ADMN 201 — Ch8: Managing Human Resources and Labour Relations
Learning Objectives
- Define HRM, discuss its strategic significance, and explain how managers plan for human resources.
- Identify the issues involved in staffing a company, including internal and external recruiting and selection.
- Discuss different ways organizations develop the capabilities of employees and managers.
- Discuss the importance of wages, salaries, incentives, and benefits in attracting and keeping skilled workers.
- Describe key legal issues involved in hiring, compensating, and managing workers.
- Discuss workforce diversity, knowledge workers, and contingent workers as changes in the contemporary workplace.
- Trace the evolution of, and trends in, unionism in Canada.
- Describe the major laws governing unionism.
- Identify the steps in the collective bargaining process.
Overview
Chapter 8 covers the full HR function — from planning who you need, to finding and selecting them, to paying, developing, and legally protecting them, to managing the collective bargaining relationship when they unionize. HRM is framed as a strategic function, not administrative overhead.
mindmap root((Ch8 HRM)) LO1 HR Planning Job Analysis Job Description Job Specification Forecast Demand + Supply Match via Hire or Layoff LO2 Staffing Internal vs External Recruiting Realistic Job Preview ATIRO Selection Process Behaviour-Based Interviewing LO3 Development Orientation On/Off Job Training Mentoring + Reverse Mentoring Pay-for-Knowledge Performance Appraisal ABC LO4 Compensation + Benefits Wages vs Salary Incentive Programs Statutory vs Non-Statutory Benefits Cafeteria Plans LO5 Legal Landscape Human Rights Act 1977 BFOR Exception Employment Equity Act 1986 Comparable Worth OH&S Right to Refuse LO6 Evolving Workforce Diversity as Advantage Knowledge Workers Contingent Workers LO7 Union History TLC 1886 Privy Council Order 1003 1944 CLC 1956 Unifor 2013 LO8 Union Laws Constitution Act 1867 Canada Labour Code Provincial Acts LO9 Collective Bargaining Certification Vote 4 Pillars of Negotiation Impasse Tactics Conciliation Mediation Arbitration
LO1 — Strategic HRM and HR Planning
HRM = the set of organizational activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce. Employees are treated as Human Capital — measurable assets whose value can be quantified.
In service organizations, wages and benefits can exceed 75% of total costs, making HR a bottom-line issue, not just a people issue.
HR Planning Cycle:
flowchart LR A[Job Analysis] --> B[Forecast Demand + Supply] B --> C{Match?} C -- Shortfall --> D[Hire / Retrain / Retain] C -- Overstaffed --> E[Transfer / Retire / Layoff] D --> F[Recruit] E --> F F --> G[Develop] G --> H[Appraise] H --> A
- Job Description: what the job entails — tasks, conditions, tools, relationships to other roles
- Job Specification: what the person needs — skills, education, credentials
- Employee Information Systems (Skills Inventories): internal databases tracking education, skills, and career aspirations; used to find internal promotion candidates
- Replacement Charts: list each managerial position and who is ready to fill it
- Performance Appraisal: evaluates how well employees perform AND validates whether recruiting/selection processes are working (ABC model — see LO3)
LO2 — Staffing: Recruitment and Selection
Recruiting = building the applicant pool. Two sources:
| Source | Benefit | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | Builds morale; rewards performance | Skills Inventories, promotion announcements |
| External | Broader talent pool | Job ads, campus, LinkedIn, video ads, job fairs, internships |
A Realistic Job Preview (RJP) is essential when recruiting externally. Without one, new hires leave quickly — and replacing a 25,000.
Validation = the process of determining whether a selection method actually predicts job success. A validated test is a better predictor than an unvalidated interview.
A.T.I.R.O. Selection Process:
| Step | What It Is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A — Application | Resume/form screening | Cannot ask about protected characteristics |
| T — Testing | Ability, aptitude, personality | Best predictor of job success; must be validated |
| I — Interview | Structured conversation | Worst predictor if unstructured — use behaviour-based interviewing |
| R — References | Verification | Confirms candidate’s history |
| O — Offer | Final hiring decision | — |
Behaviour-Based Interviewing: ask about past behaviour (what did you do when X?) rather than hypotheticals (what would you do if X?). This reduces interviewer bias and improves predictive validity.
Assessment Centres: candidates perform realistic management simulations and are observed by trained appraisers — a rigorous alternative to interviews.
LO3 — Developing Employee Capabilities
Development is not a one-time event — it runs the entire career of an employee. The O.M.P.T. model covers the four main levers:
| Letter | Method | What It Is |
|---|---|---|
| O | Orientation | Introducing new hires to policies, co-workers, supervisors, and their specific job |
| M | Mentoring | An experienced manager sponsors and teaches a less experienced one |
| P | Pay-for-Knowledge | Tying pay to skill acquisition rather than current role — incentivizes learning |
| T | Training | On-the-job (learning while doing) or off-the-job (classroom, simulations) |
Reverse Mentoring: less experienced, often younger employees mentor senior staff on modern topics like social media or new technology. Two-way knowledge transfer.
Networking: informal interactions among managers — both inside and outside the office — for the purpose of discussing mutual problems, solutions, and opportunities. Complements formal mentoring by building relationships organically.
Management Development Programs: specialized programs that sharpen a manager’s conceptual, analytical, and problem-solving skills — beyond technical training.
Performance Appraisal and the ABC Model
Performance Appraisal = a formal program for evaluating how well an employee is doing. It serves two purposes:
- Tells the employee where they stand and guides development
- Validates whether recruiting and selection processes are working
The ABC Model of Feedback:
| Letter | Principle | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| A — Accurate | Concrete, objective | Back feedback with documented examples from a performance log; avoid “always” or “never” |
| B — Business-Oriented | Job-focused | Comment on business impact, not personality or behaviour traits |
| C — Consistent | Year-round | Give ongoing feedback; don’t dump everything on the employee during the annual review |
5 Manager Tips for Better Performance Reviews (from course video):
- Keep a performance log throughout the year — both positives and negatives
- Know the employee’s concerns: Do they know the expectations? Will there be surprises? Is the process honest?
- Create the right atmosphere: private room, sit beside (not across from) the employee, schedule in advance
- Cite specific examples — not broad generalizations
- Follow the ABCs
LO4 — Compensation and Benefits
Compensation = everything the firm offers in exchange for labour.
Base Pay
- Wages: hourly; tied to time worked
- Salary: fixed interval (monthly/annual) regardless of hours or output
Incentive Programs
| Type | Scope | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Piece-Rate | Individual | Fixed dollar amount per unit produced |
| Bonus | Individual | One-time payment for hitting a target |
| Pay-for-Knowledge | Individual | Pay tied to skill acquisition rather than role |
| Profit-Sharing | Whole firm | Bonus based on company’s overall profits |
| Gainsharing | Team | Bonus when team efficiency reduces firm costs |
Benefits (add 10–25% to the wage bill)
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Statutory (required by law) | Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Workers’ Compensation, parental leave, statutory holidays |
| Non-Statutory (optional) | Extended health, dental, vision, wellness accounts, tuition reimbursement, extra vacation |
| Cafeteria-Style | Employee receives a fixed benefit budget and chooses which perks to spend it on |
EI detail: covers parental leave at 55% of annual earnings; both employers and employees pay premiums. CPP max benefit is approximately $17,400/year.
Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution Pensions
This is a frequent exam comparison — know who prefers each and why:
| Pension Type | How It Works | Who Prefers It | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defined Benefit (DB) | Guarantees a set annual income at retirement (e.g., 2% × years × final salary) | Employees prefer it | Predictable retirement income; employer bears the investment risk |
| Defined Contribution (DC) | Employer contributes a fixed amount each year; retirement income depends on fund performance | Employers prefer it | Fixed cost; employee bears the investment risk |
Key stat: ~80% of public-sector workers have DB pensions; only ~10% of private-sector workers do.
Exam trap: Employees want DB (security); employers want DC (cost predictability). If retirement fund performs poorly, a DB employer still pays the guaranteed amount — that’s why employers dislike it.
BASE mnemonic for attracting and retaining workers:
- B — Benefits (statutory + optional)
- A — Attraction via Base Pay (wages and salary)
- S — Strategic Incentives (piece-rate, profit-sharing, gainsharing)
- E — Equity & Law (comparable worth, discrimination-free pay)
LO5 — HRM Legal Landscape
Legal issues cluster around three phases of employment:
graph TD A[Legal Landscape] --> B[Hiring] A --> C[Compensation] A --> D[Managing] B --> B1[Canadian Human Rights Act 1977] B --> B2[BFOR Exception] B --> B3[Employment Equity Act 1986] C --> C1[Comparable Worth] C --> C2[Mandatory Statutory Benefits] D --> D1[OH&S Acts - Right to Refuse] D --> D2[Anti-Harassment Laws] D --> D3[Employment Status - Employee vs Contractor] D --> D4[Mandatory Retirement Abolished]
| Phase | Law / Concept | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring | Canadian Human Rights Act (1977) | Prohibits discrimination on protected grounds: age, race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, etc. |
| Hiring | BFOR Exception | Employer may discriminate on a protected ground if that characteristic is essential to the job (e.g., female locker room attendant) |
| Hiring | Employment Equity Act (1986) | Requires firms to report employment statistics for four groups: women, visible minorities, Indigenous people, people with disabilities |
| Compensation | Comparable Worth | Equal pay for work of equal value — applies even across dissimilar jobs if they score the same on a common evaluation index (e.g., secretary vs. mechanic) |
| Compensation | Statutory Benefits | EI, CPP, Workers’ Compensation are legally mandatory |
| Managing | OH&S Acts (Provincial) | Safe equipment, proper training; employees have a legal right to refuse unsafe work; repetitive strain injuries disable 200,000+ Canadians/year and account for nearly half of all work-related lost-time claims |
| Managing | Anti-Harassment | Firms are liable for hostile work environments — quid pro quo harassment (favours for advancement) and bullying |
| Managing | Employment Status | Misclassifying employees as contractors creates legal liability (e.g., Uber Canada lawsuit) |
| Managing | Mandatory Retirement | Abolished in most provinces — cannot force retirement by age alone |
S.H.A.P.E. mnemonic for the legal pillars of managing:
- S — Safety (OH&S, right to refuse)
- H — Harassment Prevention (bullying, sexual harassment)
- A — Anti-Discrimination (Human Rights Act, BFOR)
- P — Pay Equity (Comparable Worth)
- E — Equity & Employment Status (Employment Equity Act, employee vs. contractor)
LO6 — Evolving Workforce
Workforce Diversity
Workforce Diversity = the range of workers’ attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviours differing by gender, race, age, ethnicity, physical ability, and other characteristics.
- Traditionally viewed as a legal compliance issue; now recognized as a strategic competitive advantage
- A diverse team mirrors a diverse customer base and fosters innovation
- Challenge: managing multiple generational cohorts (Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z) with different expectations
Knowledge Workers
Knowledge Workers = experts who add value because of what they know, not how long they’ve worked or what physical task they perform. Examples: software engineers, physical scientists, game developers.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Skill Half-Life | ~3 years in fast-moving fields like engineering — skills go stale quickly |
| Recruitment | High demand + short supply = extreme perks (gourmet meals, premium amenities) to attract top talent |
| Retention | Must provide continuous development; knowledge workers leave for competitors who invest in their growth |
Contingent Workers
Contingent Workers = anyone employed on something other than a permanent, full-time basis.
Five categories:
- Part-time workers
- Independent contractors (freelancers)
- On-call workers
- Temporary employees (“temps” from agencies)
- Contract / guest workers (foreigners working for a limited time)
Three-step management approach:
- Careful Planning: determine exactly when and how many contingent workers are needed
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: labour costs may be lower, but contingent workers are often less productive — calculate the true net benefit
- Integration Strategy: decide their access to benefits and how they fit into the mainstream workforce
The rise of contingent work has given rise to the Gig Economy — a labour system where short-term contracts and freelance work are the norm rather than permanent employment. Platforms like Uber, DoorDash, and Upwork are its most visible examples.
Contemporary issue: legal grey zone over employee vs. contractor status (Uber Canada class-action lawsuit). Agricultural guest workers during COVID-19 also faced overcrowded conditions with insufficient protective equipment — highlighting ongoing worker rights gaps for contingent labour.
K.I.D.S. mnemonic for the evolving workplace:
- K — Knowledge workers (expertise, prevent obsolescence)
- I — Integration (fold contingent workers into mainstream)
- D — Diversity (leverage range of backgrounds as advantage)
- S — Strategic Planning (calculate quantity and cost of temporary labour)
LO7 — Evolution of Unionism in Canada
The Canadian labour movement developed in three phases:
timeline title Canadian Union History 19th Century : First unions in Maritime provinces : 1886 - Trades and Labour Congress (TLC) formed 1900-1956 : 1908 - Canadian Federation of Labour (nationalist push) : 1944 - Privy Council Order 1003 — right to bargain collectively : 1956 - TLC + Canadian Congress of Labour merge into Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) 2013-Present : 2013 - Unifor formed (CAW + Communications, Energy and Paperworkers) : 2018 - Unifor breaks from CLC : 2020 - Foodora exits Canada after workers unionize
Phase 1: Early Roots (19th Century)
- First unions appeared in the Maritime provinces in the early 1800s
- 1886: The Trades and Labour Congress (TLC) formed to unite labour organizations and advocate for workers’ rights
Phase 2: Consolidation and Legal Recognition (1900–1956)
- 1908: Canadian Federation of Labour formed to promote national (Canadian) unions over U.S.-based ones
- 1944: Privy Council Order 1003 — landmark legislation giving Canadian unions the legal right to bargain collectively. Before this, employers were not legally required to recognize or negotiate with unions.
- 1956: TLC and the Canadian Congress of Labour merged into the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) — uniting ~80% of all unionized workers under one organization
Phase 3: Modern Transformation (2013–Present)
- 2013: Unifor formed by merger of Canadian Auto Workers and Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union — a response to declining union power
- 2018: Unifor broke from the CLC, claiming insufficient protection of Canadian workers from U.S.-based international unions
- 2020: Foodora pulled out of Canada shortly after its delivery workers voted to unionize — example of corporate resistance
Current Trends and Challenges
G.P.S. mnemonic — three biggest challenges facing unions today:
- G — Globalization: companies move production to low-cost countries, reducing union leverage
- P — Part-time / Contract Workers: increasingly hard to organize the non-traditional workforce
- S — Smokestack Decline: traditional manufacturing (where unions were strongest) is shrinking
LO8 — Laws Governing Unionism
Canadian union law flows through three pillars. C.P.C. mnemonic:
graph TD A[Canadian Union Law] --> B[Constitution Act, 1867] A --> C[Privy Council Order 1003, 1944] A --> D[Canada Labour Code] B --> B1[Federal jurisdiction: railways, airlines, telecom] B --> B2[Provincial jurisdiction: most workers] C --> C1[Gave unions the right to bargain collectively] C --> C2[Forced employers to negotiate with certified unions] D --> D1[Governs federal-sector labour relations] D --> D2[Covers collective bargaining, OH&S, employment standards]
| Law | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Constitution Act, 1867 | Divides authority: federal government governs interprovincial industries (railways, airlines, telecom); provinces govern everyone else |
| Privy Council Order 1003 (1944) | The turning point — gave unions the legal right to bargain collectively; before this, employers could simply ignore unions |
| Canada Labour Code | Primary federal labour law; governs collective bargaining, OH&S, and employment standards for firms under Parliament’s authority |
| Provincial Labour Relations Acts | Each province has its own act (e.g., Ontario Labour Relations Act); governs certification, strikes, lockouts, and mediation for provincially regulated workers |
Key implications:
- Rules for striking, certifying, and resolving disputes can differ significantly province to province
- Provincial human rights and OH&S laws also apply in unionized workplaces
- Decertification: employees can legally end a union’s right to represent them through a vote, just as they certified it
LO9 — The Collective Bargaining Process
Collective Bargaining = the process where union leaders and management negotiate the common terms and conditions of employment for represented workers.
C.A.N. I. W.I.N. mnemonic:
- C — Certification (legal start)
- A — Agreement (the goal: a labour contract)
- N — Negotiation (give-and-take)
- I — Impasse (when talks stall)
- W — Warfare (strikes, lockouts, boycotts)
- I — Intervention (mediation, conciliation, arbitration)
- N — New Terms (the finalized contract)
Phase 1: Certification
A union must first establish the legal right to represent workers.
- Define the bargaining unit — the group of workers to be represented
- Run a certification vote supervised by a government representative
- Once certified, both parties are legally obligated to bargain
- Decertification is the reverse process — employees vote to remove union representation
Phase 2: Negotiation
Both sides prepare demands and offers. Negotiations focus on four pillars:
| Pillar | Union Wants | Management Wants |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Compensation | Higher wages; COLA clauses (raises tied to Consumer Price Index) | Control over wage costs |
| 2. Benefits | Better health, dental, pension, paid time off | Limit benefit costs |
| 3. Job Security | Seniority-based retention during layoffs | Flexibility to restructure |
| 4. Management Rights | Limits on what management can unilaterally decide | Maximum control over hiring, assignments, equipment |
Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA): clauses that automatically raise wages in line with the Consumer Price Index — protects workers’ purchasing power.
Phase 3: Impasse Tactics
When negotiations fail, both sides apply pressure:
Union tactics:
- Strike: walk off the job; refuse to work
- Wildcat Strike: unauthorized strike — workers walk out without union approval; strikers lose their employee status and legal protection
- Boycott: refuse to buy the employer’s products; urge the public to do the same
- Work Slowdown: perform duties at a slower pace to disrupt operations
- Picketing: march at the workplace entrance with signs explaining the dispute
- Sympathy Strike: a union strikes in support of another union’s dispute (not their own employer)
Management tactics:
- Lockout: physically deny employees access to the workplace
- Strikebreakers (Replacement Workers): hire temporary or permanent replacements to keep operations running. Illegal in Quebec and British Columbia.
- Contracting Out: shift work to non-union contractors, permanently reducing the number of union jobs
- Employers’ Associations: groups of companies that share strategies and resources for dealing with unions collectively
- Plant Closure: in extreme cases, management permanently closes the facility (e.g., Maple Leaf Foods closing its Edmonton hog plant during a strike, costing 850 workers their jobs)
Phase 4: Third-Party Resolution
| Method | Role of Third Party | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Conciliation | Helps clarify the issues separating both sides | Non-binding |
| Mediation | Hears both sides and offers a suggested resolution | Non-binding |
| Arbitration | Listens to the dispute and imposes a binding settlement | Binding |
flowchart LR A[Certification Vote] --> B[Negotiation] B --> C{Agreement?} C -- Yes --> D[Ratification Vote → Labour Contract] C -- No --> E[Impasse] E --> F[Union Tactics:\nStrike, Boycott, Slowdown, Picket] E --> G[Management Tactics:\nLockout, Strikebreakers] F --> H[Third-Party Resolution] G --> H H --> H1[Conciliation → clarify] H --> H2[Mediation → suggest] H --> H3[Arbitration → impose binding] H3 --> D
Shop Spectrum — defines how much union control exists in a workplace (most → least):
| Shop Type | Rule |
|---|---|
| Closed | Employer can only hire union members |
| Union | Can hire non-union workers, but they must join within a set period |
| Agency | All employees pay dues but are not required to join |
| Open | Employer can hire union or non-union; joining and paying dues is optional |
Historical milestone: Privy Council Order 1003 (1944) gave unions the legal right to collectively bargain — this made Phase 2 above legally enforceable.
Master Mnemonic Table
| Mnemonic | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| SELECT | Core foundations of HRM (Strategize, Evaluate, Law, Earn, Cultivate, Teamwork) |
| ATIRO | Selection process steps (Application, Testing, Interview, References, Offer) |
| OMPT | Human capital development (Orientation, Mentoring, Pay-for-Knowledge, Training) |
| BASE | Compensation strategy (Benefits, Attraction via Base Pay, Strategic Incentives, Equity) |
| SHAPE | Legal pillars of managing workers (Safety, Harassment, Anti-discrimination, Pay equity, Employment status) |
| KIDS | Evolving workplace (Knowledge workers, Integration, Diversity, Strategic planning) |
| GPS | Modern union challenges (Globalization, Part-time workers, Smokestack decline) |
| CPC | Canadian union laws (Constitution Act, Privy Council Order 1003, Canada Labour Code) |
| CAN I WIN | Collective bargaining stages (Certification, Agreement, Negotiation, Impasse, Warfare, Intervention, New Terms) |
Key Traps for Exam
- Pay ≠ Motivation (Herzberg): pay is a hygiene factor — it prevents dissatisfaction but does not create long-term motivation on its own
- Unstructured interviews = worst predictor; Testing = best predictor
- BFOR is an exception, not a loophole: must be genuinely essential to the job
- Comparable Worth ≠ Equal Pay for Equal Work: it applies to dissimilar jobs of equal value
- Conciliation and mediation are non-binding; only arbitration is binding
- Closed Shop: can only hire union members (rare, most restrictive); Open Shop: hiring union/non-union is optional (least restrictive)
- Privy Council Order 1003 (not “Privacy”) — passed 1944, gave right to bargain collectively
Key Terms Quick Reference
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| HRM | Set of organizational activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce |
| Human Capital | The organization’s investment in attracting, retaining, and motivating an effective workforce — employees treated as measurable assets |
| Talent Management | Using employee skills to facilitate organizational success |
| Job Description | Lists the duties, working conditions, tools/equipment, and relationship to other positions for a job |
| Job Specification | Lists the specific skills, education, and experience required to perform a job |
| Skills Inventories | Internal databases tracking each employee’s education, skills, and career aspirations |
| Replacement Chart | Lists key managerial positions, who holds them, and who is ready to fill them |
| Recruiting | The process of attracting qualified people to apply for available jobs — building a pool of candidates |
| Internal Recruiting | Considering current employees as candidates for open positions |
| External Recruiting | Attracting applicants from outside the organization |
| Realistic Job Preview (RJP) | Giving candidates an honest picture of the job to prevent early turnover |
| Validation | The process of determining whether a selection method actually predicts job success |
| Assessment Centre | Candidates perform realistic management tasks while observed by trained appraisers — more valid than standard interviews |
| Behaviour-Based Interviewing | Interview technique asking about past behaviour rather than hypothetical responses |
| Orientation | Introducing new employees to the company’s policies, co-workers, supervisors, and their specific job |
| On-the-Job Training | Employees gain new skills while performing work at the job site |
| Off-the-Job Training | Development programs at a location away from the normal work site |
| Mentoring | A more experienced manager sponsors and teaches a less experienced manager |
| Reverse Mentoring | Junior employees mentor senior staff on modern topics (e.g., social media, new technology) |
| Networking | Informal interactions among managers inside and outside the office to discuss mutual problems, solutions, and opportunities |
| Management Development Programs | Programs that enhance managers’ conceptual, analytical, and problem-solving skills |
| Performance Appraisal | A formal program for evaluating how well an employee is performing; guides development, pay, and promotion decisions |
| 360-Degree Feedback | Performance input gathered from supervisors, peers, and subordinates for a fuller picture |
| Wages | Pay based on hours worked |
| Salary | Fixed pay at regular intervals regardless of hours or output |
| Piece-Rate Incentive Plan | Fixed dollar amount paid per unit produced |
| Profit-Sharing Plan | Employees receive a bonus based on the firm’s overall profits |
| Gainsharing Plan | Employees receive a bonus when their efficiency reduces firm costs |
| Pay-for-Knowledge | Pay tied to skill acquisition rather than current role — incentivizes learning |
| Benefits | Non-wage rewards provided in return for labour (health, pension, time off, etc.) |
| Protection Plans | Plans that protect employees when income is threatened by illness, disability, death, unemployment, or retirement |
| EI (Employment Insurance) | Mandatory income support for unemployed workers actively seeking work; covers parental leave at 55% of earnings |
| CPP (Canada Pension Plan) | Mandatory government-managed retirement income; funded by employer and employee premiums; max ~$17,400/year |
| Workers’ Compensation | Mandatory insurance covering job-related illness or accident; employers pay premiums |
| Defined Benefit (DB) Pension | Guarantees a set annual income at retirement; employees prefer it — employer bears investment risk |
| Defined Contribution (DC) Pension | Employer contributes a fixed amount; retirement income depends on fund performance; employers prefer it — employee bears risk |
| Cafeteria-Style Benefits | Flexible plan where employees choose their own benefit mix from a menu up to a set dollar budget |
| Canadian Human Rights Act (1977) | Federal law prohibiting workplace discrimination on protected grounds (age, race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, etc.) |
| BFOR | Bona Fide Occupational Requirement — a legitimate job requirement that justifies what would otherwise be discrimination |
| Employment Equity Act (1986) | Requires firms to report hiring statistics for four designated groups: women, visible minorities, Indigenous people, people with disabilities |
| Comparable Worth | Equal pay for work of equal value — applies even across dissimilar jobs rated equally on a common index |
| Sexual Harassment | Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature creating an intimidating or hostile work environment |
| Quid Pro Quo Harassment | Offering something of value (e.g., promotion) in exchange for sexual favours — the most direct form of harassment |
| Workforce Diversity | The range of workers’ attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviours differing by gender, race, age, ethnicity, and physical ability |
| Knowledge Workers | Experts who add value because of what they know (e.g., engineers, developers) — high demand, short supply, 3-year skill half-life |
| Contingent Workers | Non-permanent workers: part-time, contractors, on-call, temps, guest workers |
| Gig Economy | A labour system where short-term contracts and freelance work dominate rather than permanent employment |
| Labour Union | A group of individuals working together to achieve shared job-related goals |
| Labour Relations | The overall process of dealing with employees represented by a union |
| Collective Bargaining | Negotiation between union leaders and management on terms and conditions of employment |
| Bargaining Unit | The group of employees covered by a collective agreement for bargaining purposes |
| Certification Vote | Government-supervised vote to determine whether a union is certified as the sole bargaining agent |
| Decertification | The process by which employees legally terminate their union’s right to represent them |
| Closed Shop | Employer can only hire union members (most restrictive) |
| Union Shop | Employer can hire non-union workers but they must join the union within a set period |
| Agency Shop | All employees pay union dues but are not required to become members |
| Open Shop | Employer may hire union or non-union workers; joining and paying dues is optional (least restrictive) |
| COLA | Cost-of-Living Adjustment — wage increases automatically tied to the Consumer Price Index |
| Strike | Union tactic: members walk off the job to pressure management into concessions |
| Wildcat Strike | Unauthorized strike — workers walk out without union approval; strikers lose employee status and legal protection |
| Sympathy Strike | A union strikes in support of another union’s dispute rather than their own |
| Boycott | Union tactic: members refuse to buy the employer’s products and urge the public to do the same |
| Lockout | Management tactic: firm physically denies employees access to the workplace |
| Strikebreakers | Temporary or permanent replacements for striking workers; illegal in Quebec and BC |
| Contracting Out | Management tactic: shifting work to non-union contractors, reducing union jobs |
| Employers’ Associations | Groups of companies that collectively share strategies for dealing with unions |
| Conciliation | Neutral third party helps clarify the issues separating both sides — non-binding |
| Mediation | Neutral third party hears both sides and offers a suggested resolution — non-binding |
| Arbitration | Neutral third party imposes a binding settlement — used when mediation fails or law requires it |
| Privy Council Order 1003 | 1944 landmark order giving Canadian unions the legal right to bargain collectively |
| Canada Labour Code | Primary federal labour law governing collective bargaining, OH&S, and employment standards for federal-sector firms |
Cross-Course Connections
- Bias-PerformanceAppraisals — PHIL252 bias taxonomy explains why interviews fail and how behaviour-based interviewing fixes it
- ClassificationSystems-LabourRelations — PHIL252 classification rules applied to shop spectrum, worker categories, and third-party resolution
- Argument-Lobbying — collective bargaining as structured argument under pressure
Related Pages
HumanResourceManagement, CompensationAndBenefits, HRMLegalLandscape, LabourRelations, Bias-PerformanceAppraisals, ClassificationSystems-LabourRelations