Advocating for Toronto's Commercial Cleaning Industry Workers: Union and Broad-Based Campaigns, 2000-2018
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Authors
Kamin-Patterson, Sean
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
union and non-union campaigns and strategies , competitive dynamics and structure of commercial cleaning , labour geography , lobbying , city-wide collective bargaining , legislative change , Toronto , Justice and Dignity for Cleaners (JD4C) , Justice for Janitors (J4J) , Fight for $15 and Fairness (FFF) , Fight for $15 (FF15) , privatization , outsourcing , subcontracting , independent contracting , contract flipping , precarious work , industrial relations , competitive bidding , price competition
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Abstract
This study examines union and non-union advocacy efforts to improve wages, working conditions, and employment security for workers in Toronto’s downtown commercial cleaning industry in the period 2000-2018. It analyzes the structure and competitive dynamics of the commercial cleaning industry, emphasizing how the competitive bidding structure, price competition, contract flipping, and other company strategies lead to the precarious nature of cleaning work by driving down standards and working conditions. Outsourcing and subcontracting of cleaning services and the prevalence of independent contractors, who lack the protection of a standard employment relationship, create significant challenges for unions seeking to organize a largely racialized and gendered cleaning workforce largely drawn from immigrant communities, many of whom are employed part-time and hold multiple jobs. The analysis draws on primary research data collected through semi-structured interviews with union organizers, non-union organization activists, and cleaning company owners. Secondary information was obtained through a comprehensive review of legislative and policy documents and media analysis.
The study employs three case studies to investigate the efficacy of union and non-union campaigns and strategies to improve wages, working conditions, and employment security for cleaners. The first analyzes a union-led campaign to save the jobs of Toronto’s municipal cleaners threatened by privatization. The second case examines how a union innovative strategy to develop city-wide collective bargaining agreements helped stabilize cleaners’ wages and benefits, improved employment security, and increased unionization within Toronto’s commercial cleaning industry. The final case study focuses on a province-wide social movement to bring about legislative change to improve employment standards and worker protection for Ontario’s low-wage service sector workers, including cleaners.
This research found that both union-led lobbying and collective bargaining strategies and more broadly-based social movements to pressure for legislative change were needed to improve wages, working conditions, and employment security for Toronto commercial cleaning workers during this period.
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ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.