labour day celebrations unite, re-energize workers' fight for government to put people first
prioritizing people before profit was the message share...
sep 2 2024
3 minute read
the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders on monday, september 2, 2024.
julie kotsis
/
windsor star
prioritizing people before profit was the message shared monday with thousands of participants during annual labour day celebrations in windsor.
“this year’s theme is workers together, for a better deal,” said mario spagnuolo, interim president of the windsor & district labour council, which represents more than 31,000 workers in the region.
“it’s designed to allow workers to have their voices heard and for workers’ voices to be united against the austerity agenda, against greedy corporations and against politicians who are not representing what people on the front lines need.”
thousands of people marched monday in the labour day parade, which took a slightly different route this year beginning at turner and tecumseh roads, moving to seneca street, on to kildare road and then ottawa street.
the march ended at lanspeary park.
windsor, monday, september 2,2024 – the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders.
julie kotsis
/
windsor star
spagnuolo said workers need to get ahead of governments that don’t put people first.
“it’s easy to say they support workers, but we want politicians to show us how they’re doing that,” he said. “workers power the economy. we build the roads, care for loved ones, educate young people, and service communities.
“we can’t let the wealthy few reap all the benefits of our labour while the rest of us struggle,” spagnuolo said, adding labour’s message is also about prioritizing people before profit.
the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders on monday, september 2, 2024.
julie kotsis
/
windsor star
advertisement
advertisement
windsor, monday, september 2,2024 – the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders.“it’s about calling on politicians to put people first because we’re facing rising living costs, stagnating wages. people are struggling to pay for the groceries and housing.
“so what we’re trying to do is push politicians to re-prioritize and to put people first.”
numerous local labour leaders spoke about current issues facing workers, including laura hasulo, teamsters local chairperson and train conductor at cn rail, who addressed the canadian national and canadian pacific kansas city’s lock out of it’s workers.
the canada industrial relations board has imposed binding arbitration on cn rail and the teamsters canada rail conference.
ontario public service employees union regional board member jennifer van zetten spoke about the recent lcbo strike, while canadian union of postal workers representative tish glenn outlined ongoing negotiations with canada post.
glenn said an impasse has been reached in bargaining and the union has contacted the minister of labour.
advertisement
advertisement
“our goal is clear here,” glenn told the large crowd assembled in lanspeary park. “we are fighting to protect your post office, our work.
“our commitment to defending workers rights, restoring our dignity and promoting a fair and just society is unwavering,” she said, adding the union needs support during the difficult round of negotiations.
“i ask you to reach out to your mp and ask them, will they be on the right side of history this year.”
following the speeches, families enjoyed free swimming at the newly refurbished outdoor pool, fun activities for kids, live entertainment and food.
“(labour day is) a celebration of what we’ve achieved in the labour movement, not just throughout the year but throughout the last decades, trying to improve the living and working conditions of workers,” spagnuolo said.
windsor, monday, september 2,2024 – the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders.
julie kotsis
/
windsor star
“but it also gives us pause to reflect on where do we go from here.
“and as you know, there are elections coming forward, both federally potentially, provincially as well, but we need to prepare,” he added.
“it’s a way for the labour movement to reunite and re-energize and get ready for what’s ahead, either through politics, through political action or through labour, through collective bargaining and negotiations.”
advertisement
advertisement
the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders on monday, september 2, 2024.
julie kotsis
/
windsor star
the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders.
the annual labour day parade featured the theme of prioritizing people over profit as marchers travelled along a route to lanspeary park for speeches by labour leaders on monday, september 2, 2024.
julie kotsis
/
windsor star
share story
