Union payouts under fire

Doh!

To suggest it is common practice for an employer to hand over millions of dollars to a union to do battle with them at the bargaining table is akin to suggesting the Leafs are on track to win the Stanley Cup this year. Both defy reality.

With more than 35 years representing employers at the bargaining table and negotiating with a multitude of national and international unions, I found that most employers cover the cost of lost wages for employees to attend the actual bargaining sessions and that is about it.

One has to realize that the union chose to represent these employees and they in turn pay union dues to be represented by the union. The employer was not part of this arrangement and for it to subsidize the union during negotiations contaminates the process and necessarily extends negotiations.  (more...)

Union payouts under fire