How Does Canadian Labour Law Fare in a Global Economy?

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of both the domestic and international dimen sions of Canadian labour law in the contemporary context of globalisation. The analysis of the origins and basic features of the domestic system, as illustrated by prevailing legislation in the federal and Quebec jurisdictions, highlights the overall stability of the 'Canadian model', with respect to both the legal framework of collective labour relations and employment standards. The possibility of globalising labour law through tbe insertion of international dimensions is also explored. An analysis of the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation and other sources of inter national law relevant to tbe Canadian scene points to considerable deficiencies in the legal system's handling of transnational labour relations.

The Development of Managerial Culture

“…182 Hence, after Woodsworth's entry into the political arena in 1921, Manitoba became, like Britain, a hotbed of laborism rather than Marxism or syndicalism, which spread beyond Winnipeg as far west as Vancouver, accounting for the later strength of the CCF-NDP in these cities. 183 Regarding the 179 Ibid., 302. 180 Penner,The Canadian Left,28.…”

“…182 Christian and Campbell, Political Parties and Ideologies in Canada, 180-83. 183 Wiseman, "The Pattern of Prairie Politics," 305. The NDP is considered a democratic socialist party as it does not practice the same type of socialism as the CCF.…”

“…Hence, it had limited coverage and only applied to workplaces where a majority of employees were in favor of collective representation. 183 The state system still retains most of the original characteristics, but with some refinements. For instance, professional employees were later included, as were public and "quasi-public" sectors such as health and education.…”

Trade Union Orientation and Macro-Economic Management

“…An active government not only sets the ground rules for participation in the industrial relations system on the one hand, it can also affect the behavior of both the employers' association and the trade union, on the other. The most extensive form of government intervention is in terms of state regulation, which defines the playing field for the labor movement (see Blanpain (1998) for a discussion on relations between society and labor laws and Verge (2000) for an assessment of the Canadian case).…”

Bargaining for Contract Academic Staff at English Canadian Universities

“…George W Adams, Canadian Labour Law , 2nd ed (Aurora, ON: Canada Law Book Inc., 2005); Pierre Verge, “How Does Canadian Labor Law Fare in a Global Economy?” Journal of Industrial Relations 42, no. 2 (2000): 275.…”