This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
Join Canada’s unions at Labour Day events, parades, and picnics across the country.
Ottawa (28 Aug. 2019) ― Labour Day in Canada has its origins in the 1872 Toronto Typographical Union strike and the fight for the nine-hour workday. That strike galvanized workers across Canada to join the labour movement and demand nine-hour workdays from their employers. Thanks to lobbying by over 50 labour groups, the federal government recognized Labour Day as an official holiday in 1894.
Labour Day gives working people the opportunity to organize to celebrate and honour the victories of workers and to call for continued improvements to the lives of all Canadians. We hope all our members enjoy what is unofficially the last weekend of summer.
To find out what Labour Day events are happening in your community, please consult the following list compiled by the Canadian Labour Congress.