Chasing the carrot: organizing part-time ontario college workers

This thesis explores issues of union renewal in the context of precarious work, and examines strategies and tactics for effective union organizing of precarious workers in the particular case of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union's (OPSEU) efforts to organize the Ontario part-time college workers. The question of how to successfully . organize precarious workers is explored by examining established organizing strategies and tactjcs and their effectiveness when organizing a group of precarious workers. In a political setting that is increasingly hostile to organized labour, this study examines the impact ofrights-based strategies on organizing, as well as a series of organizing tactics which include 1) engaging members as activists, 2) recruiting organizers whom irror the workplace, 3) evaluating change-oriented leadership in the union, and 4) cross- constituency organizing to build solidarity.