September 2, 2024
Statement from Premier Wab Kinew and Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino on Labour Day
Each year on Labour Day, Manitobans celebrate and recognize the impact of workers and unions, as their achievements and hard work have propelled Manitoba forward in creating fair and safe workplaces for everyone. Our government is deeply committed to furthering this work and building a thriving labour movement, as we know one of the best ways to join the middle class is by being hired into a union job.
Our government wants Manitobans to know we are here to respect and protect them when they are at work. We have introduced legislation that would rebalance the rights of workers, specifically by banning replacement workers, and returning Manitoba back to a single-step certification process, making it easier for workers to join a union after the previous government tipped the scales away from workers.
This work builds on our record of taking steps to improve workplaces, especially regarding workplace safety by bringing in legislation that re-established the Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health, and we have committed to restoring the 1:1 apprenticeship ratio, so our youth get high-quality training with the highest possible safety standards.
There is much to be done to make workplaces safer. This is why our government has announced more mental health supports for Manitoba’s first responders as we value and acknowledge the important work that they do. Our government is also working to create and hire institutional safety officers across all hospitals, helping to ensure those working on the front lines of our health-care system are safer at work.
Today, we encourage all Manitobans to take a moment to celebrate the labour movement and our unions. We reaffirm our commitment to work together to improve worker rights and support all workers in Manitoba, as we continue to enable more fair and safe workplaces for all Manitobans.
- 30 -