They Exist To Protect The Marginal Worker

Chris Selley: The labour movement needs to justify its existence

Posted: June 24, 2009, 2:02 PM by Chris Selley

The term “alternate reality” is being thrown around a lot this week in Ontario, vis-à-vis two public sector strikes—one ongoing, among Toronto’s outside workers, and one threatened, among LCBO employees. You hear variations on the question asked all the time: How can unionized workers possibly be demanding to ameliorate their already comfortable compensation packages at a time when those who pay their salaries are holding on for dear life?

It’s an understandable sentiment, but I’ve never found it particularly resonant. First, there’s nothing wrong with people fighting for their own best interests. Ideally those interests won’t be ludicrous on their face, as 18 sick days annually are even before they’re banked indefinitely and cashed out at retirement. But still, as awkward as it might sound to say so, one is entitled to one’s entitlements. Second, the fact that workers are treated unequally is not an argument to treat any one group of workers worse. Indeed, many who curse this week’s picket lines will also yearn for an era when a reasonably competent, educated and loyal person didn’t have to be in a union to expect job security, benefits, a pension, a company picnic—you know, all that good stuff my generation rarely gets. I’m sure the labour movement would be happy, and probably correct, to take a good amount of credit for that era.

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