Whether it’s a rally, a picnic, or a community BBQ, Labour Day is a time when workers across this country come together to celebrate our collective strength and reflect on the fights that brought us here, and the ones still ahead.
Each year at this time, I’m reminded that Labour Day wasn’t handed to us. It was won by working people who stood up for dignity, safety, and fairness in the workplace. And while we take this day to honour those victories, we must also recognize that the struggle for workers’ rights is far from over.
This year, that fight is especially urgent for many PSAC members. We face serious challenges that put our hard-fought wins at risk.
The Carney government has announced deep and sweeping cuts to public services, cuts that threaten the jobs of thousands of federal workers and undermine the services Canadians depend on every day. These are not cuts made out of necessity, but out of political choice. The government is making room for a massive military build-up and for tax cuts that benefit upper-income earners even while they’re telling workers to tighten their belts.
And, let’s be clear: it’s workers who are being asked to pay the price for these decisions. Public service workers who have kept this country running through crisis after crisis are now being told their jobs, their livelihoods, and their futures are expendable.
This is unacceptable.
Working people are not a budget line to be slashed. We are the engine of this country. We deliver the services that families rely on, we protect the environment, we keep our communities safe and connected. The work we do is vital, and we will not allow it to be devalued or discarded.
From coast to coast to coast, unions and workers are mobilizing, demanding that governments prioritize people over politics. From the bargaining table to the streets, we are standing up for better wages, stronger job protections, and policies that improve the lives of working people and their families.
Labour Day is a time to recognize that change doesn’t come from the top down. It comes from workers coming together, organizing, and demanding better. It’s how we’ve won every meaningful improvement in working conditions in this country and how we’ll continue to build a better future.
That’s why I’m inviting workers everywhere to join PSAC BC at Labour Day celebrations across the Region. Labour Councils will be hosting Labour Day events in communities throughout BC and PSAC BC Area Councils will be at many of them, sharing information and celebrating our movement. All members and their families are welcome. Come say hello, connect with fellow workers, and join us in celebrating our victories, our resilience, and our solidarity.
This Labour Day, let’s take pride in how far we’ve come, but also recognize the work that lies ahead. Let’s celebrate, and let’s recommit to defending public services, protecting good union jobs, and building a more just and equitable future for all.
To every worker across Canada: this day belongs to you. You’ve earned it through your labour, your courage, and your solidarity. Let’s honour it by continuing the fight. The fight for fairness, the fight for justice, and fight for each other.
Happy Labour Day.
In solidarity,
Jamey Mills, PSAC BC Regional Executive Vice-President