Taking the Pulse of Public Sector Labour Relations

1
Taking the Pulseof Public Sector Labour
Relations

• Opening plenary presentation to National
  Conference on Public Sector Relations, The
  Canadian InstituteSeptember 17, 2003

François Lamontagne Senior Researcher Canadian
Labour and Business Centre
2
About the Canadian Labour and Business Centre

• A national, independent research and policy
  organization, created in 1984
• Our Mission is to improve business and labour
  practices in Canada, and to provide public policy
  advice on labour market and skills issues.
• Multipartite Board, including business, labour,
  government and education
• National forum for dialogue and research on
  labour market, skills, and related work issues.

3
The Viewpoints Survey

• A snapshot of business, labour and public sector
  leaders perceptions on a range of issues
• Conducted every two years first done in 1996
• Deals with challenges facing the economy,
  potential solutions, demographic and skills
  issues, healthy workplace practices, and
  labour-management relations
• In 2002, largest response ever 1,145
• Response rate of 20

4
Composition of Responses

• 36 private sector managers (n409)
• 23 private sector labour (n264)
• 25 public sector managers (n291)
• 16 public sector labour (n181)

5
The State of Labour Relations in the Economy in
2002
6
The State of Labour Relations in the Public
Sector, by Industry in 2002
7
The State of Labour Relations in the Public
Sector, by Region in 2002
8
Outlook for Labour-Management Relations Over Next
Two Years, 2002
9
How Views Have Changed Over Time
10
Whats Behind Declining Relations? (Labour
Leader Responses)
11
Whats Behind Declining Relations? (Manager
Responses)
12
Workplace Health Programs May Positively
Influence Labour-Management Relations
13
Workplace Health Programs May Positively
Influence Labour-Management Relations (cont.)
14
Lessons Learned

• There is cause for concern about declining
  labour-management relations in Canadas public
  sector
• Stress levels appear as a major culprit in the
  decline
• Good labour-management relations matter. They can
  impact positively or negatively on workplace
  performance
• Providing good working conditions goes miles into
  sustaining good relations
• An important warning signal given the HR
  challenges the country is currently facing