Labour Day is a reminder to put workers first

Every year on Labour Day, we gather to celebrate the contributions of workers across the country. This year’s Labour Day will be different once again as uncertainty around COVID-19 makes it difficult for us all to come together at our annual barbecues across the province. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is still a part of our lives, even though we would like to be able to leave the challenges of the past 18 months behind us.

While some people, especially our provincial government, would have us believe that the pandemic is indeed behind us, and that it’s time for us to return to the way things were before COVID-19, we must resist the slide backwards. It’s time for us to act on the lessons we have learned, and fix what is clearly broken in our province and across the country.

The pandemic has laid bare existing inequality here in Saskatchewan. Along with the devastation wrought on seniors and staff in long-term care homes, the initial lack of personal protective equipment, and other pandemic-related challenges, the impact on workers has been profound. Long-standing issues impacting low-income workers, mainly in marginalized communities, have been exposed in a way that no one can ignore any further. A spotlight was shone on frontline workers who receive low pay and have few (if any) benefits, including paid sick days. These workers kept us fed, healthy, housed and supported during one of the most significant economic and social upheavals in recent memory. They did all of this while risking their own health and safety, and that of their families. Meanwhile, CEOs making record profits clawed back pandemic wages despite the ongoing risks.

As we recover from COVID-19, we must ensure that we do not return to the status quo. This is why we at your Federation of Labour have been calling for improvements as we start to move out of the pandemic. Workers must be at the heart of any pandemic recovery plan for it to be truly successful.

A strong pandemic recovery plan includes decent jobs to replace those lost over the last two years. These jobs must offer a living wage, benefits like paid sick leave and pensions, and a path to unionization for workers.

A strong plan also includes strengthening our social safety net, and a living wage for all. A recovery plan must include access to universal, affordable child care that works for families. These steps will help keep us all safe and thriving when the next disaster hits, and they will help address long-standing inequality that has long plagued marginalized workers in Canada, particularly women of colour, workers with disabilities, and many others.

If we are to fully escape a sharp recession and a mammoth job-market shock with lingering effects, the government must continue to invest. We are already seeing the effects of a failure to invest, and a government that is missing in action. The last month’s jobs numbers showed that Saskatchewan was the only province to lose jobs, despite dropping all health restrictions. There are 20,000 more people looking for work here than there was a year ago. Failure to address this soon will only see the situation get worse.

In the lead up to the federal election, all workers – whether they are unionized or not – must hold political leaders accountable. The beauty of our democratic system is that we, the voters, hold the cards. We can demand change from politicians by voting this fall.

Demand that your candidates address the pandemic recovery. They should have answers on how they plan to support workers and their families, in both the short and long term. Without workers, there is no recovery. That must be our message -- on Labour Day and beyond.

I’d also like to take a moment to note all of the work we’ve been up to at the SFL over the summer. Despite the pandemic, we have been able to connect with more workers than ever through our online conferences and digital engagement tools. We were able to bring working women across the country together at our online Prairie School for Union Women, teamed up with the CLC to deliver a virtual Spring School, and are busy lobbying the provincial government for an affordable childcare plan, and changes to occupational health and safety legislation that keep contract workers safe.

Looking to Fall, we are planning for the launch of our new website and new tools for online engagement, including the launch of a mobile app that helps young workers understand their rights while on the job.

Of course, we are also busy planning for our fall convention, held online October 21-22. After last year’s cancellation, I can’t wait to be able to get together with workers from across the province in solidarity. I hope to “see” you there!