5 ms·

> A much more reasonable headline, if I understood the story correctly, would be, "workers refuse to work mandatory overtime, and courts ruled that to be a stri

> A much more reasonable headline, if I understood the story correctly, would be, "workers refuse to work mandatory overtime, and courts ruled that to be a strike, which is forbidden by their collective bargaining agreement". How can it even be legal to give up the right to strike in a collective agreement? How can it be legal to work overtime without extra pay? I’m once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA.

cplusplusfellow 4y ago
I hated giving Vice a click because this article headline has already received its due ridicule in the current thread. However just to confirm for you, the first words of the article are: > Last week, AlumaSafway, a Canadian scaffolding company,
realityking 4y ago
This is actually quite reasonable and the same in Germany as well. While a collective bargaining agreement is in effect and has not been cancelled (there are minimum times and notice periods), a strike would be illegal. The idea is to give both sides some assurance that what has been agreed is stable and not up to the whim of either the employer or the union.
- Bilal_io 4y ago
  The way my break breaks down this issue is simple (to me): - overtime should be optional, you don't know what's going on in people's lives. They should have the right to refuse to work overtime without justification. - the business should compensate workers for working overtime. - if nobody wants to work overtime, that's the company's problem, they could change shifts to accommodate different hours. - since I believe overtime is optional, then firing a worker for it should be an offense that warrants the union to be involved, and the union may use its collective bargaining power to make a change. But of course, the policy the workers/union agreed to is important to consider. That being said, companies take advantage of unpaid overtime to overwork their employees, and it becomes a habit and easy money-saver solution.
denton-scratch 4y ago
> How can it even be legal to give up the right to strike in a collective agreement? "This union agrees with <employer X> that, while negotiations are ongoing, the union will not sanction industrial action by its members". It seems pretty reasonable to me that nobody should have to negotiate with a gun to their head. I don't think there should be a right to strike while your union is negotiating. If you think your union negotiators are crap, you can join a different union, and urge your fellow workers to join you. The collective agreement is between the employer and the old union; it wouldn't bind members of the new union. Wildcat industrial action, without the backing of a union, is dangerous.
spiffytech 4y ago
> I'm once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA This story takes place in Alberta, Canada.
kd5bjo 4y ago
> How can it be legal to work overtime without extra pay? I’m once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA. In this particular case, the overtime is paid: 1.5x the normal rates for nights an 2x for weekends and holidays. It also takes place in Canada, which has a distinct set of labor laws as compared to the USA.
xtracto 4y ago
>I’m once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA. Except that, as the article mentions, this is happening in Canada. But you know, let's keep the outrage machine going Facts don't matter.

cplusplusfellow 4y ago

I hated giving Vice a click because this article headline has already received its due ridicule in the current thread. However just to confirm for you, the first words of the article are: > Last week, AlumaSafway, a Canadian scaffolding company,

realityking 4y ago

This is actually quite reasonable and the same in Germany as well. While a collective bargaining agreement is in effect and has not been cancelled (there are minimum times and notice periods), a strike would be illegal. The idea is to give both sides some assurance that what has been agreed is stable and not up to the whim of either the employer or the union.

Bilal_io 4y ago
The way my break breaks down this issue is simple (to me): - overtime should be optional, you don't know what's going on in people's lives. They should have the right to refuse to work overtime without justification. - the business should compensate workers for working overtime. - if nobody wants to work overtime, that's the company's problem, they could change shifts to accommodate different hours. - since I believe overtime is optional, then firing a worker for it should be an offense that warrants the union to be involved, and the union may use its collective bargaining power to make a change. But of course, the policy the workers/union agreed to is important to consider. That being said, companies take advantage of unpaid overtime to overwork their employees, and it becomes a habit and easy money-saver solution.

denton-scratch 4y ago

> How can it even be legal to give up the right to strike in a collective agreement? "This union agrees with <employer X> that, while negotiations are ongoing, the union will not sanction industrial action by its members". It seems pretty reasonable to me that nobody should have to negotiate with a gun to their head. I don't think there should be a right to strike while your union is negotiating. If you think your union negotiators are crap, you can join a different union, and urge your fellow workers to join you. The collective agreement is between the employer and the old union; it wouldn't bind members of the new union. Wildcat industrial action, without the backing of a union, is dangerous.

spiffytech 4y ago

> I'm once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA This story takes place in Alberta, Canada.

kd5bjo 4y ago

> How can it be legal to work overtime without extra pay? I’m once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA. In this particular case, the overtime is paid: 1.5x the normal rates for nights an 2x for weekends and holidays. It also takes place in Canada, which has a distinct set of labor laws as compared to the USA.

xtracto 4y ago

>I’m once again shocked by the sorry state of working laws in the USA. Except that, as the article mentions, this is happening in Canada. But you know, let's keep the outrage machine going Facts don't matter.