Labour movement must show that together, fairness works

labour day 2013 ftogether fairness works

Toronto – August 29, 2013 – As citizens across the country celebrate the hard-fought gains of working people and advocate for social justice this Labour Day, we will do so knowing that Canadian workers are currently struggling to keep their rights amidst attacks by ultra conservative political parties and governments. 

After three decades of assaults on unions from governments, the courts, and employers, union membership has declined in North America. As a result, wages have stagnated and income inequality has worsened. Now, ultra conservative politicians want to further denigrate workers by restricting the ability of unions to service their members and create democratic workplaces.

We see this in Ontario with PC Leader Tim Hudak's vision for attacking workers' rights and putting the province on a path to poverty. We see it at the federal level with the introduction of Private Members Bill C-525, which would undermine the ability of government workers to join a union. And we see it with the Harper Conservatives' support for Bill C-377, a discriminatory and costly piece of legislation that seeks to intimidate labour organizations and invade union members' privacy.   

In the face of such intense adversity, it is incumbent upon the labour movement to show Canadians that we can work together to fight for fairness and achieve positive results for all workers. We know this because we've done it before.

Throughout history, working people standing together have won decent wages, healthy and safe workplaces, and fair treatment on the job. Over many decades we have negotiated benefits like paid vacation time, job training, and insurance coverage for eyewear, dental care, and prescription medicines. Most notably, engaged workers and their unions have successfully fought for things that most of us take for granted today, such as the minimum wage, statutory holidays, public health insurance and pensions, and the weekend.

With these standards increasingly under threat, the labour movement is fighting back. Starting this fall, UFCW Canada will be working with progressive community allies and the entire Canadian labour movement to stop the harmful, anti-worker agenda of ultra conservative politicians, whose discredited ideas will destroy workers' standard of living.

By engaging union members in raising public awareness of the benefits of unionization, the vital role that unions play in our society, and the threat that anti-worker laws pose to the wellbeing of all Canadians, UFCW Canada and allies can help better inform citizens and stop the ongoing race to the bottom. 

Together, working people built Canada’s middle class and created a country with fairness as a fundamental value. Now that ultra conservatives are championing ideas that were formerly only seen in impoverished U.S. states like Alabama, it is up to the Canadian labour movement to demonstrate that together, fairness works. I wish you a happy Labour Day.

 

In solidarity,

 

Wayne Hanley

National President

UFCW Canada