The Politics of Public Sector Unions

Public sector unions in Canada are on the front lines of battles over austerity, privatization, and the very meaning of the public good. As governments impose wage restraints, curtail the right to strike, contract out services, and attempt to weaken union power in the name of fiscal discipline, public sector unions are simultaneously central political actors and lightning rods for attacks on workers’ rights and public services.

The Politics of Public Sector Unions traces the historical rise of public sector unionism, analyzes contemporary conflicts in key sectors, such as education, health care, municipal government, childcare, long‑term care, and corrections, and probes unions’ complex relationships with political parties and social movements. Contributors highlight both the strategic possibilities and constraints facing public sector unions as they confront neoliberal austerity and experiment with new forms of militancy, coalition‑building, and public outreach.

The book emphasizes the role of public sector unions as political movement organizations whose struggles reshape class relations, state power, and everyday life. Accessible but analytically sharp, this book offers readers a compelling account of why these unions matter, what makes them distinctive, and how their choices will influence the future of public services and labour politics in Canada.