Portal:Organized Labour

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The purpose of organized labour is for workers to form "a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment." This is primarily achieved by use of the technique of collective bargaining, where labour organizations negotiate wages and working conditions with employers. Closely related is the concept of industrial action, in which an organization will call strikes and resist lockouts. Another characteristic of labour organizations are the provision of benefits for members, such as unemployment insurance, health insurance, pensions, funeral expenses, job training, and legal services. Organizations also often carry out political campaigns, lobbying, and support political candidates or parties. Operating costs are covered by the payment of dues and fees by members, with the expectation that the money be spent to benefit the membership. More about organized labour...
edit   Organized Labour Article of the Day for February 12, 2012 Dennis McDermott, O.Ont (November 3, 1922 - February 13, 2003) was a Canadian trade unionist, Canadian Director of the United Auto Workers from 1968 to 1978 and president of the Canadian Labour Congress from 1978 to 1986. Born in Portsmouth, England, McDermott immigrated to Canada in 1948 and settled in Toronto where he worked as an assembler and welder at the Massey-Harris plant. He became a full time organizer for the United Auto Workers in Canada (UAW) in 1954. He was elected Canadian Director of the UAW in 1968 and became an international vice-president of the union in 1970. As leader of the Canadian UAW he also became a vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress. He left the UAW in 1978 to become president of the CLC. McDermott was a social activist and civil libertarian and joined the Joint Labour Committee to Combat Racial Intolerance soon after arriving in Canada working with the committee to lobby for the enactment of Ontario's first Human Rights Code. He would later serve on the executive of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. He led the Canadian UAW to support the California grape boycott in the 1960s and 1970s. As UAW Canadian Director, McDermott led a campaign against wage controls being implemented by the government of Pierre Trudeau in 1975. Under McDermott, the CLC organized a 100,000 person protest against the federal Liberal government's economic policies in 1981. Following his term as CLC president, McDermott was appointed Canada's ambassador to Ireland in 1986 and served in that position until 1989. McDermott was strong supporter of the New Democratic Party and organized the CLC to operate a political action program in support of the NDP in the 1979 federal election. Preceded by Joe Morris President of the Canadian Labour Congress 1978-1986 Succeeded by Shirley Carr Preceded by George Burt Canadian Director of the United Auto Workers 1968-1978 Succeeded by Bob White References
edit   February in Labor History Significant dates in labour history. February 01 - The Paterson Silk Strike of 1913 began in the U.S.; the San Diego Free Speech Fight began in the U.S. in 1912 February 02 - Shannon J. Wall died February 03 - George Becker died; José Vitoriano died February 04 - Bill Haywood was born; John Mitchell was born; Benyoucef Benkhedda died February 05 - Neil Aggett died; Ludvik Buland died February 06 - The Seattle General Strike of 1919 began in the U.S.; Elba Esther Gordillo was born; William Hutcheson was born February 07 - The Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894 began in the U.S.; the 2006 labour protests in France began; Paul Mattick died February 08 - Ong Teng Cheong died; Jakob Kaiser was born February 09 - George Lippard died; the Supreme Court of Canada issued its reasoning in Ontario Human Rights Commission v. Etobicoke February 10 - 11 strikers were killed during the Reesor Siding Strike of 1963 in Canada; Peter Smith died; the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO was founded; the film Blue Collar was released February 11 - The Oxnard Strike of 1903 began in the U.S.; the UAW won a first contract at GM, ending the Flint Sit-Down Strike; Nellie Quander was born; Mark Hewitson died; Clyde Cameron was born; the Memphis Sanitation Strike began February 12 - John L. Lewis was born February 13 - The Sons of Vulcan win the first contract in the U.S. iron and steel industry and the first union contract of any kind in American history; Margaretta Scott was born; Dennis McDermott died; John Healey was born February 14 - The Asbestos Strike began in 1949 in Australia; the Winter of Discontent ended in the U.K. in 1979; Jimmy Hoffa was born; Michael Sacco was born; the Confederation of State and Municipal Employees of Iceland was founded; Mary Lee was born February 15 - The 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute began; Baldemar Velasquez was born; Alice Henry died February 16 - The Griviţa Strike of 1933 began in Romania in 1933; William Quesse died; the National Hockey League cancelled its season in the middle of the 2004-05 NHL lockout; James Orange died; February 17 - Harry Van Arsdale, Jr. died February 18 - Peter J. McGuire died; George Campbell was born February 19 - The U.S. Supreme Court decided Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority and NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc.; I. C. Frimu died February 20 - Chittabrata Majumdar died February 21 - Patrick J. Campbell died; Phil Hare was born; Felix Aylmer was born February 22 - Albert Shanker died; David Dubinsky was born; the Democratic Organization of African Workers' Trade Union was founded; Poncke Princen died February 23 - Douglas Fraser died; Graduate Employees Together - University of Pennsylvania was formed; John Holman died; Kate Barnard died; Benyoucef Benkhedda was born; the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association was founded February 24 - The General Union of Algerian Workers was founded; the U.S. Supreme Court decided Muller v. Oregon; John P. Frey was born; Marshall W. Mason was born February 25 - Edgar Nixon died; Las Aguas Bajan Turbias, an Argentine film about workers forming a trade union, debuted in the U.S. February 26 - John Holman was born; the Southern California Supermarket strike of 2003-2004 ended in the U.S.; Frederick Hayday died February 27 - The Labour Party was founded in the U.K. in 1909; Mark Hewitson died; the first Spanish Trade Union Organisation congress was held; the European Court of Human Rights decided ASLEF v. United Kingdom; Tom Williamson, Baron Williamson died February 28 - The University of Miami 2006 custodial workers' strike began in the U.S.; John White was born; Hal C. Banks was born; Lim Chin Siong was born; John La Rose died; Tommy Lewis died; Ted Theodore died; Arthur Hayday died February 29 - A. L. Lloyd was born Jan•Feb•Mar•Apr•May•Jun•Jul•Aug•Sep•Oct•Nov•Dec	edit   Selected Quote "There is a dawn approaching that is indicating and shouting to us that it's our moment. But we've got to seize that moment and use what we know so well—how to organize and, fundamentally, how to fight!" -- Tony Mazzocchi, speech to the 1998 convention of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America edit   In The News Labor News from Wikinews January 6: Indiana Democrats block session to halt labor bill December 3: 'Have them all shot': BBC gets 21,000+ complaints over Jeremy Clarkson's public sector striker comments October 30: Qantas grounds all flights in labour dispute July 1: Hundreds of thousands of British public sector workers strike over planned pension changes December 17: UK Royal Mail announces record 5p increase in stamp prices edit   Did You Know? ...that Jamaican labor leader Helene Davis-Whyte was anti-union before being elected a delegate in her union? ...that scandal erupted after the Department of Justice initiated prosecution of Jackie Presser only to abruptly end it once the press revealed Presser had been an informant for the FBI for over 10 years? ...that American trade union leader William McFetridge switched from Democrat to Republican in 1948 and supported Thomas E. Dewey for president even though Dewey had successfully prosecuted his predecessor for labor racketeering? edit   Selected Picture Workers' Memorial Day plaque in Preston City Centre, Lancashire, UK. edit   Project Tasks The Organized Labour WikiProject is a group of editors who create and maintain labour-related articles. Here are some open tasks anybody can complete. Requests: 1926 Passaic Textile Strike - Needs a couple good action photos of strike violence. Timeline of trade unions Expand: Permanent & Casual Wharf Labourers Union of Australia, Maharashtra General Kamgar Union, Force Ouvrière, Jerome Wurf, Samuel Gompers, Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (1968) Update: National Labor Relations Board Two board members, needs attention! Strike action (also fix formatting), NHL Players Association, Teamsters for a Democratic Union
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Portal:Organized labour