Deck 4: The Structure of Canadian Unions

Question 1

What elements of the labour council's work are financed through dues from local union affiliates?

A) Elections and other local union votes
B) Union work performed by the elected officers, volunteers and other union members
C) Research and reports in support of union initiatives
D) All of the above

Answer 1

B

Question 2

What is the major mechanism through which the direction of the Canadian Labour Congress is determined?

A) The national convention
B) The vice-presidents' council
C) The executive board
D) The delegates' council

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which sector comprises the majority of membership in the Centrale des syndicats du Québec

A) Education sector
B) The health sector
C) The private sector
D) None of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Who acts as the voice of labour at the national level?

A) The Trades and Labour Congress
B) The Canadian Labour Congress
C) The Canadian Congress of Labour
D) The Quebec Federation of Labour

Question 5

Unlike many labour organizations, the ILO is an agency of what international body?

A) NATO
B) United Nations
C) WTO
D) OPEC

Question 6

Which of the following is an important international labour body?

A) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
B) The International Federation of Trade Unions
C) The International Labour Organization
D) All of the above

Question 7

What labour body represents workers' interests to local government, municipal councils, boards, and commissions?

A) The municipal labour council
B) The town council
C) The labour council
D) The local council of the national union

Question 8

What two factors determine how local union decisions are made?

A) Majority of votes cast in favour and influence of the executive
B) Wishes of the membership and influence of the business agent
C) High member participation and turnout at membership meetings
D) None of the above

Question 9

Which of the following is not a determinant in the size of a local union?

A) The number of workers
B) The geographic location of workplaces
C) The finances of the union
D) The structure of the relevant employment sector

Question 10

What is the Solidarity Fund?

A) A fund to assist disadvantaged workers
B) A fund to provide medical and pension benefits
C) A labour sponsored investment fund
D) An employer sponsored investment fund

Question 11

What simple term is often used to refer to the first level of the union structure?

A) Membership
B) Council
C) Local
D) The 1st

Question 12

Which of the following is a distinct feature of the FTQ's relationship with the CLC?

A) Control over health in Quebec
B) Exclusive control over the operation of local labour councils
C) Adjustment of per capita fees
D) All of the above

Question 13

The CLC Code of union citizenship acknowledges all but which of the following in relation to CLC affiliates?

A) Different sizes
B) Internal structures
C) Geographic locations
D) Inequitable gender representations

Question 14

What is the name of the Confederation of National Trade Unions' labour sponsored investment fund?

A) Solidarity fund
B) Fondaction
C) The Quebec Pension fund
D) Investment Quebec

Question 15

Who was the first president of the Canadian Labour Congress to be elected when a previous president was also running for re-election?

A) Hassan Husseini
B) Ken Georgetti
C) Buzz Hargrove
D) Hassan Yussuff

Question 16

What is the largest centralized labour federation in Quebec?

A) The Quebec Federation of Labour
B) The Confederation of National Trade Unions
C) The Canadian Catholic Confederation of Labour
D) The Quebec Teacher's Federation

Question 17

What is the supreme authority in the Confederation of National Trade Unions?

A) The president
B) The membership
C) The vice-presidents' council
D) The congress

Question 18

Which of the following events generally has the highest level of member participation?

A) The ratification vote
B) Elections of union officials
C) Special grievance meetings
D) The regular monthly meeting

Question 19

Which of the following has helped to shape the distinctive quality of Industrial relations in Quebec?

A) Religion
B) Culture
C) Outside ownership and control
D) All of the above

Question 20

Which of the following is generally thought to not factor prominently enough in union functions?

A) Protecting wages
B) Advocating for laws to help working people
C) Protecting working conditions
D) Collective bargaining

Question 21

Usually the union membership is free to structure the union as it sees fit.

Question 22

The Canadian Labour Congress represents the interests of workers at all levels of government in Canada.

Question 23

The Canadian labour movementconsists of a network of relationships both direct and indirect which is both large and complex.

Question 24

Which of the following does not have paid positions?

A) CLC
B) Labour Councils
C) Provincial federations of labour
D) National labour federations

Question 25

An affiliate can claim justification to the CLC by outlining the reasons for the organizing action being considered.

Question 26

Members of a local union pay a percentage of their salary as their monthly membership dues.

Question 27

Motions can be passed or defeated at conventions by effective lobbying of those in attendance

Question 28

Parent unions generally set aside a percentage of their fees for a strike fund used to pay members when they are on strike or locked out.

Question 29

Historically low levels of member participation indicate all but which of the following?

A) Members are happy with the direction taken on issues
B) Members do not need to attend ratification votes
C) Unions function better when few members control it
D) Members are satisfied

Question 30

What does union structure seek to ensure?

A) It remains politically active
B) It is financially viable
C) It is directed by the wishes of its membership
D) It is democratically constituted

Question 31

What is not a generic term for parent union?

A) regional
B) provincial
C) national
D) international

Question 32

A greater percentage of Canadians belong to which type of union?

A) International union
B) Unaffiliated union
C) Public sector union
D) National union

Question 33

All but which of the following are forms of union participation?

A) Complaining about the union's activities
B) Deciding not to attend a meeting
C) Informal discussions about union issues with other union members
D) Serving on the union executive

Question 34

Almost 20 years ago, which labour council altered its focus to concentrate on the community's needs?

A) Toronto Labour Council
B) Halifax Labour Council
C) Regina Labour Council
D) Calgary Labour Council

Question 35

Members who take time away from their jobs to serve on the executive

A) Retain their seniority and benefits
B) Take leave without pay and cannot return to their union job
C) Must resign their position
D) Get to be promoted upon their return

Question 36

The regional union is considered the cornerstone of union structure.

Question 37

Labour councils interact on what level(s) to represent workers' interests?

A) Court representation
B) Parliamentary committees
C) Provincial government
D) Commissions

Question 38

Parent unions do all of the following except

A) Conclude collective agreements for the local
B) Assist in the creation of local unions
C) Assist the local in resolving conflict with the employer
D) Advise in the area of collective bargaining

Question 39

Local unions send delegates to their federation's annual convention. Each local is always entitled to an equal number of delegates.

Question 40

The Canadian Labour Congress constitution sets out the premise that affiliates will not organize or attempt to represent employees that are organized and have an established collective bargaining relationship with another affiliate.

Question 41

List some of the functions of parent unions.

Question 42

How are the affairs of the parent union governed and what style of decision-making is used?

Question 43

List at least five of the types of issues, which are discussed at the national conventions of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Question 44

What does it mean to be 'in good standing'?

Question 45

Describe the structure and function of each level of the Canadian labour movement.

Question 46

Describe the four major functions of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Question 47

Name the individual paid to assist in union operations and briefly describe their responsibilities.

Question 48

Describe the range of activities in which labour councils are involved.

Question 49

Describe the function of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Question 50

What is the approach of the Canadian Labour Congress when a prospective union does not fit within any of the CLC's established jurisdictions or spheres of activity?

Question 51

What are some of the services provided by provincial labour federations?

Question 52

Discuss the affiliation that Canadian unions have with international labour federations.

Question 53

List the major labour federations in Quebec and describe their basic philosophies?

Question 54

What are some of the responsibilities of shop stewards in the local unions?

Question 55

The local union carries out three major functions and is also responsible for three types of bargaining-related activities. What are the three major functions and how are they aligned with the three bargaining activities?