The paper discusses the differences between South Korea and Canada concerning labour or employee relations. Particularly, the discussion concentrates on differences on unionisation coverage, processes, as well as strike percentages. It is significant to note that South Korea and Canada have different employment rates, that is, the unemployment rate in South Korea stands at 3.2 percent while that of Canada is 8.1 percent (Krahn, Hughes, & Lowe, 2011; Black, 2010).
In South Korea, workers operate under repressive labour standards (Laura, 1998). Historically, labour unions in South Korea have been suppressed by the administration as well as business. The government of South Korea, at the start of the country's economic development indulged on an economic endeavour, which encouraged some significant businesses but led to repression of growing labour unions. In Canada, workers enjoy the freedom of association as well as collective bargaining without interference from the government.
In South Korea, unionisation or bargaining coverage, which is enterprise-based remains low. Unionisation coverage remains uneven between small and large organisations or between temporary, permanent, as well as daily-hired employees (Laura, 1998). The bargaining coverage within South Korea stands at approximately 12%, with is the lowest coverage among OECD nations (Laura, 1998). Such a low coverage can be attributed to the system of an enterprise-based union in South Korea. Comparatively, unionisation coverage within Canada is high. The population of workers in labour unions is 4753232, which is 31.5 percent as at 2014 (McQuarrie, 2015). Unionised workers within Canada are clustered in large unions as well as labour congresses.
The unionisation processes or formation of employees relations systems within South Korea is linked to the history of politics following the Korean war, state policies, industrialisation, as well as business system in South Korea. Before 1987, Korean government intervened in most functions of employees' relations through controlling unions to maintain low wages as well as industrial peace. In Canada, the government does not control activities of unions and workers have freedom of collective bargaining. In Canada, unionisation affects citizens and workers. The process of unionisation in Canada entails organising campaigns, authorization of cards, the election of representatives, certification, conducting an in-house election, as well as collective bargaining (McQuarrie, 2015).
Another aspect different between South Korea and Canada concerning employee relations is percentages of strikes. Literature reviewed shows that there are more strikes in Canada as compared to South Korea. For example, in the year 2000, there were 217 strikes in Canada as compared to 95 strikes in South Korea (Holley, Jennings, & Wolters, 2012).
References
Black, K. (2010). Business statistics: For contemporary decision making. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Holley, W. H., Jennings, K. M., & Wolters, R. S. (2012). The labour relations process. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Krahn, H., Hughes, K. D., & Lowe, G. S. (2011). Work, industry, and Canadian society. Toronto: Nelson Education.
Laura, W. (1998). Labor Relations and the Law in South Korea, Pacific RIM Law & Policy Journal, 7(1), 229-247.
McQuarrie, F. A. E. (2015). Industrial relations in Canada. Toronto, ON: Wiley.
