The number of employed Canadians who say unions are losing their relevance has increased to 46% - up 8% since 2003. Results from a Nanos Research survey of 1,000 employed Canadians commissioned by the Canadian LabourWatch Association (LabourWatch), clearly shows Canadians are now split in their belief that unions are no longer relevant.

Key indicators that unions are losing their relevance include the fact that 77% of non-unionized working Canadians are not interested in being unionized, and more than 25% of currently unionized respondents stated that, if given the choice, they would prefer not to be unionized. “These results speak for themselves” says John Mortimer, President of LabourWatch. “Union leader positions on a range of issues are contributing to this continuing slide in both interest and actual union representation.”

Almost 80% of unionized Canadians oppose union leaders giving dues to political parties; likewise when the dues are used for ads to oppose a specific party as in recent Alberta and Ontario elections.

Almost 70% of unionized Canadians oppose union leaders giving dues to advocacy groups unrelated to workplace needs.

90% of unionized Canadians believe a secret ballot should be required when forming or removing a union from a workplace, yet union leaders consistently oppose legislated votes.

65% of unionized Canadians oppose forced union Membership as a condition of employment, but most unions demand and get it.

Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that forced union Membership is a Charter violation, yet this practice continues across Canada (with the exception of the Federal civil service – the only unionized Canadians protected from also having to become and remain a union Member to get and keep a job).

Forced union Membership has been outlawed by courts and legislatures around the world. Unionized non-Members abroad pay reduced or no union dues at all. Canada is now alone in the world in continuing to allow these human rights violations.

“Forced Membership and dues reduces union leader accountability, especially when you can threaten a worker with the loss of their job if they resign or lose their union Membership”, said Mortimer. “Unions blame their decline on things like secret ballot unionization votes instead”

The poll will be featured in The National Post for two days and Le Journal de Montréal for three days starting Saturday, August 30. Full results will be available online at www.labourwatch.com on Labour Day Monday – September 1st.

Nanos Research conducted a random representative telephone survey of 1,000 employed Canadians between July 27th and August 6th, 2008. The margin of accuracy for a random sample of 1,000 respondents is 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.