Working-class struggle turned into a summer holiday

As we enjoy the long Labour Day weekend with family and friends let’s take a few moments on Labour Day Monday to remember the workers who fought for and continue to defend our inheritance; the 5 day work week, 40 Hour work-week, vacation, maternity leave, overtime, social security, public education, put an end to child labour, establish the middle class, retirement pensions…

Today these rights and benefits are taken for granted and have come to be expected. However, here in Quebec, across Canada, and internationally the Labour movement and its gains are under siege. Governments prioritize the interest of a selected few, over the electoral they were elected to represent.

Governments continue to ‘bulldoze’ its employees and our cherished public institutions which define our values and build our society.

It was the labor movement that helped secure so much of what we take for granted today. The 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, family leave, health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans. The cornerstones of the middle-class security all bear the union label.   

Barack Obama, Former U.S. president.

Strong Unions are Still Essential

If today’s labour laws and protections can supplant unions, how is it then possible that many people who work full-time jobs are living in poverty – struggling to make basic ends meet. However, this is a failure and embarrassment for both governments and unions.

Although the majority of Quebec workers are not unionized, the gains of the unionized minority set the standards across the board in salaries, benefits and working conditions. “If you are making a decent salary in a non-union company, you owe that to the unions. One thing that corporations do not do is give out money out of the goodness of their hearts.” American newspaper columnist, author, political commentator, Molly Ives.

If today’s labour laws and protections can supplant unions, how is it then possible that people who work full-time jobs are living in poverty – struggling to make basic ends meet.

Manuel Fernandes, Former interim president MUHCEU union.

Today, and maybe more than ever, the necessity for strong unions is essential. Unions that strive for improvements at the place where their members spend a large portion of their waking hours, for respectable wages, stop the middle-class erosion, and defend the values of our society.

A Short History of Canadian Labour Day

The Fight for the 54 Hour Work-week

Labour day began as a working class struggle and massive demonstration of solidarity in the streets of Toronto in 1872. The Typographical Union went on strike for a 58-hour work-week, and at the time Unions were illegal in Canada.

On April 14, 2,000 workers marched through the streets in a show of solidarity. They picked up even more supporters along the way and by the time they reached their destination of Queen’s Park, their parade had 10,000 participants – one tenth of the city’s population.

If you are making a decent salary in a non-union company, you owe that to the unions. One thing that corporations do not do is give out money out of the goodness of their hearts.

American newspaper columnist, author, political commentator, Molly Ives.

Police arrested 24 leaders of the Typographical Union and Labour leaders decided to call another similar demonstration on September 3 to protest the arrests. On June 14 the following year, Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, passed the Trade Union Act which legalized unions, soon after all unions were seeking the 54 hour work-week.

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