Labour unions

The labour market today is far removed from the turmoil it experienced in 1919. That year, two protesting strikers were shot and killed by police during the Winnipeg General Strike, and 428 strikes ensued across the country. In 2002, time lost to lockouts or strikes represented only 0.09% of the total hours worked across Canada.

The percentage of unionized workers has been slowly declining over the past few years, especially among full-time employees. The level of unionization in the public sector has remained relatively steady, hovering between 71% and 73%, while workers with private employers are less likely to be unionized (18% in 2002). Alberta is the least unionized province. The provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador are the most unionized. 

Wage increases earned through the collective bargaining process tend to rise and fall with inflation. In 1988, for example, the average collective agreement provided for a 5% wage increase for private sector workers that year, and a 4% raise for public sector employees. While wage gains in the private sector exceeded those in the public sector every year during the 1990s, that trend has reversed since 2000. Wage gains in all contract settlements rose by 2.8% in 2002.

Though the wage gap between unionized and non-unionized workers can be significant, it is shrinking. In 2002, unionized employees working full time earned an average of $21.01 an hour, and $17.74 an hour for part-time workers. Non-unionized full-time workers earned roughly $17.71 an hour and $10.71 for part timers.