This 23 minute video portrays some of the principal underlying issues behind Canada's grievance arbitration system. Some of the areas covered in this production are the inherent delays, legal technicalities, separation from the worksite, high cost of arbitration, and nonparticipation of worker(s) in the process - all leading to worker intimidation, disempowerment and alienation. The history of "no right" to strike in Canada during the life of a collective agreement is also explored, along with a brief comparison of the US situation, and a comparison and contrasting of the rights of workers and management in the workplace in Canada, and problems in finding solutions to workplace disputes in Canada.

GRIEVANCE ARBITRATORS IN CANADA:
THEIR CHANGING ROLE OVER TIME

This 23 minute video starts out with a brief history of grievance arbitrators in Canada - moving quickly to the issue of informal vs. formal arbitration hearings - and the tendency for formal hearings to be legalistic. A discussion then follows as to the merits of a union based arbitrators chart. The changing powers of the arbitrator are then debated - most notably the power to modify a penalty, becoming law in a number of Canadian jurisdictions, including the federal, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec due to the results of an arbitration appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. A workplace reconstruction and grievance situation then graphically illustrates the reasoning behind the change in the law.

Both grievance arbitration videos include actual footage of Canadian Auto Workers and United United Steel Workers of America arbitration hearings.

Both Videos were produced in 2002 and were broadcast nationally on Canadian Learning Television and ACCESS - the Education Station in 2003.

GRACE HARTMAN: THE FIRST WOMAN TO LEAD
A MAJOR UNION IN CANADA

Grace Hartman (1918-1993) was the first woman to serve as national leader of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Grace is best known for courageous defence of C.U.P.E. members and her commitment to women's issues. Grace was jailed for contempt of court for not ordering striking Ontario C.U.P.E. hospital workers back to work. This video explores Graces involvement in this strike and her lifelong commitment and struggle to ensure worker's interests.

This 22 minute documentary video was first broadcast on Working TV in Vancouver British Columbia for Labour Day celebrations in 1997 and nationally in Canada on Vision TV in spring of 1998.

 

BLACK WEDNESDAY: THE LANIGAN STRIKE

This 18 minute educational documentary video examines the issues and events which took place during the strike in Lanigan, Saskatchewan in 1986. August 13 was called "Black Wednesday" by members of Local 922 of the Energy and Chemical Workers Union when a riot squad arrived to arrest 60 picketers, immediately after a court injunction had limited pickets to five persons. An injunction was also imposed on picketers to not stop people from entering the plant gate to inform the public of the issues involved in the labour dispute. Striking workers, Local union President, labour leaders, academics, labour lawyers, spousal support group members, a local merchant, and a priest are interviewed for the video production. This video is a co-production between Labour Video Communications and the Energy and Chemical Workers Union.

YOU CAN'T JAIL THE STRIKE

The landmark strike at Gainers Meatpacking in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada by 1,080 members of Local 280-P of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in 1986, in their battle against concession contracts is captured in this 17 minute fast paced documentary video.

The video shows the union busting efforts of Peter Pocklinton, owner of Gainers, by bringing in scab labour to replace striking workers, the clashes between picketers and police and riot squads, and court injunctions to break the strike. Alberta's anti-union labour laws are also explored - as are the various contract issues involved, the harsh working conditions in the meatpacking industry, the heroic efforts of striking workers, a demonstration held at the Alberta Legislative Building, and the national boycott movement that sprung up in defence of these workers and their struggle.

Interviews for the video were conducted with striking workers, local, provincial, national and international union leaders, and the unions' lawyer. This video is a co-production between Labour Video Communications and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

GAINER'S UPDATE AND SETTLEMENT

This 23 minute rough cut video documents the events surrounding the end of the 7 month strike by Local 280-P of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union against Gainers meatpacking in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and the final settlement agreed to by members of the union.

This rarely seen video, up to now shown only to members of Local 280-P and screened at the UFCW national convention in 1987 is now available to the public. In it the news media and press conference held for the local union President of UFCW Local 280-P and Peter Pocklington give their views on the strike and settlement offer.

The membership meeting to discuss the contents of the memorandum of agreement with the union leadership is also shown - as is the membership vote, results of the vote, and membership responses to the acceptance of the contract offer, which include "no job loss due to strike related activity"and "no parity", "losses on overtime" and "new rates of pay for new hirees".

And finally, the national campaign of all unions across Canada to donate and ship Christmas gifts for the over 500 children of the Gainers strikers is shown, as is the solidarity with striking International Woodworkers of America at Zeiglers, with Christmas gifts and financial proceeds going to IWA striking workers and their families. This video is a co-production between Labour Video Communications and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

MAYWORKS '88'

This 18 minute video documents the efforts of the labour movement in Toronto, Ontario Canada in affiliation with other parts of the labour movement across Canada to celebrate workers contribution to the Arts, as well as professional artists who represent workers struggles through their art in 1988 - as an alternative to Labour Day celebrations - and in memory of Mayday, an international day of worker solidarity and celebration.

Various artistic venues are shown, be they painting, poetry reading, song, dance, or theatre. This video was produced using a Video 8 Camcorder. While the quality is less than desirable than one would expect from a professional filming, the spirit and content of the celebrations are captured in their rich texture and authenticity. This video was broadcast on a local cable television station for a local labour television program in the Toronto area in 1988 and distributed to various unions across Ontario.