Similarities Between Canada And The United States

Canada and the United States share many traits aside from being physically on the same continent. Canada is located directly above the U.S. and also shares a border with Alaska. Both countries pretty much love hockey, maple syrup, and Justin Trudeau. Due to their similar geographies, ideologies, ties, and beliefs, Canada and the United States have a special bond. They collaborate on trading, military, national security, and local and international concerns. Their economies and cultures are interwoven and deeply entwined. However, more similarities between the neighboring nations start to thin out a bit once we compare how employee relations are structured in Canada and the U.S. The differences between the two countries include unionization

The country’s employment relationship is often regulated through employment contracts that follow the labor and employment laws they have in place. As stated on ICLG.com, “According to Canada’s Constitution Act, labor and employment is most often a matter of provincial jurisdiction, and each province has its own employment standards and legislation.” (ICLG, 2019) In the Great White North, employees often get representation and bargaining power from an organized union but only if a union is already created at the employer. This set-up is inspired by an American law called the Wagner Act. The Wagner Act is a 1935 piece of legislation that essentially gave workers the legal right to unionize and bargain for pay with their employers. Under Canadian philosophy, unions have exclusive bargaining rights on behalf of workers, and, within the union, workers are enacted by a majority rules

In the United States, a group of employees must first pass a handful of steps before they can be considered a union, including holding a vote, getting certified by the National Labor Relations Board, negotiating a contract with their employer, and so forth. Canada doesn’t have all those required steps. In Canada, the voting for possibly starting a union begins mere days after a group of employees presents the idea. Contract ratifications can and have stalled for months in the U.S. between unions and companies, but in Canada, government leaders can send an arbitrator to the table to force both sides to agree. Both countries definitely function in different capacities.

Once a union is established at a Canadian employer, no more company and individual employees talk about pay and benefits further. Bargaining power is moved to and centralized within the union. A Canadian workers’ union has such a unique power that, under the nation’s law, an employer cannot bring in new or temporary workers while union employees go on strike. Canada’s employee relations landscape indeed has its advantages, but the setup has ethical concerns as well, particularly with workers’ rights to choose and with child