Labour Day is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the progress and gains that workers have made in Canada and around the world. As we enjoy the last long weekend of summer with friends and family, let’s also reflect on our hard-fought victories for working people from the past year, and years before, and let’s commit ourselves to our fight for a fairer and more equal world.
In workplaces and communities across Canada, CUPE is standing up for workers’ rights and a better life for everyone. We are fighting back against precarious work, employers’ demands for concessions, and governments who try to take our rights away.
We want to take this opportunity to thank every single one of our CUPE activists, leaders, and staff across Canada who fight tirelessly to make our jobs and our communities better. Together, we are moving forward and making gains for our members and for all working people in Canada.
But as we know, those gains are under growing attack by a wave of right-wing governments. Across our country, and at all levels, governments are trying to legislate away the hard-won rights of Canadian workers. At the same time, they are taking aim at the crucial public services that our members provide and that help build a more equal and inclusive society.
The goal of these governments is plain and simple: they want to fundamentally redefine workers’ rights and how governments serve their people.
We know it’s up to us to stand up to their hostile and dangerous agenda.
Now more than ever, we need to talk about how unions have strengthened the middle class and worked to even the playing field. And we need to continue organizing and bargaining forward even in tough times.
We are Canada’s largest labour union, and our voice continues to grow stronger. Together, there is no challenge we cannot meet head-on.
On behalf of all 665,000 CUPE members across Canada, we wish you a very safe and happy Labour Day.
In solidarity,
Mark Hancock Charles Fleury
National President National Secretary-Treasurer