145 Years of Standing for Fairness: Labour Day Parade 2016

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 31, 2016) - More than twenty-five thousand working people and their families are expected to march in the streets of Toronto for the annual Labour Day Parade. Organized by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council under the theme "We Stand for Fairness", this year's Parade will celebrate the contribution of the labour movement in building a fair and just society for all Canadians.

"It all started here in Toronto." said John Cartwright, President of the Labour Council, referring to the first labour parade in 1872 by the Toronto Trades Assembly in support of workers' rights to organize. "Since then, the labour movement has fought hard and won many fights for working Torontonians and we continue to champion fairness in the workplace and beyond" Cartwright added, citing health and safety, decent pensions, fair wages, parental leave and paid vacation as examples of the many accomplishments that continue to be the focus of the Labour Movement union members and non-members alike.

The labour movement is focused on the need to update Ontario's labour laws and Employment Standards Act and strengthen workers' rights. "The Changing Workplace Review underway by the provincial government is a once in a generation opportunity to fix laws that are broken or ineffective." said Labour Council Vice-President Andria Babbington. "It should be easier for people to join a union, improve their working conditions and earn a living wage in this economy. That will only happen when laws truly uphold people's right to have a true voice and fairness at their jobs".

The parade leaves from Queen and University on Monday, September 5^th at 9:30am and goes along Queen Street West to congregate at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds. This is the largest Labour Day Parade in North America, and it's long history illustrates the immense tenacity, pride and spirit of Toronto's labour movement.

The Toronto and York Region Labour Council is a central labour body that combines the strength of over 150 local unions representing 205,000 women and men and who work in every sector of the economy.

For information visit www.labourcouncil.ca and follow @torontolabour on Facebook and Twitter.