Students in Group Study courses are advised that this syllabus may vary in key details in each instance of the course. Always refer to the Moodle site for the most up-to-date details on texts, assignment structure, and grading.
Overview
MAIS 514: The Theory and Practice of Trade Unions. By looking at some of the things that unions really do, and that are actually quite different from media images of union bosses, strikers, and agitators, this course seeks to give some answers as to why unions are less popular and less successful than in the past. The course also shows that the weaknesses of labour movements today resembles periods of weakness in the past and that such periods were overcome through new ways of organizing and fighting for workers’ demands. Finally, the course will look at a recent fight back against the corporate onslaught on workers.
Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to
explain the practices that unions use to organize, mobilize, and represent workers in Canada
evaluate the successes and shortcomings of current union practices
discuss the impact of globalization on unions today
draw lessons from labour history and use them in order to devise effective strategies for current labour movements
analyze the difficulties of mobilizing workers in times of economic crisis
Evaluation
To receive credit for this course, students must participate in the online activities, successfully complete the assignments, and achieve a final mark of at least 60 per cent. Students should be familiar with the Master of Arts—Interdisciplinary Studies grading system. Please note that it is students' responsibility to maintain their program status. Any student who receives a grade of "F" in one course, or a grade of "C" in more than one course, may be required to withdraw from the program.
The following table summarizes the evaluation activities and the credit weights associated with them.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1
25%
Assignment 2
15%
Assignment 3
10%
Assignment 4
50%
Total
100%
Materials
Camfield, David. 2011. Canadian Labour in Crisis – Reinventing the Workers’ Movement. Halifax & Winnipeg: Fernwood Publishing. (Print)
Leadbeater, David. (Ed.). 2008. Mining Town Crisis – Globalization, Labour and Resistance in Sudbury. Halifax & Winnipeg: Fernwood Publishing. (Print)
Mason, Paul. 2010. Live Working or Die Fighting – How the Working Class Went Global. Chicago: Haymarket Books. (Print)
Yates, Michael (ed.) 2012. Wisconsin Uprising – Labor Fights Back. New York: Monthly Review Press. (Print)
Athabasca University Online Materials
Course Home Page: You will find Course Information (including the Assignment File and other pertinent information) at the top of the course home page. You will also find your Study Guide presented unit by unit online. You will find your assignments and links to submit your work to your professor on the course home page.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.