The union claims that its approach to labour relations develops workers' sense of responsibility, participation, stewardship, and dignity.

[3] A group of Canadians, many of whom were Dutch immigrants who came to Canada after the Second World War, decided to form a union with principles of dignity, justice, stewardship, and respect, and allowed freedom of association.

Those immigrants were accustomed to the European model of labour relations, with freedom of association allowed from a variety of unions to choose from.

[4][5] A group of those immigrants met on numerous occasions in the early 1950s, and on 20 February 1952, the Christian Labour Association (CLAC) was founded.

[6] Frans Fuykschot[7] was appointed the general secretary of CLAC and opened the union's first office, in Hamilton, Ontario.

However, the Board expressed its concern with the fact that CLAC was based on Christian principles and believed that it would discriminate against non-Christian workers.

Some members wanted to take out the language in the constitution that stated that CLAC was based on Christian principles (Article 2).

Furthermore, it was suspended from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), a global labour organization with affiliates comprising 175 million workers around the world, after the ITUC concluded that "by its published policy and by its activity CLAC indeed undermines labour conditions of workers.

"[18] CLAC disputed ITUC's reasons for the suspension and noted that it has been certified over 2,000 times by labour boards across Canada.

[21] At its National Convention on 14 September 2012, CLAC delegates voted to resign from the ITUC and join the World Organization of Workers (WOW).

[3] According to a report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, a Canadian based think-tank, CLAC has helped employers in British Columbia circumvent the Employment Standards Act by agreeing to contracts that provide less than the minimums afforded by law because a provision of the act is that it does not apply to workers represented by a union.

The Province columnist Mike Smyth alleges that this decision was biased due to the governing NDP political base of labour organizers perceiving CLAC to be a "rat union".

[24][25] CLAC is regarded by international trade organizations as a danger to labour unions and a threat to collective action to the benefit of workers.