The Labour Ecosystem

As an individual worker it may not feel like you have the ability to make change in your workplace. But did you know that being a member of NUPGE connects you to millions of workers around the world and helps get your issues to the highest levels of government?

It can be helpful to think of the labour movement like a forest. For life to flourish, there needs to be a variety of plants and other organic matter. Upper canopy trees prevent the leaves of plants that need indirect light from being burnt. Groundcovers help retain moisture in the soil and keep the roots of taller plants cool. Each plant acts independently, but together they help the ecosystem thrive. With that in mind, let’s look at how you fit into the labour movement.

Level 1 (flowers) – You

Congratulations on securing a job at a unionized workplace! When you started your job you should have been informed which union you are part of and which branch of the union you affiliate to. The most common branch name is “Local”, though some of our Component unions use terms like Regions, Districts, or Components instead. Whatever term they use to describe it, going to your Local’s meetings and subscribing to their mailing list is the easiest way to find out what’s going on in your Local and learn how to get involved. Your local will have some form of governance like a chief steward, president, treasurer, etc. Getting involved in your Local is your pathway to being involved in your union and the larger labour movement. Being a member of a Local means you’re a member of a bigger union.

Level 2 (shrubs) – Component (your union)

NUPGE is comprised of 13 Component unions. Each Component acts independently of NUPGE, but all Components come together to form NUPGE’s National Executive Board. Each Component functions similarly, but with slight differences in their structures. The core function of all Components is to organize workers in a specific province, geographic area, or sector for collective power, bargaining collective agreements with employers, and improving the welfare and working conditions of all members. All the Components have some form of governing board or council which is comprised of members just like you. NUPGE’s 13 Components are: BCGEU, HSABC, HSAA, SGEU, HSAS, MGEU, MAHCP, OPSEU/SEFPO, CUBGW, NBU, NSGEU, PEI UPSE, and NAPE. Being a member of one of those unions makes you a member of NUPGE.

Level 3 (understory tree) – The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)

NUPGE is an expert at laws and policies that affect workers at the national level. We also serve as a body to bring the 13 Components together to work on common issues and share strategies on bargaining and other topics through committees, working groups, conferences, the triennial convention, and our National Executive Board. Some of our key priorities are: public health care, occupational health and safety, income inequality, the climate crisis and the environment, privatization, EDIA (equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility), truth and reconciliation, and international solidarity. Any research or report that NUPGE produces is sent to the Components for their use. We also coordinate national campaigns that advocate for the rights of workers and a more equitable society. Being a member of NUPGE makes you a member of the CLC and PSI.

Level 4 (trees) – The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and Public Services International (PSI)

The CLC is the largest labour organization in Canada, bringing together dozens of national and international unions, provincial and territorial federations of labour, and community-based labour councils. Through the CLC, NUPGE representatives sit on committees, working groups, and the Canadian Council. NUPGE is also entitled to send its members as delegates to the biennial CLC Convention. NUPGE members also have access to CLC resources and education. Through the CLC, NUPGE members have access to the ITUC and the TUAC.

PSI is the international voice of public sector unions, bringing together over 700 affiliated workers organizations from around the world. Through PSI, NUPGE members gain access to global forums such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. PSI also acts as facilitator to bring together unions by regions. NUPGE is part of PSI’s Inter-Americas region, which brings together unions from North and South America and the Caribbean. Through PSI, NUPGE members have access to the Council of Global Unions (CGU).

Level 5 (canopy trees) – The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), and the Council of Global Unions (CGU)

The ITUC’s primary mission is the promotion and defence of workers’ rights and interests through international cooperation between trade unions, global campaigning, and advocacy within the major global institutions. Its main areas of activity include the following: trade union and human rights; economy, society and the workplace; equality and non-discrimination; and international solidarity.

The TUAC represents the views of trade unions to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Their goal is to ensure that OECD policy, standards, and recommendations reflect the needs of working people. The OECD brings representatives from governments, international organizations, business, labour, non-governmental organizations and academia together to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, and coordinate domestic and international policies.

The CGU is the partnership between the ITUC, the TUAC and the Global Union Federations (GUF). PSI is 1 of the 9 GUF, which include Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), Education International (EI), IndustriALL Global Union (IndustriALL), the International Arts and Entertainment Alliance (IAEA), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), and UNI Global Union (UNI). The GUF share a common determination to organize, to defend human rights and labour standards everywhere, and to promote the growth of trade unions for the benefit of all working people and their families.

NUPGE also affiliates to the ITF and the IUF directly. The ITF is a democratic, affiliate-led global federation recognized as the world’s leading transport authority. The ITF represents workers in every aspect of the transportation sector – both publicly and privately delivered. In NUPGE, these are workers on our ferry’s, on our highways, and in occupations related to transportation.

The IUF is a global union federation of trade unions with members in a wide variety of industries, many of which relate to food processing. In NUPGE, these are members who work in breweries, bottling, and food preparation and inspection.

Being a part of NUPGE connects you to workers across the country as well as access to other national and international labour organizations. It’s through connections with your fellow NUPGE members and with workers internationally that we build collective power and can rally around common issues.

Other Elements of the Labour Movement

Grasses – Federations of Labour

Of course, there are other ways you fit into the Canadian labour movement. Each of the Components is affiliated to a provincial Federation of Labour. The Federations of Labour are chartered by the CLC and connect members from different unions at the provincial level. Federations of Labour are effective at making all affiliate unions in the province aware of issues before any conflict, strike, or lock-out takes place, and coordinating support and solidarity across the province.

Ferns – Labour Councils

The CLC also charters Labour Councils which work the same way as the Federations of Labour but on a smaller scale, connecting members from different unions who all work in specific geographic regions called districts. Districts are usually created to encompass a city and the surrounding area. Depending on the way your Component is organized, it may be your Local or your Component itself that’s affiliated to a Labour Council.

Ground cover – Grassroots organizations

Though they don’t fit into the same structure as the rest of the organized labour movement, grassroots movements and organizations have always been an important part of the fight for workers. The Fight for $15 and Fairness, Justice for Workers, the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups, and Occupy Canada (a series of Canadian protests stemming from Occupy Wall Street) are examples of grassroots labour movements and organizations. These movements and organizations work independently but sometimes together with unions, Labour Councils, and Federations of Labour. Grassroots labour movements and organizations also push organized labour to be more responsive to the needs of different demographics.

Some organizations—like the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists—require members to be part of a union in order to gain membership. Others fight for all workers (unionized or not) in specific occupations or from specific backgrounds. It’s also important to recognize the impact other grassroots and non-profit organizations have on the labour movement, even if their focus isn’t solely on labour. Organizations that focus on equity issues, affordable housing, food scarcity, health care, anti-privatization, civil liberties and more often work closely with the labour movement to push for policies and laws that improve society for everyone.

The Labour Movement and You

The labour movement is made up of many moving parts. But each worker plays an essential role in the labour ecosystem. It’s up to you to decide how big you want your part to be!

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