y
I don’t have any idea about
@983VWVPConservative2yrs2Y
Yes but it comes at a price
@97ZVYJ42yrs2Y
The organization gets the union it deserves
@97VBYPL2yrs2Y
No, but are crucial for workers rights
@97TXFRVNew Democratic2yrs2Y
They Hurt our economy, so we should give them good benefits from the start so that these kinds of things don't happen
@97T4JZCConservative2yrs2Y
Some help, and some help in theory, but a lot of unions have become corrupt. Though I support some private and public unions. Either way, ban their ability to make political donations
@96N2CXV2yrs2Y
irrelevant whether they hurt or help, they're vital for workers
@942M3262yrs2Y
Help, but ban their ability to make political donations and mandate membership in labour unions to be eligible to work in Canada.
True economic workplace democracy
@8VMXG843yrs3Y
they don't do much of anything in BC
@8V76GNDNew Democratic3yrs3Y
A strong voice for workplace issues should be a standard for workplace culture to ensure the needs, concerns, ideas, and contributions of the workplace are recognized and responded to, are inclusive and collaborative, and contribute to safety and well being of employees in addition to sustainable workplace goals.
@8V6J9K83yrs3Y
Hurt, They never actually seem to help the employee like they should.
Ultimately hurt, due to decades of unrealistic demands which caused manufacturing and industry to move operations out of Canada.
@8TYQ7V73yrs3Y
Unions are a business of their own so tough to manage them. They a ruthless to the extreme
@8TWZL2K3yrs3Y
Poorly worded question. Need to define how exactly a labor union helps or hurts an economy, and in what capacity
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