Sisters and Brothers,
Today, we come together to celebrate and honour the victories that workers and their unions have made and continue to make.
Labour Day will be at a bit different this year. The parades, barbeques and family gatherings that normally occur every year on the first Monday of September will be considerably scaled back. Because the pandemic still is not over, we must continue to avoid large gatherings and remain cautious about the virus.
I want to once again thank all the essential workers who kept Canada moving during these difficult times. We owe much to front-line health-care workers, grocery workers, truck drivers, railroaders, couriers, airport workers and everyone else who continued to work during the worst phases of this crisis.
All workers – whether or not they were considered essential – deserve to be treated fairly and have access to safe workplaces. Alas, too many workers are still stuck fighting for even small raises and access to appropriate personal protective equipment. Just look at grocery workers, who saw their “hero pay” taken away the moment our economy started to slightly reopen, or the rates of infection among health care workers.
We still have a lot of work to do to build up a fairer, better country. From pharmacare to paid sick days to stronger labour laws, there is a lot we can do to improve the lives of hard-working people.
Teamsters Canada will continue to advocate for its members and anyone looking for a stronger voice in the workplace, today and every day.
Be safe and happy Labour Day!
In celebration and solidarity,
François Laporte
President of Teamsters Canada
Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
