Volume 8, numéro 2, mars 1953

FR :

En face du phénomène social qu'est la grève, rares sont ceux qui ne se laissent pas entraîner à porter des jugements sommaires. L'auteur fait ici une analyse statistique poussée du mouvement des grèves au Canada durant les derniers vingt-cinq ans. Dans une seconde partie il essaie de voir jusqu'à quel point on est justifié d'interpréter les tendances et les corrélations que l'on peut découvrir. C'est la première étude du genre au pays.

EN :

Recent strikes — to say nothing of those which have almost taken place —have turned the spotlight on the over-all problem of labour disputes in our country.The strike, that collective phenomenon which is so characteristic of our epoch,certainly does not lack publicity. It does not leave anybody indifferent.

Considering the extent of the problem and the intensity of the emotion it arouses, there is only one thing left to do: study the reality, figures in hand. The results of this statistical study of the strike phenomenon in Canada from 1927 to 1952, may be summed up as follows:

1. The number of strikes has increased, very irregularly, however;

2. The number of workers involved in the strikes has increased considerably,especially since 1939, but with ups and downs;

3. The number of individual days of work lost in strikes has multiplied itself since 1943;

4. The average number, by strike, of individual days of work lost in strikes hasincreased considerably since 1945;

5. The number of non-agricultural workers has almost doubled since 1927; adecided increase may be noted especially since 1941, with ihe second WorldWar and the "cold war" which followed it;'

6. Union membership is four times larger in 1952 than in 1927; it is during thelast war that union expansion was particularly active; the union movementhas developed in a quite uneven way over the period of years;

7. The proportion of non-agricultural workers who belong to unions has doubled in twenty-six years; except for a few years of intensive organization, the degree of union membership varies more or less in relation to the number of non-agricultural workers;

8. The proportion of non-agricultural workers involved in strikes has tripled from1927 to 1952, increasing almost constantly;

9. The degree of organization and the proportion of the workers involved instrikes do not follow a parallel evolution; it may be noted that, proportionately,the increase in the number of workers involved in strikes has been greaterthan that of union membership, which would seem to indicate that otherelements are concerned;

10. The non-agricultural worker of 1952 loses, on the average, much more time instrikes than his predecessor of 1927;

11. It is impossible to note any significant tendency in the evolution of the averageloss of time by union workers;

12. If an exception is made for the immediate post-war years (1945-49) and the year 1952, it may be noted that there is a decrease in the average number of individual days of work lost by workers involved in strikes.

It is not possible, with just figures, to formulate — even in outline only — a"theory" of strikes. On the other hand, industrial experience in Canada is so new,relatively speaking, that even the apposition of considerations of a qualifyingcharacter can only furnish us, in 1953, with scattered elements, often confused,inarticulate, difficult to place in an organic body, in a coherent theory. Regardlessof these weaknesses, research must be continued and in all fields.

We will feel satisfied if this study has succeeded in demonstrating this: Thatthe problem of strikes is not a simple problem, and that judgments in this fieldmust be carefully made.

EN :

Vocational rehabilitation in industry is more and more important; this article intends to cover the social and economic aspects of this problem. There are two factors in rehabilitation: the first, purely medical (prevention, medical and surgical treatments), concerns industrial medicine and the second, medico-social, consists of directing and counselling the handicapped worker. Rehabilitation has brought to the disabled person his recovery as a citizen, as a worker and as a father of a family.

FR :

La réhabilitation professionnelle dans l'industrie a un rôle de plus en plus important à jouer; aussi, l'auteur a-t-il voulu s'arrêter aux aspects sociaux et économiques de ce problème. La réhabilitation est avantageuse pour l'État car chaque travailleur réadapté rembourse, durant sa vie, en taxes, environ dix dollars pour chaque dollar que l'État a dépensé pour sa réhabilitation; le bienfait principal et inestimable que la réhabilitation apporte à l'individu est son rétablissement en tant que citoyen, père de famille qui peut gagner sa vie et subvenir aux besoins des siens sans recourir à la charité privée ou publique. L'employeur de son côté, bénéficie du travail productif accompli par l'ouvrier réhabilité, de son comportement dans les relations patronales-ouvrières, de sa prudence et de son assiduité au travail.

Dans une deuxième partie, l'auteur examine la réhabilitation en tant que responsabilité du médecin industriel. La médecine industrielle, au moyen d'une orientation biologique de la main-d'oeuvre, prévient une usure organique excessive et réduit considérablement le nombre et la gravité des accidents. L'analyse des conditions de travail en regard des répercussions physiologiques sur le travailleur et l'enquête périodique des conditions sanitaires permettent de favoriser la protection générale de la santé de l'ouvrier. En ce sens, la réhabilitation professionnelle est un service pour prévenir, découvrir et reconnaître les symptômes et anomalie organiques des travailleurs et ensuite restaurer physiquement l'ouvrier incapable et le réadapter à son milieu de travail et à son milieu familial. Ces deux étapes, la première, purement médicale (prévention et traitements médicaux et chirurgicaux) et la deuxième médico-sociale (direction et orientation du travailleur) doivent être exécutées très soigneusement en commençant au poste de secours et en suivant de très près l'individu concerné au cours de son traitement et au cours de sa réadaptation à son ouvrage. L'individu, au début, est encouragé à penser de façon constructive à son futur compte tenu de ses goûts et de ses aptitudes. Son médecin, ses garde-malades, ses thérapistes, les officiers de réhabilitation et tous ceux qui viennent en contact avec lui doivent penser à sa réadaptation à l'industrie comme but premier. Par la réhabilitation, l'auteur entend la restauration des travailleurs blessés pour accomplir ses devoirs mentalement, physiquement, techniquement et socialement, aussi efficacement après qu'avant son accident. Le soutien de l'esprit est une partie aussi intégrale du programme de réhabilitation que le massage et l'exercice musculaire.

Une fois le travailleur réhabilité mentalement et physiquement, il s'agit ensuite de mettre en application les méthodes pour faciliter son placement. Cela exige une étroite collaboration avec la Commission du Service Civil et les bureaux de placement. Après ce placement, un entraînement continu doit être maintenu; les services professionnels et spécialisés du médecin, du psychiatre, du travailleur social, du moniteur de loisir, du thérapiste et de l'expert en placement et peut-être d'autres sont requis. Avec l'aide de tous ces spécialistes, on pourra parvenir à redonner à l'individu frappé d'incapacité sa place au sein de sa famille, de son milieu de travail et de la société.

FR :

L'étude subséquente a surtout pour but d'analyser le contenu des recommandations arbitrales de juin 1950 à juin 1952. Comme les conflits sur la sécurité syndicale sont difficilement compréhensibles sans une connaissance de l'arrière-plan historique des problèmes syndicaux, l'auteur résume les principaux événements expliquant l'importance que les unions attachent à la sécurité syndicale. Il porte ensuite son attention sur les clauses les plus controversées parmi les clauses non-monétaires. L'analyse des clauses monétaires est surtout faite par voie de comparaisons avec les clauses moyennes des conventions collectives; l'auteur souligne cependant les limitations inévitables de ces comparaisons.

EN :

Union officials, employers and politicians are all vitally interested in arbitration because of the part it frequently plays in industrial conflicts. Most of them, no doubt, are familiar with the legal procedure. In order to have knowledge of the actual results of arbitration over a certain period of time, it is necessary to make factual studies of the contents of the Boards' reports.

It would appear that such a study has a useful objective. It takes account of the changes which Boards of Arbitration propose in collective agreements. It draws the attention to the main problems which necessitate conciliation and arbitration. The attitude of the parties is explained and particularly the position of the decisive influence of the chairman of the Board, who is usually appointed by the Minister of Labour. Union leaders will find certain general results, while statesmen should be able to see better the real meaning of arbitration in actual cases and the limitations in its structure and operation.

This undertaking is, however, limited in extent. The study of arbitration awards without also analyzing the collective agreements and their contents, cannot give a clear idea of labour-management relations in the province of Quebec, as it is only in cases where a collective agreement cannot be reached that arbitration is needed. This study is also limited because of lack of standards of comparison. No extensive study of the subject has been made in other provinces; the Department of Labour in Ontario does not even publish the reports. The result is rather unsatisfactory because of the difference in negotiations and arbitration; the only standard of comparison remains studies of collective agreements.

Both grievances and the negotiation of collective agreements form the subjects of the disputes submitted to the Boards. Only six Boards have had to deal with grievances. The majority of the arbitrations have been rendered necessary because the parties have been unable to negotiate agreements. Non-monetary clause, with the exception of union security, seems to cause fewer conflicts. Wages take first place: 147 cases out of 156. Other matters related to wages also come up often: cost-of-living bonus, off-shift premiums, over-time. Paid vacations, statutory holidays, retroactivity and hours of work are dealt with in about half the cases brought to arbitration. The other subjects of controversy are welfare clauses, conditions of work, seniority and the duration of the agreement.

In spite of these factors, however, it may be clearly seen, from this brief statistical analysis that the general tendency in the granting of union security clauses is different in Quebec from what it is in the country as a whole. Certain forms of union security such as the check-off, the closed shop, the union shop, the compulsory check-off and the Rand formula are obviously taboo for most Quebec Boards of Arbitration, that is for the Chairman and the employers representatives.

In the historical context of industrial relations in the Province of Quebec, the importance of the attention given to union security is easy to understand. Union security is not, of course, the only means of integrating unionism in society; when unionism is accepted and becomes an institution, it will no longer pay attention to union security. In the period of union growth, union security takes on real importance, particularly if it meets with powerful opposition. This is the situation in Quebec where employer opposition finds allies in government policy and the weakness of working-class solidarity.

The existence of certain industries where conditions are really below average and where the high cost of living is a serious handicap to the workers, may be clearly seen from the data presented. There is quite a spread between the conditions of work and the wages in these industries and in industry in general. A careful analysis of the causes of this under-productivity would make possible the finding and applying of solutions. A slight but firm increase of union pressure, by improving organization and inter-union cooperation, might perhaps force these industries to increase their productivity.

Generally, arbitration in the province of Quebec does not permit the unions to secure better conditions than those prevailing in manufacturing in general. It only makes possible adjustments to the general conditions in the industry concerned or in industry as a whole. However, some arbitrations in big firms can make a step forward for all industry.

The main question can now be considered: what is the principal object of arbitration? Is it to prevent all conflicts in industry at any cost, or is it to make possible proper improvements in the workers' conditions by submitting the questions involved to an impartial tribunal? In its constitution and its results, it would seem that arbitration has been set up to avoid strikes, even at the expenses of union weakness.

Even if arbitration did not become an instrument of social justice, as the workers desire, it could play the part of a buffer which the law gives it and still keep the confidence of the workers if every trace of politics was kept away from it. However, a number of recommendations have recognized the justice of the workers' claims and have proposed improvements which have served as a basis for post-arbitration negotiations. If the Boards were more soundly constituted and gave their decisions more promptly, they could make a better contribution to labour relations in Quebec.

FR :

A chaque année depuis son accession au souverain pontificat, le Pape Pie XII profite de la fête de Noël pour adresser un message à l'univers entier. Il y aborde toujours un sujet qu'il considère d'une importance primordiale. Le dernier message du 25 décembre 1952 porte sur l'organisation de la société humaine et sur les rapports entre les peuples. Le pape souligne l'éminente dignité de la personne humaine et prend sa défense contre un danger en train de la menacer : son étouffement par la technique et l'organisation. Comme ces profondes vérités doivent être constamment à l'esprit de tous ceux qui s'occupent de relations du travail, nous avons extrait de ce message certains passages qui valent la peine d'être médités.