Labour Day in Canada used to be a holiday that people took to the streets to celebrate. Up until the Second World War, parades with floats and marching bands would fill downtown city corridors, and unions and trade congresses would organize park picnics with friendly sports competitions. These gatherings were more than a celebration; they originated from rallies and hard-won fights for improved working conditions during the age of industrialization. Under pressure from labour organizations, Canada’s federal government declared the first Monday in September an official statutory holiday in 1894—a day dedicated to promoting working-class solidarity and belonging.
Today, however, the meaning behind Labour Day has shifted. Though some small marches occur across Canada, the festive displays of workers’ rights have diminished. For many, Labour Day has become a way to mark the end of summer and the start of a new school year. But perhaps now more than ever, we need Labour Day to return to its roots to help address current injustices facing the workforce. During the unprecedented nature of past 18 months, workers everywhere have been facing challenges and setbacks that require a holistic response.
COVID-19 and the labour force
It is no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about record high levels of unemployment in Canada. But a closer look at this data exposes how these job losses are disproportionately borne by specific populations. Dubbed the “she-cession,” women have been 10-times more likely than men to have fallen out of the workforce during the pandemic, with single mothers being the hardest hit. Heart-breaking, personal stories in the media (supported by statistics) have revealed that the burden of unpaid child and elder care during quarantine has also fallen on the shoulders of women and mothers. Furthermore, the unemployment rate among Canadians who identify as visible minorities is higher than the national average and continues to climb. Experts state that labour progress for these groups has been set back at least three decades, and recovery will not be easy. As one columnist in the national media aptly noted, “when it comes to the pandemic economy, we’re not all in this together.”
A 2020 report from the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability
The impact of these job losses goes far beyond economics, however. Women, visible minorities, and immigrants are highly concentrated in frontline pandemic work in industries such as healthcare, education, and hospitality services. This exposure makes individuals more susceptible not only to COVID-19 infections but also to incidents of harassment and attacks based on race or ethnicity, which are on the rise in Canada. Perhaps most alarmingly, loss of employment and reduced income are both factors known to increase the risk of domestic violence. Quebec has reported an increase in femicides this year, and victim services across the country have continued to report an increase in domestic violence cases throughout the pandemic.
What can we do?
These social injustices cannot be solved by a simple celebration or the fanfare of a parade. However, they should give us pause to think about what Labour Day means this year and during the pandemic recovery. There are simple steps workers and members of Canadian society can take to push back against existing labour inequities: advocating for pay equity, ensuring household labour is divided fairly, encouraging open discussions about wages with fellow workers, and learning more about provincial labour codes and collective agreements.
On a larger scale, the federal government has announced some economic recovery initiatives that target women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and visible minorities. However, advocates say more is needed. The labour movement is no stranger to fighting for equity: paid maternity leave in Canada resulted in part from a 42-day strike of Canadian Postal workers, and unions fought for occupational safety reforms when immigrant and non-English speaking members disproportionately faced fatal working conditions. Local unions can continue to push for inclusive reforms that assist those hardest hit by the pandemic while also ensuring governments live up to their recovery promises.
We have a long way to go to correct the economic and subsequent social injustices caused by COVID-19. Many have suggested that returning to pre-pandemic status-quo should not be the goal; we must push for more. Improved working conditions and better pay for those in service and hospitality industries, a national childcare plan, guaranteed universal basic income, and paid sick leave are just a few of the issues advocates have brought to forward. In the words of Latina-American labour leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, every moment is an organizing opportunity and every minute a chance to change world. Let’s take that time to reflect on what we can do this September 6th.
Sarah Towle comes from an industrial town in rural Canada and is the first in her family to attend university. She currently works with iMPACTS on research and knowledge mobilization strategies.
