Unions are fascinating organizations and contrary to what the prophets of doom would have us believe, they will not vanish in the near future. The aim of this course is to examine why people vote for and join unions, why they become committed to unions, why they choose to participate in unions, and sometimes choose to de-certify unions. The roles of national and local leaders will be examined, as will the effects of unions on organizational functioning (e.g., productivity and performance, job security, absenteeism, turnover, and job satisfaction). The extent to which unions meet the needs of women, part-timers, and contingent workers will be considered. The impact of the changing economic and social environments on the policies and strategies of the unions including the labour movement’s response to globalization.

Prerequisite - COMM 151 and COMM 181