Labour Day 2025

Labour Day 2025

   Labour Day is a day to celebrate workers and unions standing together and supporting each other. Workers strengthen communities and when workers come together lives change. Unions deliver for everyone, not just unionized people, from $10 a day childcare to anti-scab legislation, from dental care to better wages. When workers demand more, we all win.

  However, Labour Day isn’t just about celebrating past accomplishments. Today is all about recommitting ourselves for the fight ahead. Right here in our own community families are struggling. Unemployment is at the highest it’s been in almost a decade. Rent prices are soaring while wages are stuck in neutral. Approximately, only 40% of workers can access employment insurance when they need it. Governments are spending less on social care such as healthcare, childcare, education, homecare etc, than they did 15 years ago. Seniors, Indigenous, racialized people and people with disabilities are being hit the hardest and poverty is at a all time high.

While families continue to fall behind, corporations are raking in record profits and are demanding even more tax cuts. This isn’t by accident. This is a choice that companies and the government have made and it is hurting regular people and our economy. I say ENOUGH is ENOUGH. We need bold solutions, not empty promises. Canada needs a revamped Employment Insurance plan that works for everyone. We need more unionized work in clean energy, manufacturing, care work and increased public investment, not privatization and not corporate giveaways. We need good union jobs, period.

   Across our beautiful Country, workers are rebelling, fighting for fair wages, affordable housing, universal pharmacare and expanded public healthcare. People are organizing, bargaining, and building power. Young workers are stepping up. Retirees are staying engaged. While we build alliances, we are growing stronger. Currently there are more than 3 million unionized workers in Canada. This is progress.

   When workers are empowered, our communities thrive. We all move forward when workers fight back. It is time to send a clear message to all politicians. We need increased funding to our public services. We need affordable housing. Workers deserve respect. Unions deliver real solutions. This is our moment to demand more. We are in this to win it together. Solidarity to all friends. Let’s fight. Let’s organize and let’s win.

Solidarity

Dan Tobin

President

Northumberland Labour Council

905-376-4105