Effectiveness of Unions When unions first established, Canada was in a situation where employers were monopolists who can control wage rates and affects the governments. Workers were worried about their fat and greedy boss would come and reduce their wages. At that time, unions were set up to protect workers and fight for fair pay. There was indication that unions did perform its objectives in protecting workers. For example, some of the strikes held by these workers were successful, they could have fair pay and reasonable working hours.
Unfortunately, during the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), there was great discrimination within the labour force. There was anti-Chinese bias in the workplace ; white people did not approach the minority equally. Employers treated the Chinese as slaves, charged them impossibly high taxes, and provided extremely bad working conditions for them. It was really a tragedy for the Chinese.
A Canadian Pacific Railway freight eastbound over ...
An old CP Rail car outside the Brockville, Ontario...
English: Construction of snow shed on the Canadian...Meanwhile, which union could help in such circumstances? When there was a serious need of unions, they did not attain its maximal function. Even the union members would not accept minority groups to join the union. Chinese workers were suffering from the employers and they did not have support by any worker associations.
A coin has two sides. It cannot be denied that unions brought benefits and rights to the working class during the industrial revolution. Unions also have their succeed and failure in the economy. For the past years, unions were appeared to help the workers from treating unfairly by employers and they represent mainly the blue-collar workers in the workplace. After all these years, the Canadian economy has been changed. The proportion of blue-collar workers is decreasing. Many people have different opinions towards todayáæs union movements.