As you celebrate the long weekend in Ottawa, union leaders ask you to remember how the holiday originated.
The Ottawa and District Labour Council has been the engine driving organized labour since 1872.
"That's a long time ago, and since then we think that we have made some strides, including things like the long weekend," council's Sean McKenny told CTV Ottawa.
Unions are facing a number of problems, including widespread job cuts in manufacturing. In 2007, Hershey Canada announced it would close its Smiths Falls plant and cut 500 jobs. The following year, Stanley Tools closed its doors and another 175 people were left unemployed.
The shift whistle blew for the last time at the Cornwall Domtar plant in 2006, ending 125 years of operation. Hundreds were left without work, and there were $50 million in lost wages.
In Ottawa, 1100 jobs were cut when Dell hung up on its local call centre.
"The economic environment is becoming a little bit fiercer and if workers band together like this, this is how we can make sure we hold our politicians and our employers to account," said Commissionaire Steve Zytveld.
Labour Day was a chance for different unions to come together. Nurses, teachers and bus drivers snaked their way through downtown Ottawa in a parade, where they had a chance to meet each other and call for change.
"I'm looking forward to meeting more people from other unions and finding out what they're issues are and what they're working on," said health care worker Amanda Roesler.
Health care worker Jody-Leigh Lloyd came out to send a message to government.
"Violence has to stop against us and working short is an issue, it's a health and safety issue against us for sure," she said. "We need the support from the government to help us."
Lloyd, like other union workers, uses Labour Day to look towards the future.
After the parade, a barbecue gave union members another chance to get together and get involved their families.
With a report from CTV's Jonathan Rotondo
