The Annual Toronto Labour Day Parade
Although Labour Day Parades have been getting smaller in other North American cities, the one in Toronto is actually growing in size...they expect 25,000+ participants.
Monday September 2 2013
2012
LABOUR DAY PARADE 2009
This year's labour day parade themed GOOD JOBS FOR ALL, will take place on Monday, September 7 starting at 9:30 a.m. We will meet at Queen and University and march to the CNE grounds. Check with your local union to find out where you are lining up.
The Parade leaves University Avenue and Queen Street beginning at 9:30 am, goes west along Queen Street to Dufferin Street, and south on Dufferin to the Dufferin Gate at the CNE grounds arriving at approximately 11:00 a.m.
Union members in the Parade get into The Ex for free.
LABOUR DAY 2009 THEME
The theme of this year's Labour Day parade is "Good Jobs for All." Canada and the GTA region need a sustainable economy that provides good jobs and decent quality of life for all.
"Participants in the Labour Day parade will highlight the struggles in every sector of the economy for good jobs with decent wages and working conditions," said John Cartwright, President of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council. "We cannot be satisfied with a jobless recovery where thousands of our neighbours are relegated to insecure, precarious jobs at the whim of the market."
Last November, the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, along with its community allies through the Good Jobs for All Coalition, organised the Good Jobs for All Summit. Held only one month after the technical start of the recession, the summit brought together a diverse group of more than 1,000 GTA workers, students, environmentalists, social justice advocates, youth and community members to share ideas and develop strategies for the future economy of Greater Toronto. Out of the Good Jobs for All Summit came the widely-endorsed Declaration on Good Jobs for All ( http://www.labourcouncil.ca/declaration.pdf ).
LEADING THE PARADE
The lead union is this year's parade will be the Labourers International Union Local 506, which is celebrating 90 years of representing the many generations of immigrants in Toronto's construction workforce.
THREE MAIN DEMANDS
Good jobs for all in a greener economy
As Toronto's unemployment rate exceeds 10%, the first priority of all governments should be measures to support good, full-time jobs. This includes ensuring that the region's manufacturing sector is restored to health and transformed to meet the needs of a new, green economy.
Smart investment is needed in alternative energy, fuel-efficient vehicles, and large-scale building retrofits, as well as public services for the growing population.
Employment Insurance reform
Throughout the world it is recognised that effective unemployment insurance is a crucial element in long-term economic recovery. All year, workers - both employed and unemployed - have fought to fix Employment Insurance in Canada because so many laid-off workers are unable to get the EI benefits they have paid for in this time of need.
It is truly shameful that the Conservative minority government and the Liberal Party opposition cut a deal to delay fixing EI while thousands are still losing their jobs. As election speculation grows, we call on all members of Parliament to make EI reform the first order of business when the House of Commons resumes sitting next week.
Fair settlements for locked out workers
The maintenance and skilled trades employees at the TD Centre have been locked out since June 14. In July, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation announced the mass termination of all 61 workers who are long-term employees with an average of more than 20 years service to the company. These Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union (CEP) Local 2003 members have been maintaining a picket line 24 hours per day, seven days per week and are committed to defending their rights and making their employer engage in fair bargaining. Cadillac Fairview has assets of $16 billion dollars and this last fiscal year was the corporation's most lucrative ever with nearly a billion dollars in profit.
