(November 7, 2016 / 14:19:09) 99537-1 Labour Action- Fall 2016_p01rev.pdf .1 LABOUR ACTION Fall | 2016 IN THIS ISSUE Special Pull-Out Section Labour Greenprint – Working Together for Climate Action Toronto Roots of Labour Day United Way Our Charity Strategic Plan Labour Council 2016 and Beyond Anti-Racism Directorate hears from Labour Council Equity Committee facebook.com/labourcouncil labourcouncil.ca @torontolabour (November 4, 2016 / 16:23:52) 99537-1 Labour Action- Fall 2016_p02.pdf .1 FALL | 2016 LABOUR DAY PARADE 2016 (November 4, 2016 / 16:23:52) 99537-1 Labour Action- Fall 2016_p03.pdf .1 LABOURACTION 3 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT This edition of Labour Action is decision-makers. on the future. The movement for far bigger than normal, because it The Labour Council’s new Strategic Community Benefits is covered, along contains a special pull-out section. with stories of lives that have been Plan 2016-19 is also included. It The Greenprint for Greater Toronto changed through opportunities to will guide the work of the largest outlines labour’s action plan to tackle learn a trade and gain a career. membership-based organization in climate change. It builds on many There are lots of other issues touched greater Toronto for the next three years of environmental leadership on – from the local to the global. We years. Part of that work involves the by labour activists from the early hope you enjoy this Labour Action, 1990’s right through to today. It’s an partnership with United Way, and so and pass it on! important document to share with we are pleased to interview the new union members, opinion-shapers and UW CEO Daniele Zanotti for his views John Cartwright THE TORONTO ROOTS OF LABOUR DAY Every Labour Day twenty-five thousand union members march on justice echoed throughout the country the streets of Toronto with the Labour Council to celebrate the and Sir John A. MacDonald’s government achievments of the labour movement. It is the largest parade on passed the first Trade Union act. Labour Day in North America – a testament to the determination The tradition of large parades continued, of workers to mark our place in Canada’s largest urban centre. But and Peter McGuire of the Carpenters it is also fitting because the roots of Labour Day are actually in Union took the idea back to New York Toronto. with a proposal to mark the first Monday of September as a union celebration. The One hundred and forty five years ago a the nine-hour day movement to the Paris idea took hold and spread, and by 1894 small group of workmen came together Commune. the Canadian government declared Labour to give life to an idea – the creation of The new Assembly decided to hold a Day a public holiday. A century later the a collective voice for working people “working man’s demonstration”. Two day is a welcome holiday that ends the in Toronto. On April 12th, 1871 the thousand workers representing 13 unions summer and starts the school year. Toronto Trades and Labour Assembly participated – the predecessor of today’s (now the Labour Council) was founded Labour Day parade. Within a year the Working people in Toronto have been by representatives of the emerging fledging labour movement in Toronto on a remarkable journey since 1871. On economy – barrel-makers, shoemakers, would be tested. Printers at the Globe Labour Day, we honour those who laid the printers, bakers, cigar-makers and newspaper went on strike and were foundations for a movement that has been metalworkers. They were soon joined jailed for criminal sedition. Ten thousand so much part of Toronto’s history. by other occupations. It was a time of people took to the streets demanding their rising for workers across the world, from freedom and labour rights. The call for Excerpt from Huffington Post Article LabourACTION is a publication of the CONNECT + FOLLOW + SHARE Toronto & York Region Labour Council 100 that is published several times a year. Stay connected with Twitter & Facebook Follow @torontolabour Got feedback? Comment on an article? Like facebook.com/labourcouncil Story ideas? Visit labourcouncil.ca for video, articles, Email: [email protected] press releases & more! www.labourcouncil.ca (November 4, 2016 / 16:23:53) 99537-1 Labour Action- Fall 2016_p04.pdf .1 4 FALL | 2016 WHY UNITED WAY IS OUR CHARITY Meet Daniele Zanotti, the new President & CEO of United Way Toronto and York Region (UWTYR). With over 20 years of experience in the public and non-profit sectors, Daniele has earned a reputation as an accomplished, strategic, and energetic leader. He served as CEO of United Way York Region from 2007 to 2015, helped lead the merger with United Way Toronto, then took on led the joint UWTYR fundraising campaign to a record-breaking achievement: $100-million! How are we addressing precarious work and about neighborhood work, Labour was youth unemployment? there. We have leadership of people from Daniele: My uncle was a janitor at Labour Council who sit on our Board of Directors and our Campaign Cabinet. the Toronto District School board by The second is the mass uprising of labour evening and in the morning when I was champions who are giving a $1, $5, $10 growing up he was my informal child in their individual work place campaign care provider. One of the jobs was being for the community. Those dollars and that a handy man at an apartment. One day support is having a ripple impact in the when we get there the floor is flooding care that happens in our neighborhoods. and the lady called: “Frank, Frank the And then the final piece is the collective floor “. So we run up and I start throwing voice of Labour in making change in our the towels on the floor and he say’s “forget communities. So a quick example, Youth the towels, go turn off the tap.” It is a long employment as we know is difficult across way of saying that when we partner with the region, but it is extremely difficult for How did United Way come to be and what is the Labour we are actually doing both the those living in marginalized situations, impact of it being the charity of choice for the frontline towel work of providing services racialized situations, neighborhoods that Labour Movement? to people in crisis. But the more important are experiencing poverty. Daniele: In 1887 in Denver a priest, work that we are looking at is the systemic rabbi, two ministers and a community advocacy – “turning off the tap at the United Way and Labour have been activist got together to talk about a lack other end”. And we have been doing it in pioneering what is likely a transformative of good jobs in the community, and that a few different ways. We started a narrative community benefit agreement across was the beginning of the United Way of precarious employment with Labour this region. So as Metrolinx starts to movement. From that inception there at the table, and that entire discussion build out its cross-line across the City, it were values of social justice, voice and started amongst our partners, we gathered is Labour and the United Way that are action all embedded in the United Way, evidence on what does it looks like in our working together to ensure that people and not surprisingly Labour played a region. We gave it some language, both from those neighbourhoods are hired quick and important role. You fast forward at our table and at government tables, at to good, sustainable jobs. When I think about the role that Toronto Community to 1956 in Toronto and York region when community agencies so that we can shine Benefits network has played, that is we officially partnered. Labour was a a spotlight on this important issue that a transformative piece that Labour is founding partner of the United Way in this we dubbed “precarious employment”. also driving. So it is happening with City for the very same reasons. The value And then we started developing the folks that are giving us $5, with the of social justice and everyone deserves recommendations for municipal, person sitting at our board table and also a fair chance, the importance of giving a provincial and federal Governments that happening on the City-wide projects that voice to all for an equitable society and to could move the agenda forward and maybe the good people reading this article raise some money to do it. But I want to we started building relationships to do don’t even know that Labour is actively stress that what brought us together, what something about it. keeps us connected is more importantly championing. the value on the social justice, the dollars How has the contribution of Labour made a – the raising of the money is critical, yet difference ? Daniele Zannoti was interview by Walied grounded with brothers and sisters from Daniele: First of all from the 1950’s Khogali of Labour Community Services Unions across the region is a means to in Toronto, Labour has been amongst an end, which is to establish an equitable our greatest thought leaders. When we society for all. That is really the genesis of were talking about poverty by postal the partnership. code, Labour was there. When we talked (November 4, 2016 / 16:23:54) 99537-1 Labour Action- Fall 2016_p05.pdf .1 LABOURACTION 5 Putting Community into CROSSTOWN Over the next 10 years, the City of Toronto and other municipalities across Canada will benefit from unprecedented spending on public infrastructure by all levels of government.