The Windsor and District Labour Council is getting ready to mark Labour Day with a strong focus this year on protecting local jobs.
The Windsor Labour Day Parade will take place on September 7 starting at 10 a.m. from the Unifor Local 200 and 444 office at Turner Road and Tecumseh Road.
The parade will feature a range of local unions as they march to Lanspeary Park, where guest speakers will take the stage.
This year’s theme will be ‘Standing Together to Defend Local Jobs’.
Canada and the United States are in the midst of another round of trade tensions, with the U.S. imposing new tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods and threatening higher duties on Canadian automotive imports.
Canada has responded with retaliatory tariffs.
Mario Spagnuolo, Interim President of the Windsor and District Labour Council, says the event will be especially important this year, as Windsor-Essex faces continued uncertainty over tariffs and the future of the auto sector.
“Considering Windsor is right on the border and with the auto being central to our economy, that is going to be a focus of the speeches for sure. The trade threats are putting Canadian jobs and communities on the line. We know that we need to stand together and unions are one way to do that. They bring people together, not just in the workplace, but also in our communities.”
He says this year’s parade feels different and is critical as pressures hit close to home.
“We know that the impact of tariffs on automotive has already had an effect in not knowing what future tariffs might be put in place in this trade war that will impact our brothers, sisters and siblings in the labour movement and family and friends that we know personally. It’s very scary not knowing what the future is going to hold.”
Spagnuolo says the parade isn’t only for union members.
“It would be amazing to have people from all walks of life to come to this Labour Day parade, regardless of where you work or your political affiliations. If we could all just come together to signify how important it is for our communities across Canada to stand together.”
The parade will travel along Kildare Road and Ottawa Street before ending at Lanspeary Park.
The family picnic at Lanspeary Park runs from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., with free food and drinks, live music, inflatables and kids’ contests.
Swimming at the outdoor pool will also be free from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.