As we write this, wildfires still rage through much of B.C., but thanks to an incredible effort by thousands of workers, evacuation orders are easing, evacuated families are returning safely to their homes, and the work of recovery and rebuilding is starting.
It was a long, exhausting summer for many of us, and if anyone needs reminding, it has shown just how much our province depends on the working people who keep it running. We’re the ones who make and grow the goods, deliver the services and create the wealth that make B.C. a prosperous province.
But we’re also the ones who are expected to bear the burden when our economy falters or our climate lurches — whether it’s accepting spiralling prices or enduring overheated workplaces choked with smoke.
As the past four years have proven, we’re more than willing to take on our fair share of any challenge, from pandemics to natural disasters, but when we see huge grocery chains raking in massive profits while they charge us more and more, or hear the governor of the Bank of Canada telling workers not to ask for higher wages while he raises interest rates (and housing costs), that’s where we draw the line.
This summer, you’ve seen plenty of lines being drawn, most visibly picket lines, as workers step up and demand better deals.
Even more remarkable, if not as visible, is the number of workers who are banding together to form unions, even in sectors that have never seen unions before. There’s a growing awareness among working people that it’s time for our labour to be appreciated for its true value… and that the key to that change lies in solidarity and standing together.
Labour Day is a time to celebrate working people.
Let’s also make it a time to recognize both our worth and our united power.
Happy Labour Day, everyone.
