A few years ago I sat on the sidewalk on Queen Street and watched the Labour Day Parade. It seemed like the weirdest and most pointless parade imaginable. No floats, just the odd flatbed with a band and lots of average people wearing giant matching t-shirts with big logos. Why bother?
Since then, I have changed jobs from a non-unionized position to a unionized one. I know that unions get a ton of bad press — some of it no doubt deserved. But if you want to see a great explanation of why unions matter, check out this brilliant and funny Australian video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=184NTV2CE_c.
Basically, unions won us safe working conditions. Before organized labour, jobs in manufacturing, mining, and construction were a lottery where winners avoided losing a limb. And, even now, if you ever try convincing a boss to provide retirement benefits or overtime on your own, you’ll notice that negotiating as a group is a lot more effective. Even the existence of unions means non-union employers have to treat the rest of us better, hoping we won’t organize and drive harder bargains.
Labour Day celebrates one of the contributions of unions – a paid holiday. Workers walk together in a show of strength in numbers that finishes off on the grounds of The Ex. There, people continue to celebrate by having a good time with their families. So although you won’t see Santa Claus, the Labour Day Parade actually is pretty awesome.