DAVID ORFALD
TWO PAPERS ON UNION RENEWAL
These two papers were written in the fall of 2005 as
part of work done to complete a Masters of Arts degree at the Institute of
Political Economy, Carleton University, Ottawa ON Canada. I am posting here as a means to share with
others who might be interested in reading these papers. They are not for
publication or cross-posting without permission. I welcome comments which you
may send via e-mail to
orfald-clarke@sympatico.ca
A short biographical note: I have worked for the
past 8 years at the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), primarily as a
research officer engaged in collective bargaining, but with some experience in
human resources, and for a fifteen month period as a member of the union’s
management team. Prior to working in the labour movement I worked for
organizations involved in environmental work and international development in
the areas of organizational management, planning, and human resources. I am
currently the Senior Research Officer at the PSAC. These papers were, however,
written as a student and were not written for the PSAC. The views and
conclusions expressed in these papers are my own.
David Orfald
(h) 613-594-4831
(w) 613-560-4386
LEARNING TO CHANGE?
Union renewal and the challenge of intentional
organizational change
Abstract
The
debate about “union renewal” has generated an extensive literature on the
forces negatively affecting unions, and on strategies for renewal. Less
attention has been given to the organizational implications of renewal. This
essay reviews the main renewal strategies and finds they require substantial
“intentional” organizational change. It seeks to develop a better understanding
of unions as organizations and finds evidence of weak capacity to manage
intentional organizational change. Four concepts from organizational theory for
improving this capacity are critically reviewed, and it is found that each
requires adaptation, keeping in mind the unique organizational characteristics
of unions. The essay argues that unions and researchers need to pay more
attention to organizational development, or efforts to renew the labour
movement will be inhibited. The essay draws broadly from the fields of
political economy, industrial relations and organizational theory, but focuses
the inquiry on issues relevant to larger, national Canadian unions.
103
pages plus bibliography
January
2006
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here to view PDF, or right-click to download (516 KB)
GLOBAL COMPANIES, GLOBAL UNIONS?
Towards a Case Study of Union Organizing in the
Canadian Diamond Mining Industry
Written for course PECO 5501F (Selected Topics: Globalization and Resistance)
Abstract
How can unions successfully organize workers and negotiate with employers when they are dealing with huge transnational corporations? In the literature on globalization and union resistance, one view is that unions must look to “global unionism” and adopt strategies that organize across borders. A second view emphasizes the importance of designing effective on-the-ground unionization campaigns and structures. This essay explores this debate using the case study of a Canadian public sector union that has organized the workers of the world’s largest mineral resource extraction company, at the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories. The study suggests that union capacity to build collective identity in a difficult work situation, and to mobilize community support, will be the most likely determinants of success, not the ability to organize globally. It also finds that national state policies still play a critical role in constraining corporate power.
28
pages plus bibliography
December 2005