As we celebrate Labour Day we reflect on the changing nature of the workers needing unions. The next wave of workers turning to unions isn’t from the factory floor. They’re lawyers, paralegals, engineers, analysts, IT professionals and accountants.
White collar professionals don’t have a long history with organized labour, but they’re increasingly joining unions.
“We’re seeing more professionals looking for union representation,” said Scott McCannell, executive director of the Professional Employees Association (PEA).
There are a number of reasons why professionals have been turning to unions like the PEA. Stagnant wages, no pensions, workloads, excessive hours, lack of professional development and benefit cuts are some of the reasons professionals are looking towards organized labour.
A shift in how professional workers are utilized in their workplace has also led to interest in unionization.
“When someone contacts us, they often refer to the past when professionals were treated differently in organizations,” said McCannell. “Their input and expertise was once respected.”
