Synopsis or Summary
The labour movement has gone through dramatic changes in Canada starting from the 1970s caused by immigration, deindustrialization and the expansion of service sector employment. The non-standard employment with the decline of the welfare state negatively affects the working poor and unemployed. Neo-liberal globalization has negatively affected the trade unions and their ability to organize the unorganized. The cause of contingent work or precarious employment, challenges traditional forms of trade unionism and has opened the way for new initiatives, including community unionism. Community unionism is the cooperation between a trade union and a community group so that they can fight for a common objective. Unlike the trade unions, community unions help in organizing the employed, the unemployed and the underemployed, so that if required they are in a position to change their workplace. The development of this model of community unionism relates to the conditions created by neo liberal globalization and the failure of the labour movement to adequately address these conditions including deregulation or flexiblization. The expansion of the informal sector including urban centers has put many workers outside the legal framework of unionization and collective bargaining. Also, it is not recognized or protected by law or regulated by public authorities and workers in this sector are mostly entrepreneurs, where collective bargaining legislation is of little use. The author imposes: What happens to the sense of solidarity fostered by union membership when a unionized worker loses his or her job? It implies that workers can experiences political isolation if adequate safeguards are not put in place. Therefore, political empowerment is important to community unions. The most interesting examples of community unionism today are the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), in Toronto and the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NMASS), in New York. OCAP helps with the struggles for decent work, housing and social assistance. Its purpose is to build a mass organization that empowers the unemployed, precarious workers and the working people. MASS helps to organize the injured workers, students, mothers and care-givers working in the home, retirees and unemployed people. It focuses on the struggle to eliminate the sweatshop system.
Reflection
In this article, I learned how community unionism plays an important part in the labour relationship to help the workers in creating benefits and fight for their rights in their workplace. I also learned how the changes in labour movement and globalization are causing dramatic changes for the community unionism. The useful terms and concepts that the author used to explain his point made the article all the more interesting. Community unionism was explained in great depth, giving examples of recent community unionism formed in today’s society. The two recent union structures made me understand how they use different strategies to help workers in needs in the neoliberal economy. Author argues that the community unionism helps in effectively organizing and empowering the labour movement.