What role can unions and workers play in promoting a quality-of-work agenda?

Rapid technological change and the globalization of economic activity is re-structuring the North American economy , and with it the nature and future of work in Canada . There is now a clear , though barely-articulated question as to whether secure , full-time adequately-waged employment will be available to much of the North American workforce , at least over the next 30-60 years , or whether "jobless growth , under-employment and "contingent " employment will become the norm , as is increasingly the trend in other industrialized nations

Canada has shifted towards a knowledge- based economy , reflecting an upward trend

across most industries with the explosive growth of the information and communications technology sector over the past decade This transition has been a long and continuous process , crossing all provinces and the urban-rural sectors , with a general increase in the importance of skills , knowledge and human capital among many types of firms and establishments . In fact , the proportion of knowledge workers increased steadily over the last three decades , reflecting a growth trend that began long before the high-tech boom of the 1990s (Beckstead 2003

Many organizations struggle to build the leadership capacity that they need to thrive in the ever-changing global business environment Canadians revealed a pervasive anxiety about such issues as joblessness under- and over-employment , conflicts between work and family , workplace inequalities , retiring with dignity , and jobs for youth . At the same time , they indicated that they want more from their working lives - not only economic security and a decent standard of living , but opportunities for personal development...