One another day, one more labor struggle. Concerns about how to deal with unions and their representatives have grown among HR leaders and their employers as a result of the recent wave of industrial strikes throughout Canada.
According to Lorenzo Lisi, partner at Aird & Berlis, given the existence of inflation, unions are becoming fairly aggressive in their salary demands.
“Unions want more pay for their members, so we’re noticing more of a push at the negotiating table for pay raises as well as cost-of-living adjustments in case inflation keeps rising. Employers are straining to control expenses as personal buying power declines, and the possibility of an economic downturn or recession is a constant worry.
In addition to a talent market that has been adversely affected by a severe labor shortage, HR directors are having difficulty luring and keeping top talent, which might prompt some businesses to go to overseas employees to fill the gaps.