Labour Day Weekend Message

FFAW-Unifor wishes you and your family a safe, happy and well-deserved Labour Day Weekend

Labour Day: Not Just Another Day–Our Day

Labour Day was never handed to us—it was won by workers who stood up, spoke out, and refused to back down. Today, that legacy lives on in every fish harvester, skilled tradesperson, dockside monitor, hospitality worker, offshore worker, and retail staffer who carries that fight forward by showing up and standing strong together.

Observed on the first Monday in September, Labour Day honours the workers who built this country and keep it on course today. It began with the 1872 Toronto printers’ strike, where workers risked arrest demanding a nine-hour workday—sparking the Nine-Hour Movement and charting a course for legal unions in Canada.

Declared a national holiday in 1894, Labour Day stands as a lasting reminder of the struggle, sacrifice, and solidarity that won—and still defends—workers’ rights on picket lines, in shops, and at sea.

For fish harvesters, offshore crews, retail staff, and inshore workers, Labour Day is a time to reflect on the strength and resilience it takes to do essential but often overlooked work. Whether battling rough seas, working long shifts far from home, or juggling the demands of retail work, our members know what real hard work looks like.

Our own Union was founded in 1971 and has significantly shaped Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishing industry and cultural landscape. The union empowered fishers and plant workers to break free from merchant control. Facing economic challenges following the 1992 cod moratorium, the union adapted by spearheading professionalization and diversifying into new species and new sectors of representation like hospitality and manufacturing. As an affiliate union of Unifor, FFAW benefits from the strength of Canada’s largest private sector union. 

Labour Day reminds us that our strength lies in unity—and that the victories we honour today were earned through collective action. From the fishery to the offshore, inshore, industrial, and retail sectors, FFAW-Unifor members keep this province moving. Labour Day honours the sacrifices we’ve made and the progress we’ve fought for—and it renews our commitment to continue that fight, together, for fair pay, safe conditions, and respect for every worker.

FFAW-Unifor doesn’t just support you—we fight for you. For fair pay. For better benefits. For safety, dignity, respect, and a stronger future at work. We stand for better—and we won’t settle for less.

This day belongs to you.

#SolidarityAlways