Day 4 - 247 -- Labour Day

About 145 years ago, Canada celebrated the first Labour Day holiday. This day is often seen as the final hurrah for summer vacation activities -- leisure activities. These would not be possible without the advent of shorter working days and work weeks and limitations on child labour. There had been the 8-hour campaign, which advocated for 8 hours for work, 8 hours for leisure, and 8 hours for rest. In recent years, the need for a work-life balance has been discussed again. Many of the benefits paid by employers have been entrenched in provincial labour law, though unions continue to work to ensure healthy work places and care of the work force. Non-unionized workers still benefit from the fights and negotiations of unions.

Canada's union history is not without its fierceness. The Estevan Miner's Strike (Saskatchewan) in the 1930s led to the RCMP shooting into the crowd of protesters, killing three men. The Bienfait miners are remembered in history. The General Strike in Winnipeg (Manitoba) of 1919 involved Bloody Saturday -- when the massive march of workers fighting for improved working conditions were met by the Northwest Mounted Police -- 2 dead and 27 injured. Clashes between workers wanting to unionize and employers occurred throughout the country and continues to this day. In the recent decades grocery store employees, fast food workers, and even university faculty have struggled to become unionized. Even with a union, strikes can occur as a last effort to stand one's ground. I've belonged to many unions in my career -- large national and provincial unions and smaller local unions. They all work to improve the lives of the working class -- it is not to get something for nothing.

So -- when the long weekend in September arrives, we should take a moment out of our day off work or school to think of those who persevered before us to provide this day to celebrate unions. There are many fantastic folk songs about unions and their struggles. Today I'm going a different direction <smile> and sharing a song from an Australian rock band. The lyrics create a battle cry of sorts, while the tempo and rhythm bring a sense of urgency. Enjoy!

I Defy -- Tonight Live