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Submission: On September 14 via api from US — Scanned from DE
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Back to TopBack to Top * CONTACT US * Member Login * Donate * en/ * fr * How We Help * Get Involved * Partners * Updates * COVID-19 Search * Donate enfr * How We Help * COVID-19 * Get Involved * Partners * Updates * Member Login * Contact Us CELEBRATING THE ORIGINS OF LABOUR DAY * Share * Share * Share The first Monday in September has been an official holiday in Canada since 1894, and in the United States since 1892. But the origin of Labour Day came 20 years before that, when unions started holding parades and rallies in Toronto and Ottawa to celebrate the successful 1872 Toronto printers’ strike – the original “fight for fairness” that won major changes including the decriminalization of unions in Canada. Today, Labour Day marks the unofficial end to summer and the start of a new school year for children in Canada and the United States. It is a day of rest and, for unions and labour activists, a day to celebrate the accomplishments of the labour movement and the benefits of having a union at work. But, as is the case with most holidays, the origins of Labour Day come from the struggles of working people and the demand for fairness. In this case, it was the movement to establish a nine-hour work day (the standard was a 12-hour work day and a six-day work week) and a strike by printers in Toronto in the spring of 1872 to get it. It’s the same old story: the callous and violent response of the printers’ employers – police were called in, union leaders were jailed, livelihoods were destroyed, reputations ruined – turned public opinion against the status-quo. Sensing a political opportunity to win support among Canada’s growing industrial working class (just months ahead of a federal election), Prime Minister John A. Macdonald passed the Trade Union Act, which legalized and protected union activity in Canada. The strike ended shortly afterward. While it didn’t achieve its goal of a 9-hour work day, its legacy was long-lasting. Unions – now legal – began to demand fair wages, working hours and safer workplaces. The political class recognized that working people, as voters, were interested in issues that impacted their lives. The parades held in support of the Nine Hour Movement and the printers’ strike became annual events Toronto and Ottawa. In 1882, an American labour leader witnessed the annual May “labour day” festivities in Toronto which inspired him to organize the first American “Labor Day” on September 5 that same year. The popularity of the event spread across the country. By the time President Grover Cleveland declared the first Monday of September as an official federal holiday in 1894, 30 states were already celebrating Labor Day. In Canada, pressure had been mounting to declare a national labour holiday. On July 23, 1894 the government of Prime Minister John Thompson passed a law making Labour Day official. A huge parade took place in Winnipeg that year and the tradition of a Labour Day celebration quickly spread across Canada. Today, hundreds of communities across Canada and the United States hold picnics, parades, concerts and marches to mark the day. Unions also keep the tradition of using Labour Day to advance workers’ rights and advocate for changes to improve the lives of working people and their families. Click here to see what events are taking place in your community and have a very Happy Labour Day! Sharon Lupton National Director, Labour Programs and Services RELATED STORIES Community Services Recovery Fund – Budget 2021 April 21, 2021 United Way Centraide Canada congratulates the Government of Canada on its decision to create a $400M Community Services Recovery Fund to help local charities and non-profits adapt and modernize so they can better support the economic recovery in commun … READ MORE United Way sponsors new Financial Relief Navigator June 23, 2020 Access all the benefits and financial relief measures supporting Canadians in one, simple, easy to use location. The Financial Relief Navigator (FRN), is an English and French online tool providing a one-stop portal to help vulnerable Canadians access … READ MORE Emergency Community Support Fund: investment update September 15, 2020 Across Canada, communities responding to COVID-19 have now received an injection of more than $136M from United Ways and Centraides (UWCs) through the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). READ MORE * About Us * FAQ * Reports & Policies * Contact Us * Careers * Privacy Policy Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube CHANGE A LIFE Charitable Registration Number: 119278141 RR 0001 United Way is a trademark of United Way of Canada - Centraide Canada