This role play takes place in the student services department of a mid-sized university/college in Canada. Workers in the department assist students with registration, information queries, and clarification about course requirements. The pay is okay but the hours of work are inconsistent and there are always plans to merge the student services areas into other departments within the university/college. Student enrolment is dropping so job security is becoming an issue for all workers within this department. The workers have decided that they need to be represented by a union that can provide job security, wage protection, and more involvement in how decisions are made which impact the lives of every worker in the department.

ROLE DESCRIPTIONS

Employee A:

You are a front-line student services worker at your college/university. You are very concerned that you will lose your job if the department merges with another one within the next six months. You want to know from each of the union representatives how they will be able to protect your job and provide you with job security for the next three to four years.

Question 1: As a representative for CLAC, prepare a script that you will discuss with Employee A that will convince them to select CLAC as the right union to represent his or her interests.

Question 2: As a representative for UNIFOR, prepare a script that you will discuss with Employee A that will convince them to select UNIFOR as the right union to represent his or her interests.

Question 3: As Employee A, which of the following decisions would you make and why:

(i) Join CLAC

(ii) Join UNIFOR

(iii) Join a different union (state which one specifically)