Unions exist to fight management, and during the course of a strike, allowing workers to win meaningful gains from their employer should be paramount.
Sadly for striking workers at CN Rail, the battle between the Teamsters and the UTU is getting too much attention. UTU has not authorized the Canadian division to strike, and they claim the strike is being used a vehicle to divert member loyalty to the rival Teamsters Union.
I don't know who to believe, but regardless, this bickering should be dealt with only after the striking workers settle. And even if the UTU's claims are indeed correct, failing to authorize the strike and siding with management certainly won't gain them any loyalty from their Canadian workers. No one (except for big business) denies that UTU members deserve a fair contract, so let's worry about that, rather than worrying about which union they are represented by. I've never been a big fan of international unions, at least not a fan of those who fail to provide full autonomy to their Canadian division. Regardless of which union ends up representing these workers in the future, let's ensure they get a fair contract in the meantime.
Solidarity, anyone?
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