Celebrating workers and unions is about celebrating the collective gains and accomplishments we have earned over the last many decades.
Today we don’t even question maternity or paternity leave. It’s a given. The right to equal pay, to a harassment-free workplace, gender equality, those are now basic principles integrated in the federal public sector workplace.
Unions have played a significant role in delivering those critical employee benefits and in helping to shape a better workplace.
And the work continues as the world changes around us.
In fact, unions pay close attention to social changes and disruptive moments to negotiate new workplaces and benefits that are better adapted to our changing reality and better aligned with social and technical progress.
And the pandemic of 2020 was one of those pivotal moments.
The pandemic has disrupted and completely redefined our normal working lives, which will likely never be the same again.
Since the March 2020 lockdown and the two years that ensued, many office employees across the country have discovered the benefits of telework.
Work-life balance suddenly became more achievable by saving precious time avoiding long commuting hours or office distractions. Not counting the many of other benefits that telework brings to both workers and employers.
On Labour Day, we want everyone to think about how we, unions, employees and employers ─ can learn from the last two years, building a future of work that is more flexible and adaptable.
