Labour Day celebrations still relevant as unions fight for workers’ rights, says council president

Labour Day has a long history in Canada. It was first declared in 1894 as a federal statutory holiday. But its roots can be traced back to multiple local demonstrations and celebrations decades earlier. Just under one-third of Canadian workers, or 5.3 million people, are represented by a union. Yet, this past Labour Day, the commemoration was concentrated in only a few cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Oshawa, Windsor, and Thunder Bay in Ontario. Meanwhile, the amount of unrest between unions and employers is on the rise. Air Canada, Canada Postal Worker, the rail and port strikes recently demonstrate a growing strain. Northumberland Labour Council President Dan Tobin will share his thoughts on current union actions and his response to attempts to legislate union members back to work. Plus, he will also explain why Labour Day is not such a big deal as it was in the past. See if you agree with him or not.