Andria Babbington, president of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, told trade union members at the Labour Day parade on Monday that there is still much to do “to combat the housing crisis, the affordability crisis, the climate crisis and the many crises caused by the underfunding of our shared, public infrastructure.”

But she said the solution to these crises begins with “organizing together in our workplaces and in all of our communities “

“Only together can we build a region for all working people,” the Jamaica-born union official pointed out.

“Let me tell employers and governments: we are not getting ready to fight. We are ready,” she said.

“Our 220,000 members come from all over the world. We are standing with you,” she added.

In her address she highlighted the struggles of workers at TVO (members of Canadian Media Guild) and ACTRA members — the latter locked out for more than a year – as well as education, health care and many private sector workers

“When we come out here, we are here to say that workers deserve fairness. Workers deserve to know that when they retire, they will get to do it in dignity,” said Babbington.

Thousands of trade unionist took part in the parade –the l51st annual -from Queen Street and University Avenue to the Canadian National Exhibition.

Also among those present were Olivia Chow, the recently elected mayor of Toronto, Marit Stiles, leader of the Ontario NDP, Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s NDP, along with other elected officials and representatives from the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.

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