London’s Labour Day: Historical Roots and “Call to Militant Actions and Authentic Solidarity”
On the last long weekend of every Canadian summer, workers and unions gather for Labour Day to celebrate the history and achievements of the movement.
This year, as workers face increased legislative threats by the federal and provincial governments, they also gather with strength and to develop community bonds of solidarity for the upcoming fightback needed.
“Labour Day is a celebration of the fights that we have won, but it is a call to militant actions and authentic solidarity for the historic challenges we face locally, provincially, nationally, and globally,” said Patti Dalton, President of the London and District Labour Council.
Recent federal government attacks on workers’ rights have included violations of Charter protections in ending legal strike actions by Air Canada flight attendants and postal workers, and an attempt to force a collective agreement on the latter.
“In this historic era of dangerous and escalating forms of fascism including unprecedented military mobilizations and a police state in the US and the clear campaign of a starvation genocide of Palestinians and attempts to eviscerate Palestine with Israeli military incursions and war crimes, it is more urgent than ever that the labour movement rise up to defend the core principles of justice and democracy,” added Dalton.
The passing of federal Bill-C5 and Bill-C2 are just two more omnibus legislative violations of a myriad of rights, including Indigenous sovereignty, climate protection, privacy, workers’ rights, and migrant rights.
Labour Day History
On April 15, 1872, the first Labour Day march in Canada was held by the Toronto Trades Assembly to support their striking siblings at the Toronto Typographical Union. Labour unions were still illegal at this time.
An estimated 10,000 people gathered in the streets of Toronto to march to Queen’s Park. Although the strikers had been offered increased wages to end the strike, they held lines to demand a 9-hour workday.
Like so many of the time, the strike failed in the short-term. But the collective power organized by workers mobilized into the Nine Hour Movement, with the fight for many of the workers’ rights we take as a given today under basic employment standards.
Mainstream media lambasted the strikers for this ‘illegal’ action and strike leaders were arrested, but the widespread public support led to pressuring the federal government under Sir John A. Macdonald to pass the Trade Union Act.
Ottawa workers held a march later that year, inspired by their comrades in Toronto. Cities throughout the United States soon followed, starting with New York City after an American labour leader was invited to speak at the Toronto event in 1882.
Parliament declared Labour Day a legal holiday in 1894 and moved it officially to the first Monday in September. Institutionalizing the holiday separate from International Workers’ Day on May 1 aimed to drive wedge between North American and European trade unions, and distance the Canadian labour movement from socialist parties and the Haymarket Riot in Chicago in 1886.
Labour Day has long evolved into a day of rest, divorced from its radical roots in labour history but trade union coalitions like the London and District Labour Council look to reclaim this workers’ celebration.
The history of workers fighting against unjust laws and holding democratically elected governments accountable should be honoured. On this Labour Day, workers look to the history of struggles as inspiration for the contemporary movement.
Londoners are invited to join this celebration on Monday, September 1 from Noon-3pm in East Lions Park (1731 Churchill Ave.)
