Labour Day message from CUPE NL President Wayne Lucas

ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR--(Marketwired - Sept. 2, 2016) - For unions, Labour Day is our time to celebrate our work and the victories we win to make life better for everyone, like the expansion of the Canada Pension Plan. There is also much to be done, tackling issues like saving our public libraries, precarious work and the shrinking number of good jobs.

The provincial government has been trying to weaken our provinces' workforce. They've even put our libraries at risk.

"I guess we shouldn't be surprised," says Wayne Lucas, president of CUPE Newfoundland Labrador. "This Liberal government has a track record of bad decision-making. Decisions that make life more difficult for workers and their families."

"It's expensive to be a working class person in Newfoundland Labrador. With the cost of living being as high as it is - and so many folks just trying to make ends meet in our province - doesn't it make good economic sense to keep our libraries?" asks Lucas.

"Now that the province has committed to a costly review, we want to stress the importance of inviting members of the community to participate in the process, as well as library patrons and library workers."

"Library workers are the ones who can best describe what's at stake if we lose these libraries. They know that libraries make our lives better and our communities stronger. CUPE members have made our library system something to be proud of."

"Good jobs, safe workplaces, fairness and equality are the basic ingredients of a better future. These are the things that CUPE Newfoundland Labrador believes in. For us, it is truly a labour of love and it is what motivates us to march in the streets and celebrate in the parks, playgrounds and across the province on Labour Day weekends."