Spring 2025 - LBST 101 D100

Work and Worker's Rights: Introducing Labour Studies (3)

Class Number: 2609

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Alicia Massie
    amassie@sfu.ca
    Office: AQ
    Office Hours: Wed 1-2pm via In-Person

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Introduces key concepts and approaches for understanding the character and organization of work, employment relations, worker’s rights, and labour movements in contemporary society. Explores who does paid and unpaid work and under what conditions through the study of trends and issues, including migration and immigration, unionization, precarious employment, and automation. Breadth-Social Sciences.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course examines work and workers' rights in Canada through the lens of capitalism, settler colonialism, and social movements. Students will explore how work is organized in the Canadian economy, analyze systems of power and inequality in labour markets, and investigate how workers organize for their rights.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Understand how work is organized in the Canadian economy, and what makes Canada's economy capitalist
  2. Identify and discuss how capitalism in Canada relates to settler colonialism as an ongoing process
  3. Critically assess social difference, inequality, and discrimination in the organization of paid and unpaid work in Canada, including through the concept of racial capitalism
  4. Understand how workers organize, today and in the past, to fight for their rights
  5. Analyze the development of trade unions and their role in Canadian society
  6. Investigate how the labour movement intersects with other radical social movements, for example for feminist, queer and Black liberation
  7. Explore trends in Canada's labour markets, like migration and automation, and discuss ideas about the future of work

Grading

  • Reading Responses / Participation 25%
  • Midterm 25%
  • Writing Assignment: Labour Issue Analysis 25%
  • Open Book Final Exam 25%

NOTES:

  1. Enhanced Reading Responses / Participation (25%)
  • 10 reading responses via canvas
  • Each response is 200-300 words and has two parts:
    • Part A (Written before class): One key concept from the reading, one real-world example/current event connection
    • Part B (Written after class): Brief reflection on how class discussion changed or deepened their understanding. The last 20 minutes of class will be dedicated to this.
  1. Mid-term Exam (25%)
  • In-class, closed book
  • Mix of multiple choice and short answer
  1. Writing Assignment: Labour Issue Analysis (25%)
  • Analysis of a provided contemporary labour case study
  • Must include one academic source not on class reading list
  • Length: 800-1200 words
  1. Open Book Final Exam (25%)
  • During exam period
  • Mix of multiple choice and short answer
  • Students can use their own enhanced reading responses during exam

REQUIREMENTS:

Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraws from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.

Grading System: The undergraduate course grading system is A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, N (N standing indicates student did not complete course requirements). Intervals for the assignment of final letter grades based on course percentage grades are as follows:

A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All required readings will be available online via canvas.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.