Today is Labour Day, but one unlike any other in awhile. The pandemic shined a light on some really important things related to work. I’d like to invite you to join me in reflection on some of the things I think we’ve all learned over the past 6 mos. #LabourDay2020 (1/11)

First, we learned something important about what it means to be an essential service. We’ve learned about the people whose work is absolutely necessary to keep supply chains running and to provide the goods and services that keep us alive and society functioning. (2/11)

First of mind in that group above are our healthcare workers: doctors, nurses, LPNs, nursing aides, paramedics, lab techs, custodial staff and all sorts of medical specialists and technologists. Today, we need to thank them. (3/11) #LabourDay2020

Secondly, we learned about the importance of our essential supply chain workers: farmers, food processing plant workers, truck drivers, retail workers, cooks, delivery drivers and others who continue to get the essentials to us.
(4/11) #LabourDay2020

Extending on that we also learned the value of other mostly public sector workers who provide important services and support keeping the economy running like utility workers, waste collectors, police officers, firefighters, teachers, daycare workers, etc. (5/11) #LabourDay2020

We also learned that there are many other workers that provided us with things we couldn’t live well for too long without. (6/11) #LabourDay2020

Today, I’m reflecting on how these important workers deserve to be treated well. I’m mindful that many of the most essential jobs are some of the lowest paid and most precarious work environments and so they’re often filled by young, immigrant or other vulnerable workers. (7/11)

I’m reflecting on how benefits matter. How things like health benefits and paid family and medical leaves will keep people safe while the economy continues to operate. (8/11) #LabourDay2020

And finally I think about how working people need to stand together and stick up for each other. I think about how we’ve earned good pay and benefits only after fighting for it and that’s thankful to the union movement. (9/11) #LabourDay2020

I’m mindful that many try to undermine workers and unions and they do so in order to maintain the power imbalance that already favours them. And we must fight back against that.

Frankly it starts here in Alberta where we have one of the most anti-worker parties in power.
(10/n)

These are some of my reflections today. Thanks for reflecting with me. Thanks to those who’ve gone before me and given me and my family much of what we enjoy.

Happy Labour Day!

Fin. (11/11) #LabourDay2020