President’s Blog: Honouring Our Legacy

Labour Day is more than just a day off work; it’s a testament to the power of collective action. It’s a reminder of the countless workers who, through sweat, determination, and sometimes great personal sacrifice, have fought for the rights we often take for granted today. The eight-hour workday, weekends, health and safety standards, and the right to organize— all of these hard-won gains were achieved through the tireless efforts of workers united in a common cause.

We stand on the shoulders of workers who believed that fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect in the workplace were not privileges, but rights. Today, we honour their legacy, and we carry their torch forward.

But as we celebrate, we must also confront the challenges that lie ahead. The world of work is changing rapidly. Automation, precarious employment, wage stagnation, and attacks on collective bargaining are just a few of the issues that workers face today. These challenges threaten to undo the progress we have made and deepen the inequalities that divide us.

The recent moves by governments to sideline workers' rights in the name of efficiency and profit are alarming. When workers are forced into binding arbitration, when their right to strike is undermined, or when their voices are ignored at the bargaining table, it is a clear signal that our fight is far from over.

Yet, in the face of these challenges, we must remember the power of solidarity. It is our greatest strength. When we stand together, we can achieve remarkable things. We can push back against those who would deny us our rights. We can demand better wages, better working conditions, and a better future for all workers. Solidarity is not just a word; it is the foundation upon which our movement is built.

In the spirit of solidarity, let us reach out to our comrades in other sectors, to those in precarious work, to the unemployed, and to the next generation of workers. Let us build bridges, not walls, and recognize that our struggles are interconnected. An injury to one is an injury to all.

As we look to the future, let us do so with hope and determination. We have the power to shape the kind of society we want to live in—a society where every worker is treated with dignity and respect, where work is fairly rewarded, and where the voices of workers are heard loud and clear.

To achieve this, we must be bold, we must be united, and we must be relentless. Our fight is not just for ourselves, but for the generations to come. It is a fight for a just and equitable society, where the fruits of our labour are shared by all, not just the few.

On this Labour Day, let us celebrate our victories, but let us also prepare ourselves for the work ahead. Let us honour the past by fighting for the future. Together, in solidarity, we can continue to build a world where workers' rights are respected, where justice prevails, and where every worker can stand tall with pride.

In solidarity,