International Workers’ Day, May Day, an opportunity to expand rights for workers

Released May 1, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 1, 2019

International Workers’ Day – May Day – an opportunity to expand rights for workers

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) is recognizing May 1st by recommitting to expanding rights for workers.

“International Workers’ Day, or May Day, is a celebration of the working class and our many accomplishments around the world, and here at home,” said SFL president Lori Johb, “we are recognizing today renewing our fight to expand the rights of working people, and winning a number of important battles ahead of us,” she added.

Saskatchewan’s Labour Movement has prioritized a number of important issues, including:

  • Addressing Saskatchewan’s workplace fatalities crisis and developing a strategy to lower workplace fatalities and injuries;
  • Winning paid leave from work for survivors of domestic violence;
  • Combatting precarious work;
  • Investing in public services, and fighting privatization;
  • Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

“This year is also the 100th anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike. A strike that not only shut down Winnipeg, but inspired sympathy strikes and actions across Canada – including here in Saskatchewan. While workers ultimately lost that strike, as the response from the city, police, and employers was extreme, violent, and total brutal, there were important lessons learned from that action,” said Johb, “Workers used the only tool they had – solidarity – to bring rich and powerful employers to their knees. The worker-to-worker organizing that took place was nothing short of remarkable. I am in awe of the collective decision-making model they used across all unions to build grassroots support. We have much to learn from those brave women and men. While we have modern tools at our disposal today, the principles and values on which they organized are timeless,” she added.

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For additional information, contact:

Kent Peterson

Strategic Advisor

Saskatchewan Federation of Labour

m: 1 (306) 570-1855

e: k.peterson@sfl.sk.ca

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