Thursday, September 01, 2005
Labour Day is a time for remembering. Remembering the workers who started Labour Day in 1872 to demand the release of 24 leaders of the Toronto Typographical Union, who were imprisoned for the "crime" of striking to gain a nine-hour working day.
We take the time at Labour Day to remember the toil of our parents and grandparents who built the nation of Canada and helped it prosper. We must never take for granted the fact that the very foundation of so many of our rights and workplace laws were hard fought by those who went before us. Paid holidays, workplace safety laws, Medicare, unemployment insurance, union wages, even "the weekend" cannot be taken for granted. We must remember the thousands of unsung heroes who fought so hard to make unions, and Labour Day, a part of everyday life.
Some bad bosses here in Ontario would like to forget all about unions, workplace rights and laws that protect working people and their communities. It is our job as a labour movement to put in place, and keep in place, labour laws that serve all workers in every job and protect all workers no matter where they work.
Governments come and go and working people have to fight for some basic workplace rights over and over again. Right now we are trying to rebuild Ontario after the destruction of the Mike Harris Tory government years in power. It's a big job. There's a lot to be done. Labour laws, successor rights, occupational health and safety, union organizing and human rights legislation all need attention and major change.
Unions affiliated to the OFL, labour councils across Ontario, and our activists and community partners have been working steadily to improve workplace laws and protect our valued public services like health care and education. The work is never done but thousands of working people are busy doing what their parents and grandparents did in the past - building, protecting, standing up for their rights and the rights of others.
Congratulations to the working people of this province. You do your work with dignity and you have the unshakable respect of the Ontario Federation of Labour.
COPE 343
Labour Day Message, 2005 - A Day to Honour the Dignity of Working People
Labour Day is a time for remembering. Remembering the workers who started Labour Day in 1872 to demand the release of 24 leaders of the Toronto Typographical Union, who were imprisoned for the "crime" of striking to gain a nine-hour working day.
We take the time at Labour Day to remember the toil of our parents and grandparents who built the nation of Canada and helped it prosper. We must never take for granted the fact that the very foundation of so many of our rights and workplace laws were hard fought by those who went before us. Paid holidays, workplace safety laws, Medicare, unemployment insurance, union wages, even "the weekend" cannot be taken for granted. We must remember the thousands of unsung heroes who fought so hard to make unions, and Labour Day, a part of everyday life.
Some bad bosses here in Ontario would like to forget all about unions, workplace rights and laws that protect working people and their communities. It is our job as a labour movement to put in place, and keep in place, labour laws that serve all workers in every job and protect all workers no matter where they work.
Governments come and go and working people have to fight for some basic workplace rights over and over again. Right now we are trying to rebuild Ontario after the destruction of the Mike Harris Tory government years in power. It's a big job. There's a lot to be done. Labour laws, successor rights, occupational health and safety, union organizing and human rights legislation all need attention and major change.
Unions affiliated to the OFL, labour councils across Ontario, and our activists and community partners have been working steadily to improve workplace laws and protect our valued public services like health care and education. The work is never done but thousands of working people are busy doing what their parents and grandparents did in the past - building, protecting, standing up for their rights and the rights of others.
Congratulations to the working people of this province. You do your work with dignity and you have the unshakable respect of the Ontario Federation of Labour.
COPE 343
