Labor Movements: A Comparative Analysis

Labor sociologist Barry Eidlin joins Suzi to discuss the recent Air Canada strike, which has now reached a tentative agreement. The strike began when 10,000 flight attendants, organized in the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), walked off the job on August 16, after months of failed negotiations. The Canadian government responded with its usual move: a back-to-work order under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code — a provision that ostensibly regulates strikes, but is instead used to short-circuit them. But this time, something unusual happened: the workers defied the order, chanting “Forced to fly? We won’t comply!”

After an all-night bargaining session, they secured a tentative settlement on August 19th — showing what labor can do when it doesn’t back down.

We talk about the strike, the government response, its outcome, and what it portends. We’ll also talk about the differences between Canadian and US unionizing and labor law, strike outcomes, and public policy.

Jacobin Radio with Suzi Weissman features conversations with leading thinkers and activists, with a focus on labor, the economy, and protest movements.