Labour Day Parade returns after two-year absence
Local workers and politicians among those present at the march
The Windsor Labour Day Parade returned for the first time since 2019, and local unions were out to celebrate.
Local politicians and candidates for Windsor city council were among those joining the celebrations.
"Unions are here to move people forward," said Unifor Local 444 president Dave Cassidy. "Whether you're a part-time worker, full-time worker, whether you're in the gig economy, whatever economy you're in, it's important to have unions and continue to move forward."
Cassidy sees unions playing a big role in the future, despite the rise of workers working short-term contracts or freelance jobs, often alongside their main jobs. This dynamic is known as the gig economy.
"People get taken advantage of," he said. "Employers take advantage of their workers. People reach out to me asking, 'How do we join your union?' I see that continuing to happen."
One union wanted to see more action from Carla Qualtrough, the federal minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, to help herself and her colleagues at Syncreon.
"We want her to sit down and listen to us and hear what we have to say," said Linda Poho of Unifor Local 195. "We've been laid off for 66 weeks over the last two and a half years. Many people are in financial hardship. Some of them are in debt because we've been laid off for so long. They need this money not to go on vacation, but to pay their bills."
"They need it to help them survive until they find another job."
The parade started at the headquarters of Unifor Local 444, with unions assembling along Turner Road.
The route turned on Tecumseh Road before heading down Walker Road past the Stellantis plant.
After turning on North Service Road, the march ended at the Fogolar Furlan Club.
Speeches were made at the Fogolar, led by Mario Spagnuolo, interim president of the Windsor and District Labour Council. He called on the Ford government to do more to help labour unions in the province make a livable wage.
Others to speak included Cassidy, Windsor mayoral candidate Chris Holt, Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk, Windsor West MP Brian Masse and Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky.
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