‘Stand up for working class people’: Thousands march in Hamilton’s Labour Day parade

Labour Day is an annual holiday that honours and recognizes workers and their immeasurable contributions to society.

Thousands of workers marched through downtown Hamilton Monday in celebration, and they say this year’s Labour Day is especially important.

With the ongoing trade war, it’s Canada’s workers that are feeling the most uncertainty, with many wondering if their jobs will survive economic unrest as the cost of living continues to rise.

Thousands of workers waved flags and showed solidarity with their union brothers and sisters, marching through downtown Hamilton.

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Some said they were bringing the collaboration between the workers, and the march represented their solidarity.

The annual Labour Day Parade is organized by the Hamilton and District Labour Council.

Its president, Anthony Marco, said this year’s parade is about solidarity in the face of cuts to government spending and services, and the American tariffs looming over it all.

“If an individual was pissed off about tariffs, there’s not a lot they can do other than write a letter to somebody, but as the labour movement, it’s our responsibility to stand up for working class people, even those who are not unionized and making sure that they are going to be impacted as least as possible when it comes to some of this stuff,” said Marco. “We’re sharing these things, like health and safety is an issue, pensions are an issue, working conditions are an issue for everybody, and when we understand those common struggles, it’s a lot easier to try and deal with them.”

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Some workers at Monday’s parade are actively dealing with these issues, including developmental service workers from Community Living Oakville, who have been on strike for over three months.

“This is what we all do, we all are labour workers, we labour for this country, we expect to get the respect back in the same process… come to the table,” said Beverly Powell-harvey, with OPSEU Local 249.

A large parade was also held in Toronto, with union leaders calling on all levels of government to protect workers during uncertain times.
“Ontario runs, because workers are out there doing the job,” said Yolanda McClean, the president of CUPE Ontario. “Canada runs because workers are out there doing the job.”

“The way to beat tariffs and the tariff war, is not a bunch of announcements, it’s a real true plan with real solutions that are going to work for all workers in Ontario,” said Laura Walton, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, “and I’m calling on Ford and all politicians in Ontario to make sure that happens.”

WATCH MORE: Strike by Hamilton’s National Steel Car workers in seventh day

Prime Minister Mark Carney released a message to workers today, mentioning a “global rupture” that is changing the way Canada is operating.

“In the face of unjustified, unprovoked tariffs from the United States, we’re stepping up,” said Carney. “With large, sustained financial support to protect our workers and our businesses, to help them re-train, re-tool, diversify and build.”

This Labour Day also comes as 1,200 workers in Hamilton are on strike at National Steel Car, with no sign of a settlement — another industry heavily affected by the ongoing trade war.

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