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Originally Posted by Phalanx
Quite frankly, there is no competing with China when it comes to manufacturing. If you think that simply eliminating unions and the few perks they bring will make us competitive, think again and look at the situation in China. Is the average Canadian worker going to work the hours the average Chinese worker works? For the wages the average Chinese worker earns? In the conditions accepted by industry in China? The answer across the board is 'no'. Comparing our manufacturing industry to China is ridiculous.
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There are manufacturing sectors for which your comment is correct, however, there are many manufacturing sectors for which North American companies can compete with Chinese companies. In your comment you have compared wages to wages (where China has an advantage), however, you must also compare other factors such productivity (it is possible to have an advantage in a well run, stable company with few work interruptions), quality (usually North American quality is better), time to reach the North American marketplace (North American companies obviously have a big advantage), shipping cost (we have a big advantage), safety code certifications (it is easier for North American companies to achieve the proper North American certifications since we are more familiar with the standards), customer satisfaction (we have an advantage since we are closer to the marketplace and it is easier to meet warranty obligations).... I am sure that I am missing a few items of advantage versus disadvantage.
But this is getting off track. Nova Scotia must compete with other North American jurisdictions, including the ones that don't have union conflict and extraordinarily high wages.
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Unions don't always make the best choices, but they do help protect worker's rights. They can work with the employer. I, quite frankly, don't want to go back to 19th century labour practices. Employers are not altruistic, and if they can walk over their employees without consequence, they will. That's the nature of the business.
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Just as a clarification, the great majority of people in the work place are employees whether they are in management, are professionals or production workers. I think we are using the term employers to refer to owners, and direct representatives of owners in the case of publicly traded companies. Employers (i.e. owners) pay employees, and in return employees must provide a service that is of value to the company. It is a two-way street - in my opinion, that is the nature of business. Both employers and employees have an obligation to treat one another fairly.
We all owe a great deal of gratitude to past generations of unions for safety in the workplace, equality and a fair standard of living. However, unions aren't required to keep us from going back to 19th century labour practices. Companies must abide by the Canada Labour Code which includes occupational safety, maximum number of working hours, minimum pay, etc. (here is a link -
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-2/). I have never worked at a unionized company (fortunately) but I have worked with many responsible people who have ensured workplace safety and fair work standards.
Companies that have harmonious, happy workforces are far more productive than conflict-filled, unhappy workforces. As soon as a union is formed then it is automatically a case of employees versus management employees and employers. Luckily, in many cases it is not just management but also production workers who do not want a union and the resulting conflict.
In spite of your generalizations and, quite frankly, prejudicial views about employers, I have worked for a few employers and all have wanted to see the best for people working within their company. However, we live in a free market country, employers expect proper compensation for their pay.