Why has Canada seen a rise in labour disputes? [Video]

Canada’s unions seem to be having a moment and labour experts don’t see the increase in strikes, lockouts and job action scaling back anytime soon.

Since 2021, federal government data shows that more than 1.4 million unionized workers have been involved in more than 1,100 strikes and lockouts that have amounted to 10 or more person-days not worked. In 2023 alone, there were 745 work stoppages resulting in more than 6.5 million person-days not worked including a major PSAC strike that saw more than 155,000 federal government workers walk off the job.

Labour experts say unions are being more aggressive than before and are more willing than ever to strike due to the rising cost of living and years of high inflation.

“These kinds of upticks, or upsurges, they always seem to come out of nowhere,” said Barry Eidlin, an associate professor of sociology at McGill University. “Look at it retrospectively, and you can see …