Workers marched through the streets of downtown Ottawa Monday in the annual Labour Day March.
Leading the march was Sean McKenny President of the Ottawa and District Labour Council. He was joined beside Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. McKenny says, “It’s a day we come together to celebrate the gains we have made. There is a lot of work left to do and we know that so we are getting ready for that.”
Hundreds of unionized workers came together and marked the holiday dedicated to workers. They say Labour Day is about celebrating the achievements made in the labour movement. Workers say the day is also aimed to advocate against job losses or cuts to social programing.
Cindy Dubué is theformer OSSTF Vice President. She marched Monday with a group of educators. “We are certainly worried about what’s happening with the cuts and the education system for students. We hope that the public starts to understand, as their children go back to school, just how detrimental these cuts are going to be for education.”
Shaun Reid is a member of OPSEU, a union representing workers including at CHEO. “We are here today to bring our message for better autism services. We have disastrous childhood budgets that are out right now. And it isn’t helping anyone and we need to get our public services back up and running.”
The march started at City Hall and made its way to McNabb Park for a picnic and barbecue.
