{"id":41901,"date":"2017-04-12T14:52:33","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T12:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.polyas.de\/ct_content_page_2\/explained"},"modified":"2024-04-29T19:57:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T17:57:30","slug":"explained","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.polyas.com\/unions\/explained","title":{"rendered":"What Do Unions Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div  class='flex_column av-2h0g7x4-de4ae1467e542757120a2c90fb2718d7 av_two_third  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_one_third  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div  '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-1aizrzs-1d128c129ebaf6ed2258b25355ab620a\">\n.avia-image-container.av-1aizrzs-1d128c129ebaf6ed2258b25355ab620a img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-1aizrzs-1d128c129ebaf6ed2258b25355ab620a .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-1aizrzs-1d128c129ebaf6ed2258b25355ab620a av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image- avia-img-lazy-loading-not- avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/www.polyas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/trade-union-online-voting.jpg\" alt='' title=''   itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-ltsofnzg-e00b2b2a0be9be2e3c09c71bd36eb6b0 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h1>What Do Unions Do?<\/h1>\n<p>Unions have a long tradition in Canada. Four million workers are part of a union, which equals nearly 30% of the Canadian workforce. The benefits include&nbsp;a fair and safe workplace, better wages and a supporting community. Moreover, unions can be affiliated with&nbsp;umbrella organizations like the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC), organized in a federation or operating independently.<br \/>\nOne of the key characteristics is the democratic structure of unions, which gives members tools to shape the direction of the union.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-ltymfqmc-a7e66dfd12d3c3a0f73a2f3629a0358f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2>History of Canadian Unions<\/h2>\n<p>Canada\u2019s labor movement has achieved some important goals for today\u2019s workers in the last 150 years. It includes overtime pay, minimum wages, protection from discrimination and harassment, maternity and parental leave, workplace safety standards and vacation pay.<\/p>\n<p>Milestones in Canadian union history are for example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1872: Demand and strike for a shorter work-week by the city&#8217;s publishers, which resulted in the Trade Union Act and thereby the legalization of union activities<\/li>\n<li>1919: Winnipeg general strike &#8211; the largest general strike in Canadian history&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>1940: Adoption of an unemployment insurance system &#8211; today&#8217;s Employment Insurance (EI)<\/li>\n<li>1945: Windsor&#8217;s Ford strike which gave way for more financially secure unions and more<\/li>\n<li>1956: Founding of the Canadian Labor Congress, a nationwide labour organization working for the rights of their members<\/li>\n<li>1964: Introduction of the Industrial Safety Act which focuses on&nbsp;the safety and workplace health of workers<\/li>\n<li>1965: The government extends the collective bargaining rights to the public service<\/li>\n<li>1971: Improving the conditions for maternity leave, paternity leave or parental leave, including parents who adopted children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-ltymg7xp-b78053bb5458bc6df78350d079a20a72 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2>Structure and Governance of Unions<\/h2>\n<p>The aim&nbsp;of every union is&nbsp;to represent the members\u2019 rights to their employers and lobby to improve the working environment. Unions offer a democratic structure, which allows members to influence the decision-making process. Canadian federal and provincial legislation gives details about the rights and responsibilities of workers and unions.<\/p>\n<p>In 2015, Canada had a total number of 776 unions. 45.1% of unionized members are comprised in the eight largest unions. Five of these are national union,&nbsp;and three are international. National unions represent the rights of the members only nationally whereas international unions do it on an global scale. They all represent&nbsp;100,000 or more workers each.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Governance<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Unions work from the grassroots and have local unions in their fields of operation. These locals can belong to district chapters and a provincial chapter. If the union is just operating on provincial level, the provincial chapter is the highest executive. If it is working nation-wide, the provincial chapters are structured within a national executive. As mentioned before, some unions also work internationally so they also elect officers for the international executive and committees.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-ltzjiloq-ca07d89252e665da6549c35602240f27\">\n.av_promobox.av-ltzjiloq-ca07d89252e665da6549c35602240f27{\ncolor:#000000;\nbackground:#e8f8f8;\nborder-color:#ededed;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av_promobox av-ltzjiloq-ca07d89252e665da6549c35602240f27 avia-button-no'><div class='avia-promocontent'><p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-46677 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.polyas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-03-20-um-09.15.04-80x80.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.polyas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-03-20-um-09.15.04-80x80.png 80w, https:\/\/www.polyas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-03-20-um-09.15.04-36x36.png 36w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px\" \/><br \/>\n<strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>POLYAS tip:<\/strong> Are your union&#8217;s&nbsp;members scattered all around the country? Facilitate your election process by voting online.<a href=\"\/request-demo\"> Contact our experienced election experts and request a free quote for your union&#8217;s elections!&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><br \/>\n       <section  class='av_textblock_section av-wz0wl4-34aab32a2d0f1ae4906b93362ed1f18e '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2>Elections in Unions<\/h2>\n<p>Since unions are democratic organizations, elections are an essential part of every union. In general, larger unions operate on different levels and have an executive board on each.<\/p>\n<p>Locals elect their executive board and most of the times delegates, which then elect representatives and an executive board for the district chapter. Districts go on and elect delegates, which represent their members in elected provincial executives.<\/p>\n<p>The union\u2019s national committee is often comprised of elected officers and president from local and\/or provincial chapters.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Other elections<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Unions not only elect officers for their executive board and delegates but also other positions. Members can elect international officers if the union&nbsp;is operating internationally. Besides, locals can elect chief stewards who represent the union and member\u2019s interests at their workplace.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/online-voting\/how-it-works\">Learn how online voting works for your union<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div> <div  class='flex_column av-1nz9rg8-75c54a224fb808df4d271da46d3d88ea av_one_third  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_two_third  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div  '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-lu9i2vcx-f98b442447e01de64a594721f37db094\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-lu9i2vcx-f98b442447e01de64a594721f37db094{\nheight:50px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-lu9i2vcx-f98b442447e01de64a594721f37db094 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-7  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-ltym5gx4-4b5d2bf9f8cb84828b4c30d830082a87 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock cnt2_sidemenu1'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3><strong>Topics<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/unions\/elections\">Union Elections<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/unions\/elections\/online\">Conduct executive committee election online<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/unions\/structure\">Union Structure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/unions\/elections\/process\">Election Process in Unions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<div  class='hr av-13shxaw-70ecde758ef09bd32c279342ccec690e hr-default  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_textblock '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-lu9idg7z-bf603fd1ba39051b13a329fc88d83331 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock cnt2_sidemenu2'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3><strong>Further information<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/features\">Features of Online Voting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/election-administration\">Election Administration<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/increase-voter-turnout\">How to Increase Voter Turnout in your Election<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/legal-framework\">Legal Framework for Elections<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/election-glossary\">POLYAS Election Glossary<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p>\n<p><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9568],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41901","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-allgemein-en"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v25.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What do unions do?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Unions are a vital part in the labor movement. 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