i Please note:
To view the current calendar, go to
Labour Studies Courses
LBST 101 - Introducing Labour Studies (3)
Introduction to key concepts necessary for understanding the character and organization of work in contemporary society. The discussion of such issues as how our society decides who works, what the work will be, and under what conditions people work, will be situated in the context of current debates, trend and issues.
LBST 301 - Labour Movements: Contemporary Issues and Images (3)
This course will give students a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary structure, issues, and perceptions of labour unions and other forms of working-class organization. It will focus on external and internal problems that the labour movement faces, such as labour law and state policy, employer strategies, bureaucracy, racism and sexism. The treatment of labour in the media and popular culture will provide an understanding of how labour is viewed in society, how labour views itself, and how working-class culture informs and is informed by the larger culture. Recommended: LBST 101.
LBST 308 - The Labour Process: Work and Technological Change (3)
Technological change and globalization are constantly transforming the nature of work. These transformations are examined in the historical development of work, with specific emphasis on the chaining nature of the labour process in the present era. Prerequisite: Strongly recommended: LBST 101 and/or 301.
LBST 309 - Labour and Collective Bargaining (3)
An introduction to collective bargaining: it will cover the legal requirements of the Labour Code, the bargaining process and the organizational structure and components of collective agreements, including the grievance-arbitration process. Prerequisite: Labour Studies 101 and at least one other Labour Studies course.
LBST 310 - The Politics of Labour in Canada (3)
The politics of the working class and union movement in the context of neoliberal economic and public policy, recurring economic crises, the changing nature of work, and declining membership. Central to the course will be the question of electoral politics and organized labour's relationship to political parties. Prerequisite: Labour Studies 101 and 30 credit hours.
LBST 311 - Labour and the Environment (3)
The changing relationships between unions and environmental groups; how work in various industries contribute to climate change; and how climate-change policies affect workers in different ways. The consequences of climate policies for different categories of workers, identified by economic sector, geographic location, gender, ethnicity, and Aboriginal status. Prerequisite: LBST 101 plus 30 credit hours.
LBST 330 - Selected Topics in Labour Studies (3)
The study of issues related to work and/or trade unions not offered in regular courses. Prerequisite: Strongly recommended: LBST 101 and/or 301. Students who have completed special temporary topics course LBST 389 cannot complete this course for further credit when it is offered as "Studying Labour Through Film.".