L'influence extragène en matière de direction syndicale au Canada Foreign Influences in the Direction of Trade-Unionism in Canada

Sommaire

Le type de direction syndicale est un élément fondamental dans toute situation ouvrière. L'auteur propose une synthèse historique et caractérise l'apport étranger à la conduite des syndicats canadiens. De l'Angleterre ont été exportées les conceptions du Nouveau Modèle, et plus tard du Nouvel Unionisme. Cependant les Etats-Unis ont été les principaux pourvoyeurs. Parmi les courants américains, l'influence prédominante a émané des unions internationales de métier. D'autre part, au Canada, certains chefs naturels charismatiques ont profondément marqué les débuts du syndicalisme chrétien.

Summary

Labour leaders, because of their conceptions in the area of objectives and methods, constitute a determining element in the orientation of a trade union movement because they furnish an ideology or programs that support the action in a given situation. In this regard, the direction of Canadian unions has been profoundly marked by foreign influences.

The first phase of Canadian unionism (1850-1874) developed under British influence as both British organizations and immigrants played a leading role in the formation of unions and in the determination of policies. Replaced by the United States around 1880, the European influence was, however, perpetuated through certain dominant personalities in Canadian unionism who were born in Europe, such as: Daniel O'Donoghue, Thomas Moore and Gustave Francq.

At this period, in England, radicalism and other panaceas had lost their hold on trade union organizations, because the failure of the Utopian socialist movements and of Chartism had been certain after 1850. It was the time of the rise of the New Model and the New Spirit. Leadership of British inspiration emphasized the craft formula, the amelioration of wages and working conditions as well as certain social security benefits, the utilization of the economic method, and recourse to political action as a supplementary influence.

At the beginning of the 20th century, however, the British Isles, through the principal leaders of the O.B.U., Russel, Johns, Ivens, Pritchard and Cooper who were of British origin, exerted a different influence. These leaders are situated in the genealogical line of the Grand National Consolidated Trade Union, of the Social Democratic Federation, and of the British industrialist movement of the 1880s. They wanted to transform the existing social order, not by the slow method of the craft unions, nor by revolution pure and simple, but by the use, in direct economic action, of the power of mass solidarity. They profoundly affected the Canadian West in the ideological sphere, and woke then the somnolent C.T.L.C.

American influence manifested itself after 1860, and by 1880 had become predominant. All the principal American trade union movements crossed the border, but the dominant model was that of the international craft unions. These long controlled the Canadian union scene, to the point where the Canadian movement appeared to be a reflection of the American movement. It was only gradually that independence was obtained and the Canadian movement escaped the direct influence of international unions.

American influence followed the British. Gompersian conceptions were in the line of thought of the British New Model, and the two currents fused instead of opposing each other. The Americans introduced the use of permanent fees, gave financial support and technical assistance in organization and negotiation matters, all of which contributed to stabilizing the movement and anchored it in the initial doctrinal direction. However, the Gompersian orientation delayed, for a long time, the extension of union organization beyond a small sector of labour.

In Quebec, an influence external to unionism but rooted in the province is at the origin of a strong and original labour movement, catholic unionism. The connection between the clergy and the working world goes back to 1901. Certain members of the clergy, in order to realize the social doctrine of the Church, played a leading role in organization until 1920, and until 1943 in the formulation of policies, as a result of the power attributed to the chaplain. Since then this direct influence has diminished rapidly.

Motivated by preoccupations more ideological than realistic, more spiritual and cultural than economic and professional these charismatic and traditional leaders gave a reactionary, reformist and strongly messianistic direction. For them, the purpose of their action was parasyndical. This is why they had little concern for the structural order. Yet on balance their activity had positive results. Without their assistance unionism would not have been implanted as early, and would not have progressed as rapidly in Quebec. They contributed to the creation of an atmosphere and conditions favourable to the formation of a unionist mentality in a milieu where the idea of union action had not yet been received and accepted by the masses, nor by public opinion, nor public authorities.

In conclusion, foreign influence has partly favoured a more rapid development of unionism, and on the other hand it has permitted Canadian unionism to define itself functionally and to find its natural expression in its milieu, while avoiding certain stumbling blocks which were encountered in other countries.