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This Economic Insights article documents differences in labour market participation observed between immigrant wives and Canadian-born wives over the 2006-to-2014 period. It also assesses the degree to which the lower participation of immigrant wives, as compared with their Canadian-born counterparts, can be accounted for by differences in socioeconomic characteristics, such as family size, weekly wages of husbands, and labour force participation in the source country. The study uses the Labour Force Survey and World Bank indicators on source-country characteristics to examine these issues. Attention is restricted to Canadian-born women and landed immigrant women aged 25 to 54 who are married (or living in common-law relationships) with husbands aged 25 to 54 who are employed as paid workers. For simplicity, the terms ‘husbands’ and ‘wives’ are used to refer to men and women who are married or in common-law relationships.

The article reviews the book, "Queer Mobilizations: Social Movement Activism and Canadian Public Policy," edited by Manon Tremblay.

À contre-courant des approches fonctionnaliste, culturaliste et, dans une moindre mesure, constructiviste sur le transfert transnational des pratiques organisationnelles dans les firmes multinationales (MNC), qui insistent toutes sur le rôle primordial des gestionnaires supposés faire le pont entre la maison-mère et les filiales, cet article recourt aux processus de négociation sociale dudit transfert par les acteurs locaux plutôt intéressés par ce qu’ils y gagnent. Pour mieux comprendre les raisons de la réussite (ou de l’échec) du transfert des pratiques de flexibilisation qu’une MNC nord-américaine cherche à implanter dans sa filiale au Ghana et qu’elle a mises en pratique au Canada, l’article propose un modèle analytique de deux facteurs capables d’en influencer l’issue : les mécanismes de gouvernance locale et l’agence micropolitique.Le premier facteur souligne la finalité économique du transfert et traduit les arrangements institutionnels initiés par les gestionnaires des filiales, notamment avec l’exécutif syndical au Canada et la communauté locale au Ghana. Cette gouvernance locale produit une segmentation à l’intérieur du marché de travail au Canada (les permanents vs les temporaires) et à l’extérieur dans la communauté au Ghana (les travailleurs vs la communauté). Quant au second facteur, le rôle politique des acteurs, il reflète les enjeux locaux en termes de survie de l’usine, dans un cas, et de préservation des traditions socio-ethniques, dans l’autre. Ces acteurs locaux qui contrôlent la segmentation des pratiques de flexibilisation de l’emploi dans leur filiale respective jouent ainsi un rôle charnière dans le processus du transfert dont ils conditionnent la réussite.L’article conclut qu’il y a une négociation sociale nécessaire des pratiques organisationnelles que la maison-mère cherche à transférer aux filiales et que la réussite ou l’échec du transfert est fonction de la portée du consensus négocié avec les acteurs touchés par les enjeux, et pas seulement de la finalité économique recherchée par les politiques d’hybridation. // Title in English: The Transfer of Labour Flexibility Practices in a Multinational Firm: The Pivotal Role of Subsidiaries’ Local Actors. Contrary to the functionalist, culturalist and, to a lesser extent, constructivist approaches, which all focus on the managers’ key role in bridging the gap between the parent company and its subsidiaries, this article takes a different perspective on the transnational transfer of organizational practices in a multinational firm (MNC). It argues that local actors engage in social negotiation of the transfer based on what they might gain. The article offers an analytical model of two factors that impact the transfer outcome. This allows us to better understand the reasons for the success (or failure) of the transfer of labour flexibility practices that a North-American MNC seeks to transfer to its Ghanaian subsidiary and which have already been implemented in its Canadian subsidiary. These factors are local governance mechanisms and micro-political agency.The first factor highlights the economic purpose of the transfer and reflects institutional arrangements initiated by the subsidiaries’ managers, notably with the union executive in Canada and the local community in Ghana. This local governance produces a segmentation inside the labour market in Canada (permanent vs temporary workers) and outside in the community in Ghana (workers vs the community). The second factor concerns the actor’s political role, focusing on local issues in terms of plant survival in the Canadian case and the preservation of socio-ethnic traditions in the Ghanaian case. These local actors, who control the segmentation of labour flexibility practices in their respective subsidiaries, play a pivotal role in the transfer process and its success.The article concludes that there is a required social negotiation of organizational practices a parent company seeks to transfer to its subsidiaries. The transfer success or failure depends on the scope of the negotiated agreement between actors affected by the issues and not just on the economic purpose that the MNC pursues through its hybridization policies.

Bien que les changements organisationnels soient généralement considérés comme générateurs d’effets plus durables que les interventions individuelles, ils sont davantage difficiles à implanter. La littérature en changement organisationnel suggère que la participation d’acteurs-clés de différents niveaux hiérarchiques d’un milieu de travail peut contribuer à définir des changements qui seront mieux acceptés. L’ergonomie est une discipline pour laquelle la participation des divers acteurs en vue d’introduire des modifications dans une organisation du travail déficiente s’impose, depuis de nombreuses années, comme une nécessité méthodologique. Cependant, on constate un déficit de connaissances quant aux processus ou actions de l’ergonome qui mènent à l’implantation des changements. L’objectif de cette étude de cas réalisée dans une entreprise aéronautique est de décrire finement les actions de l’ergonome, en vue d’émettre des recommandations quant aux indicateurs à inclure dans un modèle d’évaluation des processus de l’intervention ergonomique. Comme résultat, une analyse quantitative des processus a permis d’illustrer les modifications dans les stratégies de l’ergonome aux différentes étapes de l’intervention et en fonction de certains éléments-clés du contexte. Au plan qualitatif, cette étude montre à quel point les étapes préalables à l’implantation des changements sont cruciales afin de favoriser l’adhésion collective des acteurs-clés au plan d’action sur les changements à implanter. Cette étude constitue une contribution à la problématique scientifique émergente de l’évaluation des interventions complexes, plus particulièrement celle de l’élaboration d’un modèle d’évaluation des interventions ergonomiques. Les résultats confirment, notamment, l’intérêt d’effectuer des analyses quantitatives et qualitatives des processus ainsi que l’importance de documenter les éléments-clés du contexte ayant influencé ces mêmes processus et leurs effets. Ce tant du point de vue de l’intervenant que de celui des acteurs-clés. Il est fort probable que ces constats puissent, également, s’appliquer à d’autres types d’interventions organisationnelles. Et si l’on souhaite poursuivre cet axe de recherche, l’évaluation d’une série d’interventions ergonomiques permettrait de bonifier ces résultats. // Title in English: Analysis of Processes Leading to Changes in a Company Operating in the Aeronautical Sector: Towards an Evaluation Model for Ergonomic Interventions. Although organizational changes are generally considered as generating longer lasting effects than those generated by individual changes, they are more difficult to implement. The literature on organizational change suggests that the participation of key actors at different hierarchical levels within the workplace can help identify changes that will be more easily accepted. Ergonomics is a discipline in which the participation of various actors has, for many years, represented a methodological necessity in order to make required changes when work organization is poor. However, there is a lack of knowledge related to the processes or actions done by the ergonomist that lead to the implementation of changes. The objective of this case study, conducted in an aeronautical company, is to accurately describe the actions of the ergonomist and to make recommendations as to which indicators to include in a process evaluation model for ergonomic interventions. In terms of results, a quantitative analysis of processes reveals how an ergonomist’s strategy can change at different stages of the intervention, based on certain key contextual elements. Qualitatively, this study shows how the stages prior to implementing changes are crucial in fostering the collective engagement of key actors involved in the action plan describing the changes to be implemented. This study makes a scientific contribution that relates to the evaluation of complex interventions, particularly the development of an evaluation model for ergonomic interventions. The results confirm the interest of conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses of processes and the importance of documenting the key contextual elements that influenced the processes and effects. That, from both the perspective of the facilitator and key actors. These findings could also apply to other types of organizational interventions. To continue this line of research, the evaluation of a series of ergonomic interventions would allow to deepen these results.

Explorations into today's labour context reveal a wide schism between those workers who live under conditions of precarity and contingency and those who seem to be living the dream - and not only in terms of wages. The standardized work day and Taylorized division of labour that characterized most of the industrial era has transitioned, at least in large part, into a regime of flexibility and insecurity that reconstitutes not only working but lifestyle conditions. This paper is intended as an initial conceptual investigation of a dual trend in the conditions of labour under digital capitalism: the rise of contractual contingency and insecurity and the introduction of fun and hipness into the office environment as a means of work intensification.

This essay examines the New Left’s impact on the Canadian labour movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Specifically, it argues that in large industrial unions such as the UAW, New Left ideas that were popular amongst the rank and file were stifled by the more conservative labour bureaucrats. However, in public sector unions and unions unaffiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress, New Left ideas were often able to flourish, and these more radical unions were sometimes able to obtain substantial gains for their members throughout the 1970s while also fostering a broader sense of class consciousness in Canadian society -- culminating most notably in the Common Front’s general strikes in Quebec. Furthermore, this essay suggests that New Left ideas were more popular in public sector and independent unions because these unions had a larger proportion of women in comparison to other unions, and women at this time had a greater incentive to embrace transformative ideologies than men.

The article reviews the book, "'The Dignity of Every Human Being': New Brunswick Artists and Canadian Culture between the Great Depression and the Cold War," by Kirk Niergarth.

This article reviews the book, "(R)évolution du management des ressources humaines. Des compétences aux capabilités," coordinated by Solveig Fernagu Oudet and Christian Batal.

Informed by the feminist political economy perspective (FPE), this study examines the experiences of recent South Asian immigrant women working through temporary employment agencies in Ontario, paying particular attention to how social factors such as gender, race and immigrant status shape these experiences. As FPE pays attention to the interconnection between family, state and market, the study examines how women experience precariousness at work, within the household, and trying to settle and integrate. Based on analysis of twelve qualitative interviews and observations as a participant-researcher, findings indicate that recent South Asian immigrant women are funneled into agency work due to a variety of structural barriers, and that the lack of rights associated with agency work leaves them particularly vulnerable to exploitation and poverty. As such, it is proposed that changes must address a lack of security and enforcement of employment standards, and barriers to employment for women and recent immigrants.

La grande distribution fait l’objet d’innovations technologiques fortes. Le développement des caisses libre-service (CLS) vise à réduire les dépenses de personnel et faciliter la gestion des effectifs en caisse, tout en répondant aux attentes de nombreux consommateurs autonomes et pressés. Nous analysons les réactions des clients et des salariés à l’automatisation des caisses dans un hypermarché à l’aide du modèle « Défection, Prise de parole, Loyauté, Négligence » connu sous l’acronyme anglo-saxon EVLN (Exit, Voice, Loyalty, Neglect) initié par les travaux fondateurs de Hirschmann, en utilisant également le modèle d’acceptation de la technologie développé par Venkatesh et Davis. Nous nous appuyons sur une étude de cas unique portant sur l’un des hypermarchés français les plus avancés en matière d’automatisation des caisses. La méthodologie qualitative repose sur une observation participante d’une durée de trois ans, sur 29 entretiens semi-directifs avec les salariés et sur une analyse du contenu de 184 réclamations émises par la clientèle.La recherche permet de mettre en évidence les manifestations concrètes de la prise de parole, de la défection et de la négligence. Les réticences vis-à-vis de l’automatisation exprimées à la fois par la clientèle et le personnel sont ainsi expliquées à l’aide du modèle d’acceptation de la technologie. L’intérêt de comparer les perceptions de salariés et de clients est mis en évidence. Les sources d’insatisfaction vis-à-vis de l’automatisation ne sont pas identiques, ce qui nécessite des analyses croisées des convergences et divergences de perceptions. L’analyse des mécanismes de co-production du service et du transfert de rôle de l’organisation vers les clients dans la distribution apparait ainsi riche, avec de nouvelles formes d’intensification du travail des caissiers. Dans ce contexte de changement technologique, l’importance des mécanismes d’écoute des salariés et des clients est soulignée. La recherche contribue ainsi au renouveau des études sur l’importance de la prise de parole en relations industrielles dans une économie de plus en plus tertiaire, caractérisée par une forte évolution technologique. // Title in English: Employee and customer dissatisfaction in response to the automation of hypermarket checkouts: from voice to defection and negligence. Supermarkets have undergone significant technological innovations in recent years. The development of the self-service checkout (SSC) is aimed at reducing personnel costs and facilitating the management of staff at the checkout, whilst, at the same time, responding to the expectations of busy customers who wish to be more autonomous. We analyze the reactions of customers and employees to the automation of hypermarket checkouts with the help of the EVLN (Exit, Voice, Loyalty, Neglect) model developed by Hirschmann in his seminal work. We also use the technology acceptance model developed by Venkatesh and Davis. We rely on a single case study that focuses on a French hypermarket that is one of the most advanced in terms of the automation of self-service checkouts. The qualitative methodology adopted in this study is based on participant observation that took place over a three-year period. 29 semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees and we also carried out a content analysis of 184 customer complaints.The research allows us to consider the concrete expressions of voice, defection and negligence. The reticence expressed by both customers and employees relating to automation are explained using the technology acceptance model. Furthermore, we focus on the differences between the perceptions of staff and customers. The sources of dissatisfaction with regards to automation are not all the same and hence we perform a cross-analysis of the similarities and differences relating to those perceptions. The analysis of the co-production mechanisms of the service and the transfer of an organizational role to the customer is very rich. We also observe new forms of work intensification for cashiers. In this context of technological change, we emphasize the importance of mechanisms for listening to employees and customers. This research contributes to the revival of studies on the importance of voice in industrial relations in an economy that is increasingly service-oriented and characterized by a strong technological evolution.

Cobalt's rich history is full of the romance of prospecting, stories of immense wealth, deaths and mining accidents, struggles to obtain pure drinking water and fire protection, labour-management turmoil, legal conflicts between the town and the mining companies, the founding of the Ontario Provincial Police, and the struggles to provide religion, education, and leisure activities in a mining boom town. Its story is one of immense capital accumulation, labour strife, technological progress, new government policies and ventures, regional growth, and the struggle for law and order. The discovery of the fabulously rich silver mines led to the emergence of northeastern Ontario and helped Toronto to assert its financial dominance. --From Introduction

Agricultural migrant workers, recruited to work in Canada under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP), are disciplined to be compliant and productive. Based on ethnographic data, we draw attention to several ways in which Spanish-speaking migrants, employed in agriculture in a rural community in Southwestern Ontario, respond to this disciplinary power. Most migrants discipline themselves and others to be productive and compliant workers. We refer to these acts as “performances of self-discipline.” At other times, some (albeit, few) migrants challenge this disciplinary power either individually or collectively. We refer to these performances of subjectivity as “performances of defiance.” Another way migrants may respond to the disciplinary power is by attempting to escape from it. Coining these performances “performances of escape,” we discuss how some agricultural migrant workers drop out of the program and remain in Canada without authorization. By turning attention to these performances of subjectivity, the article fills a gap in the literature on migration management and its disciplinary practices in Canada.

The article reviews the book, "Emploi, formation, compétences : les régulations de la relation salariale en questions,," edited by Elodie Béthoux, Jean-Vincent Koster, Sylvie Monchatre, Frédéric Rey, Michèle Tallard and Catherine Vincent.

The Canadian working class was emerging well before 1867. By Confederation one could say for the first time that the growth of the working class was now unstoppable. The creation of the Dominion of Canada took place precisely at that moment when widespread industrialization was visibly underway. In 1851, fewer than a quarter of Hamilton, Ontario’s workers laboured in workshops of ten or more employees; by 1871 the share was more than 80%.[1] In less than two decades, Hamilton had been transformed from a market town dominated by commerce into a powerful symbol of heavy industry. Significant and startling though this change was at the time, it was dwarfed by developments in the 1890s. In that decade, Canadian economic growth simultaneously intensified in the older cities and found new fields in which to flourish in the West. The population of Canada in 1901 was 5,371,315; ten years later it was 7,206,643 – an increase of 34%. At the same time, however, the labour force grew from 1,899,000 in 1901 to 2,809,000 in 1911, a phenomenal 50% increase.[2] To put this into some perspective, there were only 3,463,000 people in the Dominion in 1867 — by 1911 there were close to that many working, wage-earning Canadians. The working class were motivated and shaped by different factors in the various regions of the country, although common themes were quick to arise. --Introduction

The article reviews and comments on the books, "Vivre en quartier populaire. Saint-Sauveur,1930–1980," by Dale Gilbert, and "Pointe-Saint-Charles. L’urbanisation d’un quartier ouvrier de Montréal, 1840–1930," by Gilles Lauzon.

The article reviews the book, "Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal," by Aviva Chomsky.

The article reviews the book, "Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics and American Economics in the Progressive Era," by Thomas C. Leonard.

The article reviews the book, "Perspectives multidimensionnelles sur les restructurations d’entreprise," edited by Patrice Jalette et Linda Rouleau.

The article reviews the book, "Bad Girls: Young Women, Sex, and Rebellion before the Sixties," by Amanda H. Littauer.

Dans le contexte où les couples à deux carrières constituent maintenant la norme, l'enjeu de la conciliation travail-famille devient incontournable. Cette nouvelle réalité souligne la nécessité d'examiner les effets des pratiques de conciliation travail-famille mises en place dans les organisations québécoises sur le bien-être des travailleurs. Une comparaison selon le genre s'avère également pertinente, vu la persistance des rapports sociaux de sexe et de la division sexuelle du travail. Encore aujourd'hui, les femmes allouent davantage de temps aux soins des enfants et aux tâches domestiques que les hommes, tandis que ces derniers s'investissent plus dans leur carrière. La présente étude réalisée à partir des données de l'Enquête québécoise sur des conditions de travail, d'emploi et de santé et de sécurité du travail (EQCOTESST) s'inspire du modèle théorique des demandes et des ressources de l'emploi de Bakker et Demerouti. Globalement, l'analyse montre que les pratiques de conciliation, en particulier celles liées à la maternité et à la gestion flexible du temps de travail, réduisent la détresse psychologique des femmes. Une fois contrôlé l'effet des variables sociodémographiques, des conditions de travail, des responsabilités familiales et de l'environnement organisationnel, le fait d'avoir accès à un nombre élevé de pratiques de conciliation (soit sept ou plus sur dix) atténue la probabilité des femmes d'avoir un niveau élevé de détresse psychologique, mais non celle des hommes. À l'inverse, le temps passé à faire des tâches domestiques ou à assumer les responsabilités familiales accroît la probabilité des hommes d'avoir un niveau élevé de détresse psychologique, alors que ce n'est pas le cas chez les femmes. // Title in English: Work-Family Balance Practices and Psychological Distress Among Employees in Quebec: A Gender Comparison. In a context where dual-career couples are now the norm, the issue of balancing work and family cannot be ignored and it underlines the relevance of examining the effect of existing work-family practices in Quebec organizations on workers' wellbeing. A comparison by gender is also relevant, given the social relations of gender and the sexual division of labour. Nowadays, women still allocate more time to childcare and housework than men, while the latter are more engaged in career work. Using data from the Québec Survey on Working Conditions, Employment and Health and Safety at Work (EQCOTESST), the present study is based on Bakker and Demerouti's theoretical Job demands and resources (JD-R) model. Overall, the analysis indicates that work-family practices, especially those related to maternity and flexible management of working hours, reduce the psychological distress of women. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, working conditions, family responsibilities and organizational environment characteristics, having access to a large number of work-family practices (seven or more out of ten) decreases the probability of women experiencing a high level of psychological distress, but not that of men. Conversely, time spent doing housework or assuming family responsibilities increases the likelihood of men having high levels of psychological distress, whereas this is not the case for women.