Christian Labour Association of Canada
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| Full name | Christian Labour Association of Canada |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1952 |
| Members | 58,826 |
| Affiliation | World Organization of Workers (WOW) |
| Key people | Dick Heinen, Executive Director Hank Beekhuis, Ontario Director Wayne Prins, Alberta/NWT/Nunavut Director Dennis Perrin, Prairies Director David Prentice, BC/Yukon Territory Director |
| Office location | Mississauga, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) is a labour union which represents workers in the construction, health care and food industries. The association was established in 1952 to represent workers on the basis of "Christian social principles". The CLAC claims that their approach to labour relations develops workers’ sense of responsibility, participation, stewardship, and dignity. The CLAC opposes what they call the undemocratic, adversarial, and monopolistic practices of the labour movement.
CLAC has its roots in the Christian Socialism, which grew out of the Industrial Revolution. Like communism and socialism, Christian socialism sought to better the lives of workers. Unlike communism or socialism, it did not seek to start a revolution, or force workers to join a union. Instead, it advocated dignity and better working and living conditions for workers and freedom of association. This philosophy became the basis of many European labour unions in the late 1800s. These unions became a force in the world of labour relations.
The union ideology adopted in North America by most unions was communist/socialist in nature. Unlike the European pluralist model, where workers could choose from multiple unions in the same workplace, labour relations in North America was based on an all-or-nothing model, where workers of a company would be represented by one union. The unions which were formed were largely based in the US.Strikes and lockouts were frequent and sometimes violent due to the struggles between unions on the one hand and the police and lawmakers who sided with capitalist employers on the other hand.
By 1950, labour unions in Canada had organized themselves into 3 main groups: the Trades and Labour Congress, the Canadian Congress of Labour, and the Catholic unions of Quebec. The unions had gained power in the political arena and clout in the labour world. About 90% of workplaces that were represented by unions were closed shops. To work in those shops, one had to be a member of the union. Major unions in Canada, except for the Catholic unions in Quebec, were mostly led by social democrats or communists.
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