A Sneakier Way To Bust a Union
Mar 10, 2011
&, bargain, ohio, republican
There has been a lot of attention on Wisconsin of late, what with Republican Governor Scott Walker attempting to gut collective bargaining and destroy the public sector union that represents government workers there. But there are other, more subtle attacks on unions taking place in other states that are going relatively unnoticed.
The Ohio Senate has recently passed a bill that basically hands over all labour arbitration decisions involving public workers directly to the governments that employ them. The bill would give public sector employers the right to unilaterally determine how much their workers are paid, the benefits they receive, and their hours of work.
But this attack on labour hasn’t received much attention at all. Ohio’s Republican Governor, John Kasich, is perhaps a bit craftier than his Wisconsin counterpart.
And of concern to Canadian labour leaders is that the Ohio example could be attempted here in Canada. The key is control over the arbitration process.
Public sector workers are already denied the right to strike in provinces across the nation. But this has not proved to be problematic since disputes that arise between these workers and their employers are decided by independent arbitrators.
Normally, arbitrators are as fair as possible to both sides and strive to reach an agreement that is generally reflective of what would have been realized had both sides continued to negotiate with each other.
But the Ohio solution is a sneaky way around this process. Under the proposed legislation, all public sector employers are deemed essential and thereby denied the right to strike. Their union rights are not removed entirely, but all they are really able to bargain for is wages.
And in the event of an impasse, independent arbitrators do not make a decision. It is the workers’ political masters that do so, basically making the entire bargaining exercise irrelevant.
For those who want to curtail union rights, the elimination of independent arbitration is every bit as effective as the Wisconsin approach. And much more stealthy.
Comments
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Actually, Chuck, wage increases in the MGEU civil service agreements have remained above the rate of inflation, as confirmed by Statscan's CPI numbers compared with the GWI.
Russ - 2011-03-12 10:19
Arbitration wasn't something the MGEU was interested in and now we have been sold out for a 4 yr deal. In the past 10 years the MGEU contracts have lagged 5% behind the all inclusive Stats Canada cost of living. With inflation on the horizon this latest contract will put its members (but not the union itself) even further behind. If the right to an arbritator is so desired then why didn't MGEU use that option?
Chuck - -0001-11-30 00:00
There's no other way to describe what they're doing other than to say it's despicable. It's just as important for working people in Ohio to stand up in protest about what their government is doing as it is for the people currently protesting in Wisconsin. Sadly, this subversive tactic in Ohio might be just the way that other republican states are headed.
Jeremy - -0001-11-30 00:00
The all inclusive cost of living from StatsCan was greater than the MGEY cost of living increase in the following years: 2000 2001 2003 2005 2009 2010 and will also be greatre in 2011 using the all inclusive inflation rate including 2000 & 2010 (11 yrs) will be ~4.5% greater, that does not include 2011 which looks like it will be the start of another inflationary cycle.
Chuck - 2011-03-12 13:42
Chuck, I suspect you're using the Canadian average. If we're talking about Manitoba wage increases we have to use Manitoba's CPI numbers. To do otherwise is inaccurate and not a fair comparison. And, as I spelled out above, Manitoba's inflation has been lower than the general wage increase in the civil service over at least the last two or three contracts.
Russ - 2011-03-12 14:59