Summer School

Co-operative
Education
Pre-Placement Assignment Unit 3
 Marking Scheme
Description Categories Mark

Pre-Placement / Health and Safety WC. VC. T K A

Unit 1.0.3 Overall Success Criteria in Co-op 5 Verbal Evaluation (5)

Unit 1.0.4 Co-op Hours Breakdown Information Only Complete

Unit 1.1 Roles and Responsibilities 5 Verbal Evaluation (5)

Unit 1.2 Skills Inventory 15 10 25 + (VE)

Unit 1.3 Alternate Employability Skills 2000 10 10 20 + (VE)

Unit 2.1 Types of Resumes Information Only Complete

Unit 2.1.1 Resume Instruct template Information Only Complete

Unit 2.1.2 Resume Worksheet 25 10 10 Complete (45)

Unit 2.2 Cover letter tips Information Only Complete

Unit 2.2.1 Cover letter Format Guide Information Only Complete

Unit 2.2.2 Cover Letter Worksheet for coop Information Only Complete

Unit 2.3 Good First Impression 2 Verbal Evaluation (2)

Unit 2.4 Possible Interview Hints 4 18 18 40 + (VE)

Unit 2.4.1 Interview Problems 5 Verbal Evaluation (5)

Unit 2.4.2 Would you hire yourself 5 Complete (5)

Unit 2.4.3 Whom would you hire revised 2 8 10 + (VE)

Unit 2.4.4 When You Do Not Know What To Say 5 Verbal Evaluation (5)

Unit 2.5 Keeping your job and Initiative 5 Verbal Evaluation (5)

Unit 2.6 Resolving Conflict in the Workplace 2 8 10 + (VE)

Unit 3.1 Welcome to Human Rights 101 4 6 30 + (VE)

Unit 3.1.1 Case Study 3 10 7 20 + (VE)

Unit 3.2 Employment Standards 3 17 5 25 + (VE)

Unit 3.3 Labor Unions in Canada 3 19 22 + (VE)

Unit 4.1 Tips for Young Workers Information Only Complete

Unit 4.2 Are you Ready for Work Information Only Complete

Unit 4.3 Are You Ready to Work Assignment 3 14 20 37 + (VE)

Unit 4.4 WSIB Fact Sheet Information Only Complete

Unit 4.5 WHMIS symbols quiz-blank 8 2 10 + (VE)

 Unit 4.6 HS101 Student Quiz 10 10 20 + (VE)

Unit 4.7 Passport to Safety Test 15 15 10 40 + (VE)

Unit 1 55 Written Comm. 60

Unit 2 127 Verbal Comm. 27
Unit 3 77 Thinking 171
Unit 4 107 Knowledge 86
Total Marks 366

Cooperative Education Pre-placement Rubric

Category Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Job Preparation Consistently stays Focuses on the task Focuses on the task Rarely focuses on the
focused on the task and what needs to be and what needs to be task and what needs
and what needs to be done most of the time. done some of the time. to be done. Lacked
done. Very self- Student must be detail on Job
directed. reminded to keep on Preparation.
task.

Resume, Cover Actively looks for and Refines solutions Does not suggest or Does not try to solve
Letter and suggests solutions to suggested by others. refine solutions, but is problems or help others
Interview problems. Reflective Resume and Cover willing to try out solve problems. Many
and focused on Letter needed limited solutions suggested by revisions and re-write of
details. Developed revisions. Developed others. Several Resume and Cover
excellent interview good Interview skills revisions needed to letter.
skills improve Resume and
Cover Letter.
Developed adequate
Interview skills

Human Rights, Provides work of the Provides high quality Provides work that Provides work that
Employment highest quality. work. Answers were occasionally needs to usually needs to be
Standards, Answers were reflective and detailed, be checked. Needed checked. Needed
Unions reflective and provided good some assistance to assistance to provide
detailed, provided perspective. provide adequate adequate answers.
excellent perspective. answers.

Health and Student completed Student completed Student completed Student completed and
Safety and answered and answered and answered answered correctly all
correctly all tests correctly all tests correctly all tests tests
/quizzes without /quizzes with limited /quizzes with /quizzes with one to one
assistance and within assistance and within assistance and help and needed extra
the allotted time. the allotted time. needed extra time to time to complete
Excellent detail in Good detail in complete material material
reflective questions reflective questions

Verbal Student is able to Student is able to Student is able to Student is unable to

Evaluation accurately answer accurately answer accurately answer a accurately answer
almost all questions most questions posed few questions posed questions posed by
posed by Teachers by Teachers about the by Teachers about the Teachers about the
about the topic. topic. topic. topic.
 Human Rights
This module provides a basic understanding of rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human
Rights Code. It's for information only.

"Human Rights 101” discusses:

● What you should know about human rights and discrimination.
● Your rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
● How to apply the Ontario Human Rights Code.

For human rights concerns, the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, a community legal clinic or
a lawyer may be able to help you with your application and/or provide legal advice.

Partnerships and community input are key in helping inform and educate the public about
human rights. The contents and structure of Human Rights 101 are guided by input from many
organizations and individuals who responded to the Commission's eLearning assessment over
the summer of 2009.
Why do we need to know about human rights?
We need to know about the Code because we all have rights and
responsibilities to make sure that everyone is treated equally and without
discrimination.
Human Rights are for Everyone. Human Rights issues touch our lives every
day.

We want a healthy workplace.

Our friends and family come from around the world, they may be getting
older, or have a disability.
Our children's friends may have same-sex parents or one parent.

Human Rights are for everyone.

Human Rights issues touch our lives every day.
● We want a healthy workplace.
● Our friends and family come from around the world, they may be getting older, or have a disability.
● Our children's friends may have same-sex parents or one parent.

About Human Rights

● Foundations of the Code (Where the Code came from and
● What is Discrimination?
"Where the Code came from"
● "Foundations of the Code" looks at the international, national and provincial laws and statutes that
helped to shape the Ontario Human Rights Code.
● International law says we all have human rights. The beginning of the Code, the Preamble, talks about
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was created by the United Nations in (1948).
● The Ontario Human Rights Code looks to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which
guarantees the people of Canada important political and civil rights.(1982)

History / Background
After World War II, Ontario politicians and citizens asked for legislation to protect human rights,
and it was one of the first provinces to introduce:
● The Racial Discrimination Act (1944)
● The Fair Employment Practices Act (1951)
● The Fair Accommodation Practices Act (1954)
In (1962), these Acts were brought together under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

What is Discrimination?
Discrimination is treating somebody differently because of their race, disability, sex or other
personal characteristics. Discrimination has many different forms.
● Discrimination can target one person...
● or a group;

● it can be hard to see or be part of a system.

Direct Discrimination?
People can discriminate directly against one person or group of people. An example is when someone is told
she can't have a job because she has a disability.

Direct discrimination means discriminating against someone because you think

they are different from you. It includes practices or behaviours that have a negative
effect on a person or a group of people who belong to a ground listed under the
Code. It doesn't matter that you didn't intend to treat them differently. What matters
is whether your actions or what you said results in discrimination.

Indirect / Constructive Discrimination?

Indirect/constructive discrimination usually means rules or policies that may
seem fair but actually cause people to be treated differently.
Indirect discrimination (also called Constructive) happens when
certain demands or rules seem to be fair, but actually keep out some people under
grounds listed in the Code or gives some people special treatment over others.

Systemic Discrimination?
Systemic discrimination happens when an organization's rules or
culture causes people to be treated differently.
Discrimination may be part of a system like how decisions are
made, and the practices and policies or the culture of the
organization. For example, the head of the company likes golf and only wants to
promote managers who play golf. Think about who gets invited to the golf game.

Reprisal
Reprisal means punishing someone because they have a human rights complaint, or
because they say they have witnessed discrimination.
Reprisal means taking action or threatening to take action against someone who has
a human rights complaint or who is a witness to the discrimination, and it is not
allowed under the Code. You cannot be punished or threatened with punishment for
trying to make a complaint, filing a human rights application, filing a human rights
grievance, or acting as a witness at a human rights hearing.

Poisoned Environment
A poisoned environment can happen when comments or actions
make you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable where you work or live.
Harassment
Harassment is when people make comments or actions that are unwelcome, even though they
should know that what they say or do is not welcome.

Harassment under the Code means "a course of vexatious comment or

conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be
unwelcome." Harassment usually meets the following requirements:
What was said or the behaviour usually happened more than once; The
person responsible for the comment or conduct should have known that
it is not welcome. Sometimes it's hard to tell someone to stop, so if you
don't or can't, the Code doesn't require that you do so.

Racial Profiling
Racial profiling is making assumptions about an individual because they belong to a
specific group.
Racial profiling happens when you take action because you're worried about safety, for
security reasons or for the public's protection, and your decision is based on
stereotypes about a person's race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion or place of origin.

REVIEW SECTION
Let's do a quick review of this section:

I learned...
● The Ontario Human Rights Code came from international, national and provincial laws and statutes
developed after World War II.
● Human rights are for everyone. We have the Code to make sure that everyone is treated equally and
without discrimination.
● Discrimination can take many forms. It can be against one person or a group of people. It can be
hardly noticeable or it can be part of a system.
● Discrimination can be direct, indirect, systemic or can look like reprisal, a poisoned environment,
harassment or racial profiling.

Do the Quiz on Google forms in your assignment.

Employment Standards Act. FAQ
Workplace Rights

You have the right:

● to be treated fairly at work
● to work in a safe and healthy workplace
● to be trained to deal with workplace hazards, and to join a trade union.
● Workplace fairness

Ontario’s Employment Standards Act sets minimum standards for things like pay, work hours and time
off. Most workplaces in Ontario must follow this law. Your rights are the same whether you work full time
or part time.

Your basic rights under the ESA

1. Getting paid

You should get a regular pay day and an accompanying wage statement (“pay stub”) that is clear. It’s a good
idea to keep a record of the hours that you work. Most employees are entitled to be paid at least the regular
minimum wage; however, the minimum wage is different for students, liquor servers, homeworkers and
hunting and fishing guides.

2. Overtime

Most employees must be paid overtime pay after 44 hours of work each week. The overtime rate must be at
least 1½ times the regular rate of pay.

3. Public holidays

Ontario has nine public holidays every year.

New Year's Day
Family Day
Good Friday
Victoria Day
Canada Day
Labour Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
Boxing Day (December 26).

Most employees are entitled to take these days off work and be paid public holiday pay. Alternatively, they
can agree in writing to work on the holiday and they will be paid: public holiday pay plus premium pay for the
hours worked on the public holiday, or their regular rate for hours worked on the holiday, plus they will receive
another day off (called a “substitute” holiday) with public holiday pay.

If you work in a hotel, motel, tourist resort, restaurant, tavern, hospital, or an establishment with continuous
operations, you may have to work on a public holiday. If you do, you should get another day off with public
holiday pay or be paid premium pay for all the hours you worked that holiday, plus get public holiday pay.
Premium pay is 1½ times your regular rate of pay. Learn more about public holiday pay, public holidays,
special rules and exemptions for different types of work.

4. Vacation time and pay

Most employees earn at least two weeks of vacation after every 12 months. You are entitled to be paid at
least four per cent of your total wages earned as vacation pay. Any vacation pay not already paid is owed to
you when your employment ends.
● The basics of the Labour Relations Act
● Under Ontario’s Labour relations Act, you have the right to join a trade union and participate in legal
union activities.

It’s against the law for an employer to fire you or discriminate against you for:
● joining a union
● your past association with a bargaining agent, and exercising any other rights under the LRA.
● It’s also against the law for a union or employer to intimidate or coerce you to join or not join a union.

Safe and healthy workplace

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) sets out the rights and duties of workers, supervisors
and employers in keeping workplaces safe and healthy in provincially regulated workplaces.
Your basics rights under the OHSA

The right to know

You have the right to know about hazards in your workplace and to be trained how to protect yourself from
harm. As of July 1, 2014, the law requires employers to make sure that all of their workers and supervisors
have completed basic health and safety awareness training. This training outlines workers’, supervisors’ and
employers’ rights, roles and responsibilities in keeping workplaces safe and healthy. This basic training for all
workers and supervisors is in addition to other more detailed training required by law that depends on your
workplace.
The right to refuse

You have the right to refuse unsafe work, including situations where you believe you’re in danger of
workplace violence. Your employer cannot fire or discipline you for refusing unsafe work or for asking them to
address a health and safety issue. Your employer can’t penalize you for following workplace health and safety
laws and for obeying a Ministry of Labour inspector’s order. This would be an unlawful reprisal.

The right to participate

You also have the right to help identify and resolve workplace health and safety concerns. There are many
ways you can do this, such as asking questions, raising concerns and giving positive feedback. One of the
most effective ways you can get involved is to join the health and safety committee at your workplace.

What work is not covered by the ESA?

● Most employees and employers in Ontario are covered by the ESA. However, the ESA does not apply
to certain individuals and persons or organizations for whom they may perform work, including:
● Employees in sectors that fall under federal jurisdiction, such as airlines, banks, the federal civil
service, post offices, radio and television stations and inter-provincial railways.
● Individuals performing work under a program approved by a college of applied arts and technology or
university
● A secondary school student who performs work under a program authorized by the school board that
operates the school in which the student is enrolled
● People who do community participation under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 Police officers (except for
the Lie Detectors part of the ESA, which does apply)
● Inmates taking part in work or rehabilitation programs, or young offenders who perform work as part of
a sentence or order of a court
● People who hold political, judicial, religious or elected trade union offices.

Hours of Work

Daily and Weekly Limits on Hours of Work

Daily Limit

The maximum number of hours most employees can be required to work in a day is eight hours or the
number of hours in an established regular workday, if it is longer than eight hours. The only way the daily
maximum can be exceeded is by written agreement between the employee and employer.
Weekly Limit

The maximum number of hours most employees can be required to work in a week is 48 hours. The weekly
maximum can be exceeded only if there is a written agreement between the employee and employer and the
employer has received the approval of the Director of Employment Standards. However, the ESA provides a
limited exception where an application for approval is pending. If, after 30 days after serving an application for
excess hours on the Director, the employer has not received an approval or notice of refusal, the employer
may require employees to start working more than 48 hours as long as certain conditions are met including,
the employee does not work more than 60 hours in a work week or the number of hours the employee agreed
to in writing, whichever is less.

An agreement between an employee and an employer to work additional daily or weekly hours, or an
approval from the Director of Employment Standards for excess weekly hours, does not relieve an employer
from the requirement to pay overtime pay where overtime hours are worked.

Written Agreement Requirements for Exceeding Limits on Hours of Work

An employer and an employee can agree in writing that the employee will work more than:

● eight hours a day or his or her established regular workday--if it is longer than eight hours; 48 hours a
week.

These agreements are valid only if, prior to making the agreement, the employer gives the employee the
most recent Information Sheet for Employees About Hours of Work and Overtime Pay prepared by the
Director of Employment Standards that describes the hours of work and overtime pay rules in the ESA. In
order to be valid, the agreement must include a statement in which the employee acknowledges receipt of the
Information Sheet.

Hours Free from Work

Employees are entitled to a certain number of hours free from having to work.

Daily

In most cases, an employee must receive at least 11 consecutive hours off work each day. Generally, an
employee and an employer cannot agree to less than 11 consecutive hours off work each day. The daily rest
requirement applies even if:
 ● The employer and the employee have agreed in writing that the employee's hours of work will exceed
the daily limit.
● The employer and employee have agreed in writing that the employee's hours of work will exceed the
weekly limit and the employer has received an approval from the Director of Employment Standards to
exceed weekly limits on hours of work.

Eating Periods and Breaks

Employers are required to provide eating periods to employees, but they are not required to provide other
types of breaks.

Eating Periods

An employee must not work for more than five hours in a row without getting a 30-minute eating period (meal
break) free from work. However, if the employer and employee agree, the eating period can be split into two
eating periods within every five consecutive hours. Together these must total at least 30 minutes. This
agreement can be oral or in writing.

Meal beaks are unpaid unless the employee's employment contract requires payment. Even if the employer
pays for meal breaks, the employee must be free from work in order for the time to be considered a meal
break.

Note: Meal breaks, whether paid or unpaid, are not considered hours of work, and are not counted toward
overtime.

Coffee Breaks and Breaks Other Than Eating Periods

Employers are required to provide employees with eating periods as described above. Employers do not
have to give employees “coffee” breaks or any other kind of break.

Employees who are required to remain at the workplace during a coffee break or breaks other than eating
periods must be paid at least the minimum wage for that time. If an employee is free to leave the workplace,
the employer does not have to pay for the time.

Minimum Age

Is there a minimum age for work under the Employment Standards Act, 2000?

No. But there are minimum age requirements for certain industries and workplaces set by other laws.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act sets the minimum ages to work as follows:

● 18 years of age for underground mines

● 16 years of age at a mining plant or surface mine
● 18 years of age for window cleaning
● 16 years of age for construction and logging operations
● 15 years of age for factory operations and repair shops
● 14 years of age for all other industrial establishments.
● 14 years of age Industrial establishments such as offices, stores, arenas, restaurant serving areas
● 15 years of age most factories including restaurant kitchens, automotive service garages, produce
and meat preparation or shipping and receiving areas in grocery stores, laundries and warehouses
● 16 years of age Logging operations

Minimum Wage

For information on the recently announced Minimum Wage review, see: Minimum Wage Advisory Panel.

This guide is provided for your information and convenience only. It is not a legal document. For complete
information, refer to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and its regulations.

Minimum wage is the lowest wage rate an employer can pay an employee. Most employees are eligible for
minimum wage, whether they are full-time, part-time, casual employees, or are paid an hourly rate,
commission, piece rate, flat rate or salary. Some employees have jobs that are exempt from the minimum
wage provisions of the ESA. See “Industries and Jobs with ESA Exemptions and/or Special Rules” for
information on these job categories.

Compliance with the minimum wage requirements is determined on a pay period basis
Termination of Employment Defined

A number of expressions are commonly used to describe situations when employment is terminated.These
include "let go," "discharged," "dismissed," "fired" and "permanently laid off."

In most cases, when an employer ends the employment of an employee who has been continuously
employed for three months, the employer must provide the employee with either written notice of termination,
termination pay or a combination (as long as the notice and the number of weeks of termination pay together
equal the length of notice the employee is entitled to receive).

The ESA does not require an employer to give an employee a reason why his or her employment is being
terminated. There are, however, some situations where an employer cannot terminate an employee's
employment even if the employer is prepared to give proper written notice or termination pay. For example,
an employer cannot end someone's employment, or penalize them in any other way, if any part of the reason
for the termination of employment is based on the employee asking questions about the ESA or exercising a
right under the ESA, such as refusing to work in excess of the daily or weekly hours of work maximums, or
taking a leave of absence specified in the ESA. Please see the chapter on Reprisals.
Qualifying for Termination Notice or Pay in Lieu

Certain employees are not entitled to notice of termination or termination pay under the ESA. Examples
include: employees who are guilty of wilful misconduct, disobedience, or wilful neglect of duty that is not trivial
and has not been condoned by the employer. Other examples include construction employees, employees on
temporary layoff, employees who refuse an offer of reasonable alternative employment and employees who
have been employed less than three months.

Written Notice of Termination and Termination Pay

Under the ESA:

an employer can terminate the employment of an employee who has been employed continuously for three
months or more if the employer has given the employee proper written notice of termination and the notice
period has expired;

or

an employer can terminate the employment of an employee without written notice or with less notice than is
required if the employer pays termination pay to the employee.

The following chart specifies the amount of notice required:

Amount of notice required if an employee has been continuously employed for at least three months

Period of Employment Notice Required

Less than 1 year 1 week

1 year but less than 3 years 2 weeks

3 years but less than 4 years 3 weeks

4 years but less than 5 years 4 weeks

5 years but less than 6 years 5 weeks

6 years but less than 7 years 6 weeks

7 years but less than 8 years 7 weeks

8 years or more 8 weeks

Termination Pay

An employee who does not receive the written notice required under the ESA must be given termination pay
in lieu of notice. Termination pay is a lump sum payment equal to the regular wages for a regular work week
that an employee would otherwise have been entitled to during the written notice period. An employee earns
vacation pay on his or her termination pay. Employers must also continue to make whatever contributions
would be required to maintain the benefits the employee would have been entitled to have he or she
continued to be employed through the notice period.

What is an occupational health hazard?

The term "hazard" refers to the potential to cause harm. In the case of a workplace health hazard, the harm is
to a worker's health and usually takes the form of an illness. Occupational illness is defined in OHSA Section
1 as a condition that results from exposure in a workplace to a physical, chemical or biological agent to the
extent that the normal physiological mechanisms are affected and the health of the worker is impaired.

Hazards also include an occupational disease for which a worker is entitled to benefits under the Workplace
Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. An occupational health hazard can therefore be thought of as something in
the workplace that is capable of making a worker sick. The "sickness" can vary in severity from a headache
or skin rash to a fatal illness such as cancer.

What kind of health effects can exposure to workplace hazards lead to?

Most workplace health hazards target a particular part of the body such as the lungs, skin or liver. A large
number of workplace diseases and disease agents are recognized. Virtually any part of the body can be
affected in some way by some workplace health hazard. An important consideration is how exposure occurs.

For some hazards, there can be one type of effect from a single, high exposure (an acute effect) and a quite
different result when exposure is at a low level, but repeated regularly over a prolonged time period (chronic
effect). Acute effects depend on the degree of exposure.

It is therefore relatively easy to control exposure (keep it at a low enough level) to avoid acute effects. Or, to
put it another way, if workers are experiencing acute effects, they know exposure to the hazard is not being
properly controlled. With chronic effects there is no immediate warning. Where long-term exposure is known
to cause disease without any warning of the hazard, it may be necessary to control worker exposure through
regulations that prescribe occupational exposure limits (OELs).
How can the risks posed by health hazards be controlled?

The best methods of controlling exposure to a particular hazard will depend on what it is. In general, methods
of control can be placed in four categories:

● Engineering controls are methods of designing or modifying plants, processes and equipment so as to
minimize workers' exposure to the hazard. They are preferred because they work independently of
workers.
● Work and hygiene practices are on-the-job activities that reduce the potential for exposure.
● Administrative controls are things like job rotation schedules, work-rest cycles and timing of
maintenance procedures, which can be used to limit the amount of time an individual is exposed to a
hazard.
● Personal protective equipment includes items like respirators, hearing protectors, safety clothing and
protective clothing. It can reduce a worker's exposure but must be used properly to be effective.
 Information Scavenger Hunt

1. What kind of workers are not covered by the Employment Standards Act? (Place an X in the left
column for all that apply)
Retail workers

Bank tellers

Bartenders

Actors

Camp counsellors

Radio broadcasters

Daycare workers

2. What is the general hourly minimum wage? List three (3) exceptions to this wage rate:

3. List three (3) of the many rights and duties that workers have under Ontario’s Occupational Health
and Safety Act.

4. Enter the minimum age for the following jobs:

Factory worker

window cleaner

Underground miner

Construction worker

logger
5. After working seven (7) hours without a break, Joseph was offered an unpaid lunch break (eating
period) of 20 minutes. List two (2) ways this situation is against the rules about breaks under the
Employment Standards Act.

6. Name four (4) general methods of controlling exposure to health hazards:

7. Who can be required to work on public holidays (name four (4) occupations), and what should they be
paid?
Who Paid

Fill in the blanks after each question:

8. After how many hours of work in one (1) week must overtime pay be provided?

9. What is the weekly maximum number of hours an employee can be required to work without a written
agreement?

10. How much should you receive per hour worked in overtime?
11. Brad makes $100 per week, and has been working at a restaurant for two (2) years. His boss informs
him that, although he is a good employee, he is no longer needed, and will be permanently laid off.
How much termination pay, or how much notice, should Brad receive?

12. Omar is 20 years old and works full-time at a factory making $12.00 per hour. One day, his boss
sends him home after he has worked only two (2) hours. According to the minimum wage “three (3)
hour rule,” how much should Omar be paid? (Note: This answer will change when the minimum wage
rate increases)
A Brief History of Labour Unions in Canada

Craft guilds and unions were the very first organizations of this type in labour union history. These workers
were skilled in different crafts or trades and many of them had jobs as carpenters, printers, or electricians. A
bit later, there were organizations formed that were known as industrial unions and these had both skilled and
unskilled employees included in their membership lists.

During the latter part of the twentieth century, there were other types of unions that were taking form. The
government passed labour laws in the 60's that allowed employees with government jobs to organize and
practice collective bargaining.

The 80's and 90's saw a number of employees join together as members of general worker unions. Many of
these unions began to expand their membership rolls to include workers in many diverse companies. For
example the Canadian Auto Workers' union added employees who had jobs in the fishing or airline industries.

All unions are regulated by the contemporary labour laws in Canada. Among other things these laws specify
the conditions under which unions can be organized and what actions a union can take to implement a union
strike.

Arbitration rules for settling labour disputes are also set by the labour laws.

Nobody can be forced to join a union.

Most unions do not require that the employee be a member of the union before being hired and
you join the union after you are hired into a registered nursing job. Under current labour laws this
is called an "open shop" arrangement.

Other union agreements are known as "closed shop". With this type of union shop arrangement a worker
must be a union member before being hired by the employer. In other words the employer can only hire
someone who is already a member of the union.

Under current labour laws if a collective agreement expires without a newly signed agreement to take its
place either the workers or the employer can order a halt to the work at the company.

When the employer stops the work it is referred to as a lockout.

If the employees stop working, it is referred to as a labour union strike.

The Union Advantage

The Canadian trade union movement is all about: improving the everyday lives of working people. Better
wages and benefits. Better pensions and longer vacations.

$5 more per hour

When it comes to wages of non-managerial employees, union members typically make over $5.00 per hour
($5.09) more than non-union workers. The difference is even greater for female employees who generally
earn almost $6.00 more than their non-unionized counterparts.

But unions mean more than higher wages.

Through collective bargaining, they typically make
wages more equal among workers, and therefore
ensure that less people are left with low paid jobs.
As a result, only 8 percent of union member earn
less than $10.00 an hour as compared to a third
of nonunion employees.

Better benefits

Benefits such as a pension plan, medical plan and dental plan have a big impact on quality of life. Unionized
jobs provide better benefits, across the board, for both men and women. For example, in 1995:

Longer vacations

When it comes to vacations and paid holidays (such as Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving), unionized
workers come out ahead. More than 7 out of 10 unionized workers had 11 or more days of paid holidays
during the calendar year. Seven out of 10 unionized workers also had at least 4 weeks of paid vacation after
8-10 years of service.

Better pensions

A pension plan is a key component in a persons' ability to maintain a decent income after retirement. In 2000,
senior Canadians with access to a pension had an average income twice as high as those without a pension
– $28,000 versus $14,000.

While 43 percent of all Canadian employees have a pension plan at work, about 80 percent of unionized
workers have access to one as opposed to only 27 percent of non-union workers.
Weekends

Believe it or not, it wasn't that long ago that working people couldn't count on a weekend. Even the 40-hour
work week is a relative newcomer to the workplace. Two generations ago, only five provinces had laws
limiting the number of hours your boss could make you work.

Unions made the difference. It took a sustained effort on two fronts: bargaining with employers, and then
putting pressure on governments. But working people carried the day, winning limits on work hours and the
five-day work week.

Disadvantages of Labour Unions

As a member of a labour union, you cannot be fired without cause. You have a powerful force that can back
you up in cases where you feel your rights are being violated. You have consistency in work policies. You
don't have to negotiate for raises, because they are spelled out in the union contract. Labour unions,
however, also have disadvantages to both workers and employers.

Labour Strikes

A powerful bargaining tool of labour unions is a

labour strike. Stopping productivity can be a
nightmare for employers. For workers, there is no
guarantee that the strike will work to produce the
benefits the union is seeking. There is no
compensation for the loss of wages while a worker
is on strike.

Labour unions cannot guarantee your job if you

strike. Your employer is not required by law to hire
you back once the strike is over. He can choose
instead to retain the worker that he hired to take
your place. If this happens, your only hope of
retaining your position is to be called back by your employer if that position becomes vacant again. While
unions are known for providing job security, you don't enjoy security in the event of a strike.

Incentives
In a company with union representation, promotions and pay are largely determined by seniority. Employers
have few options available to motivate their workforce to work harder, produce more and suggest creative
solutions to the problems faced by the business. In fact, unions may put pressure on employee whose
production is more than the rest of the workforce. The union may see this as conduct detrimental to the other
union members.

Dues

If you work at a union establishment, you are usually required to pay union dues. These dues are deducted
automatically from each paycheck. Even if you choose not to be part of the labour union, you are often not
exempt from paying these dues out of your wages. If you disagree with the decisions of the union, you still
must pay for the representation.

Majority Rules

In a union workplace, the majority makes decisions for the entire workforce. If you disagree with the decision
of the majority, you have no voice. Union representation can be a powerful force for change in favor of a
company's employees, but that powerful force effects change in the direction the majority wants to go.

Competition

Unions can inhibit the ability of a company to remain competitive. Union wages are often much larger than
those of non-union workers. This causes the price of goods produced by union workers to be higher than the
competition. Also, productivity is not rewarded or encouraged by a union structure. Less productivity reduces
the ability of a company to compete for business.

Please answer the questions below

1. Craft unions were the first type of unions, what types of jobs did these people have? What types of
workers are unionized today? (name 3)

2. Name and describe 4 advantages of unions?

Advantage Description
3. Name and describe 4 disadvantages of unions? (8)

Disadvantage Description