Södergren has successfully argued that closed shops violate the UN’s declaration of human rights and consequently helped pull the plug on the 15,000 that were in his homeland. However, in Canada, unlike most other countries, union membership as a condition of employment is still supported by collective agreements and legislation like the BC Labour Code.

Despite this being a universally declared right and a growing worldwide trend to ensure union membership is freely chosen, Canada, still allows forced union membership and the use of union dues for political purposes. Many unionized employees still face the archaic choice of joining a union or being fired.

A Swedish lawyer ventured into the heart of union country Tuesday to deliver a decidedly un-union-like message - that forced union membership is a violation of basic human rights.

Many unionized employees still face the archaic choice of join a union – or be fired.

In contrast, unionized employees in the 47-nation Council of Europe have a choice regarding union membership; and most who reject membership pay no dues at all. As of 2007, it’s also illegal for unions to use unionized non-member's dues for political activities.

To this day, many unionized Canadian workers are required to join the union that represents them or risk losing their jobs. In the midst of a worldwide trend to ensure union membership is a free choice, Canada remains one of the last Western countries to allow forced union membership and the use of union dues for political purposes.

If forced union membership violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms then why is it mandatory for so many unionized provincial civil servants and private sector employees across Canada to also become a union “Member” or be fired?

In the 27 countries of the European Union and the 47 countries of the larger Council of Europe, forced union membership as a condition of employment is an illegal violation of human rights. So is taking dues from unionized employees who do not join the union that represents them and using them for political purposes. This is the result of 26 years of human rights litigation culminating in judgments in 2006 and 2007 from the European Court of Human Rights.