work stoppages in social economy organizations: dimension, causes and beyond
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Work Stoppages in Social Economy Organizations: Dimension, Causes and Beyond. Kunle Akingbola OISE, University of Toronto. Introduction. The study examines the scale, duration and dimension of work stoppages in SEOs in Ontario. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Work Stoppages in Social Economy Organizations: Dimension, Causes and Beyond
Kunle AkingbolaOISE, University of Toronto
Introduction
The study examines the scale, duration and dimension of work stoppages in SEOs in Ontario.
Explains the contextual dimension by examining the causes and implications of work stoppages for clients, employees, and community.
Introduction
Examines whether explanation of work stoppages in SEOs is consistent with the collective voice analysis of strikes and whether these labour disputes are indication of social movement unionism.
Provides an insight on the state of labour relations and, to some extent, HRM in SEOs
(Quarter, 2006)
Defining Social Economy Organizations
The term social economy was originally coined in France and was widely used in francophone areas such as Belgium and Quebec.
Social economy is a bridging concept
(Quarter, 2006)
Defining Social Economy Organizations
Organizations in the social economy have social objectives central to their mission and their practice.
These organizations also have, either explicit economic objectives or generate some economic value through the services they provide and purchases that they undertake.
(Quarter, 2006)
Defining Social Economy Organizations
Social economy organizations include nonprofits and cooperatives.
In addition to sharing similar characteristics as outlined above, their economic impact, especially for nonprofits is often not recognized.
Economic and Social Contributions
Social economy organizations are an important element in the foundation of many countries.
People rely on these organizations for: economic development employment, social justice advocacy, and mutual support.
Economic and Social Contributions
The 9,000+ cooperatives in Canada employ over 160,000 people
Non-financial cooperatives generated $26.2 billion in revenue in 2003
Economic and Social Contributions
Some of the insurance cooperatives are among the largest employer in their business (Co-operative Secretariat. 2006)
Similarly, the 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary organizations operating in Canada generated $112 billion in revenue in 2003 (Imagine Canada, (2004).
Theoretical Framework
Structural and institutional perspective posits that some industries and occupations are more prone to strike due to inherent social characteristics of the work that enables collective consciousness and community integration (Kerr and Siegel, 1954).
Neoclassical economic explanation Agitator theory
Theoretical Framework
Two theoretical explanation of labour disputes from the structural and institutional perspective are relevant to the context of SEOs
1. Collective voice approach2. Social movement unionism
(Akingbola, 2004; Godard, 1992; Hyman, 1989)
Theoretical Framework
Collective voice approach Expression of discontent Inherent labour-capital conflicts Asymmetrical employment relation Changes in nonprofits mean managers have
become agents of government or other funders
(Mathers et al., 2004)
Theoretical Framework
Social movement unionism occurs when unions move away from business unionism (wages and conditions of employment)
Partnership with civil society Role in raising consciousness about social
justice, social values and community issues
(Mathers et al., 2004)
Theoretical Framework
Is increased unionization in nonprofits an opportunity to spread social movement unionism from within the civil society?
Research Questions
What is the pattern of work stoppages in SEOs Are work stoppages in SEOs associated with
size (number of employees)? Are SEOs that depend on government (those
that provide public services) more prone to work stoppages than others?
Research Questions
Is wages and condition of service the major cause of work stoppages in SEOs?
Is service quality and advocacy issues rationale for work stoppages in SEOs?
What are the impacts of work stoppages in SEOs on clients and the community?
The Study
Quantitative data Data on work stoppages between 1994 and
2005 from the Ontario Ministry of Labour 1777 work stoppages in Ontario, 196 (11.03%)
SEOs
The Study
Types: i) nonprofits and cooperatives; ii) private, municipal, provincial, federal and various; iii) Association Canada categories:
Simple descriptive statistics and regression analysis for research questions 1 to 3
The Study
Qualitative data Media archives from 1994 to 2005 Total of 71 media reports on labour disputes Twenty-five (35%) were identified as SEOs To examine research questions 4 to 6
Findings and Discussion
Stoppages by Year
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
YEAR
0
10
20
30
Cou
nt
Type of Work StoppagesILS
Quantitative ResultsPerson days lost 1994 to 2005
Bars show Sums
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
YEAR
0.00
25000.00
50000.00
75000.00
Stoppages by Sector
Type of Organization: Associations Canada Category
0
20
40
60
80
100
Cou
nt
Type of Work StoppagesILS
Stoppages by Union
ALLIE
D H
EA
LTH P
RO
FES
SIO
NA
LSB
RE
WE
RY
& P
RO
FES
SIO
NA
L WO
RK
ER
SB
RIC
KLA
YE
RS
INTL
CD
N A
UTO
WO
RK
ER
SC
DN
PU
BLIC
EM
PLS
(CU
PE
)C
OM
MU
NIC
ATIO
NS
EN
ER
GY
PA
PE
RW
KR
ELE
CTR
ICA
L WO
RK
ER
S (IB
EW
)FO
OD
& C
OM
ME
RC
IAL W
OR
KE
RS
HO
TEL E
MP
LOY
EE
SIN
DE
PE
ND
EN
T LOC
AL U
NIO
NIN
TL OP
ER
ATIN
G E
NG
INE
ER
SM
US
ICIA
NS
OFFIC
E &
PR
OFE
SS
ION
AL E
MP
LSO
NT N
UR
SE
S A
SS
NO
NT P
RA
CTIC
AL N
UR
SE
SO
NT P
UB
LIC S
ER
VIC
E E
MP
LSP
AIN
TER
SP
UB
LIC S
ER
VIC
E A
LLIAN
CE
SE
RV
ICE
EM
PLO
YE
ES
INTL
STR
UC
TUR
AL IR
ON
WO
RK
ER
STE
AM
STE
RS
UN
ITED
STE
ELW
OR
KE
RS
UNION NAME Codes
0
10
20
30
40
50
Cou
nt
Type of Work StoppagesILS
* number excludes work stoppages involving more than one organization.
Findings and Discussion
SEOs lost 490,190 persons days to 196 work stoppages resulting from labour disputes. .
Size related to work stoppages R² = .07. adjusted R² = .07. p <.01.
* number excludes work stoppages involving more than one organization.
Findings and Discussion
Small organizations more prone to labour disputes.
Highest person days lost in 1996, 1998 and 2000
Coincided with downsizing in public sector, downloading to nonprofits and new funding regime
* number excludes work stoppages involving more than one organization.
Findings and Discussion
More work stoppages in health care organizations than in other areas of the social economy.
Small community health care organizations compared to large hospitals.
Relationship between SEOs classified as provincial by the MOL and work stoppages R² = .03. adjusted R² = .02. p <.05.
* number excludes work stoppages involving more than one organization.
Findings and Discussion
Healthcare and MOL classification findings suggest that:
Organizations that provide public services are more prone to work stoppages than others.
Blurring of the boundaries between nonprofits and the public sector
Absence of binding arbitration as in HLDAA
Findings and Discussion
Wages and conditions of service appears to be the leading cause of work stoppages
However, these are in addition to social objectives such as advocacy, quality of care, and safety of clients in many disputes
Root cause of many of the work stoppages was funding
`We've asked to meet with Janet Ecker, but she says this is strictly a labor dispute. But it's more than that. This situation is due to the minister's cutbacks'' This agency's budget was cut by $1.8 million and management is taking it out on the working conditions and benefits of these low-paid people Management will not talk even though we have proposed ways to save money. And now we hear they plan to use replacement workers (CUPE President Judy Darcy).
Findings and Discussion
Work stoppages affect clients either directly or indirectly
Clients were left with reduced or no services Either due to the small size, limited resources
or the specialized nature of the services, the SEOs could not possibly mitigate the impact of the labour disputes.
Findings and Discussion
Work stoppages affect the primary stakeholders—the organization, clients, employees and the community in the short term.
However, the outcome of many of the labour disputes suggest that we could argue that they are as short term pain for long term gain.
Findings and Discussion
Collective bargaining gain on quality of care, workload and safety is beneficial to clients, employees, the organization and the community.
Findings and Discussion
Example: strike by employees of Good Shepherd Centres in Hamilton
Multidimensional benefits of collective bargaining in SEOs.
Security concerns affect clients, employees, the effectiveness and bottom line of the organization.
Findings and Discussion
Findings provide evidence of collective voice Employees embracing collective voice option
through work stoppages Increased unionization creates potential for
social movement unionism Neo classical economics explanation
Conclusions
Funding Managers as agents of funders Erosion of values
QUESTIONS
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