Privatization in British Columbia - What the Experts Say Will Happen

Privatization is either being implemented or investigated in over 100 countries and has become the plan of action for the government of British Columbia since October 1987. The goal of this project was to predict the effects of privatization on labor relations in British Columbia. The project specifically sought to understand how privatization might affect worker stability and wages, the structure and mechanisms for bargaining, the union's structure and size, and other issues. A delphi procedure was carried out in the fall of 1988 with 3 groups that represented union, management, and neutrals. The participants included some of the highest ranking labor relations practitioners in British Columbia. Based on the delphi prediction, the future of labor relations in British Columbia is one of short-term instability for job holders, lower wages, and fragmentation of management's approach to bargaining. The future also could include increases in costs for unions, more militancy, and more difficulty with improving labor relations.