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Labour Day Parade returns after two-year absence

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.

Local workers and politicians among those present at the march

TJ Dhir CBC News Posted: Sep 05, 2022 2:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: September 5, 2022

A father and daughter wearing black t-shirts, with the man holding the daughter's baby nephew — Dave Cassidy, right, joined his daughter Mackenzie, left, and her baby nephew, Aleister, in the 2022 Labour Day Parade in Windsor. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

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."

Union workers march in a parade down a road — Union workers march down Walker Road past the Stellantis plant during the 2022 Labour Day Parade in Windsor. It was the first parade since 2019. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

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 isknown 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 unionwanted 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 moneynot to go on vacation, but to pay their bills."

"They need it to help them survive until they find another job."

A woman wearing a hat and a blue t-shirt holding a sign requesting money from the federal government — Linda Poho is among the members of Unifor Local 195 that want Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough to do more to help Syncreon workers in Windsor to stay afloat financially. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Stellantis says work done by contractor Syncreon moving back into Windsor Assembly Plant

The parade started at the headquarters of Unifor Local 444, with unions assembling along Turner Road.

Union workers wearing black t-shirts marching in a parade — Unifor Local 444 workers marching in the Windsor Labour Day Parade. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

The route turned on Tecumseh Roadbefore heading down Walker Roadpast the Stellantis plant.

Union workers marching in a parade outside a car manufacturing factory — Union workers marching in the 2022 Labour Day Parade outside the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Union workers walking down a road in a parade — Union workers in Windsor march down Walker Road in the 2022 Windsor Labour Day Parade. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

After turning on North Service Road, the march ended at the Fogolar Furlan Club.

Union workers marching in a parade into the grounds of a club — Union workers marching into the Fogolan Furlan Club in the 2022 Windsor Labour Day Parade. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Speeches were made at theFogolar, led by Mario Spagnuolo, interim president of the Windsor andDistrict Labour Council. He called on the Ford government to do more to help labour unions in the province make a livable wage.

A man wearing a black jacket delivering a speech with people sitting in chairs behind him — Mario Spagnuolo, interim president of the Windsor and District Labour Council, speaks at the 2022 Windsor Labour Day Parade. Spagnuolo called on the provincial government to help labour unions make a livable wage. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Others to speak included Cassidy, Windsor mayoral candidate Chris Holt, Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk, Windsor West MP Brian Masse andWindsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky.

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