(The following article is from the September 16-30, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

Information from Canadian Autoworkers

Each year Statistics Canada publishes a review of unionization in "Perspectives on Labour and Income" just before Labour Day. The August 2009 review compares the first half of 2009 with the first half of 2008. The numbers show union membership has fallen - but not as fast as employment fell. Since unionized workers have a larger share of all employment, "unionization" rates have grown slightly.

     For the first half of 2009, employment averaged 14.1 million - a loss of 317,000 jobs over the same time a year ago when employment was 14.4 million.

     For the first time in Canadian history, more women than men are employed. During the first half of 2009 an average 7.123 million women were employed compared with 6.963 million men. This reflects job losses in the manufacturing and resource sectors as well as job growth in the service sector.

     Union membership totals 4.16 million, down from 4.23 million in 2008. Canada's unionization rate is 29.5%, up slightly from 29.4% in 2008. Another 296,000 are covered by a contract but aren't members - for a "union density" of 4.45 million workers (31.6% of all employees).

     Unionization rose for young workers (ages 15-24) to 14.7% (from 13.5% in 2008).

     Unionization rose for public sector workers to 71.3%, but fell for private sector workers to 16.1% (from 16.3%). Among manufacturing workers, 24.2% are unionized (down from 26.8% last year), and 30.3% of service workers are unionized (up from 29.6% in 2008). The rates is lowest in private services like accommodation and food (7%).

     Since 2006, women are the majority of union members; 2.19 million women and 1.96 million men belong to a union. Women's unionization rate (30.8%) exceeds men's (28.2%) with the gap increasing since 2008.

     The most unionized provinces remain Newfoundland/Labrador and Quebec. Alberta remains the least unionized. Unionization increased significantly in Nova Scotia but fell in B.C., New Brunswick and Ontario.

     Unionization rose in health care. It declined most in manufacturing and the primary resources sector.

     Unionization rose to 23.3% in part-time jobs. Full-time is a stable 31%.

     By comparison, only 12.4% of U.S. workers were union members in 2008 (up from 12.1% in 2007). Private sector rates were 7.6% and public sector 36.8%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

     For the year 2008 the average unionized worker was paid $24.47 an hour while the average nonunion worker earned only $19.89. Full-time union workers averaged $25.06 but non-union full-timers averaged $21.54. Part-time union workers averaged $20.79 but non-union part-timers earned dramatically lower pay of $13.16 hourly.

     Unionized part-timers had access to more schedule hours (19.2 hours) than non-union part-timers (16.8 hours). Statistics Canada says that unionized part-time employees had higher weekly earnings, and also worked more (19.2 hours vs. 16.8). This led to a larger gap in weekly earnings ($405.97 versus $225.94).

     Union women are closer to achieving pay equity. Women in unionized full time jobs averaged 94% of union full-time men's average ($24.27 versus $25.76). The wage gap was much bigger for non-union full-time women who earned only 81% of their male counterparts ($19.01 versus $23.60).

     The "union advantage" continues in 2009. The latest Labour Force Survey (July 2009) shows unionized workers now earn an average $24.84 hourly. That is 22% more than unorganized workers who average only $20.35 hourly.