Labour Day’s Typographical Legacy

Unifying, progressive and deeply rooted in Canadian history, the values of Labour Day continue to resonate in CSR strategy. And it all started with a parade in downtown Toronto.

Labour Day just might be the birthday of corporate social responsibility in North America. Born from the widespread workers’ strife of the 19th century, and celebrated on the first Monday of September in Canada and the United States, Labour Day has become a symbol of both workers’ rights and business best practices. Fair and equitable pay, safe working conditions, compensation for injuries, employee wellness – all of these values stem from the spirit of Labour Day and the millions of people who fought for it. And its legacy, to this day, can be seen in the CSR initiatives of Canada’s most successful companies.

It’s widely believed that the seeds of Labour Day were planted on March 25, 1872, when the Toronto Typographical Union went on strike with demands for a shorter workweek. On April 14, 10,000 people marched on Queen’s Park as an act of solidarity. (The Canadian parade would inspire a similar event in New York City in 1882, organized by the Knights of Labor, America’s then foremost workers’ rights organization). At the time, union activity was still illegal under Canadian law, and George Brown, politician and editor of Toronto newspaper The Globe, launched legal action against the striking workers. To the anger of the general public, 24 members of the strike were jailed for conspiracy.

Labour Day Celebrations in Downtown Toronto, 1920.

The Movement Takes Hold

The then Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, took notice of the movement. As a rival of Brown’s, Macdonald saw an opportunity to repeal Canada’s “barbarous” anti-union laws as a means to galvanize his base. By June of that year, Parliament passed the Trade Unions Act, legalizing unions in Canada. Parades across the country began organizing every year to honour the initial Toronto demonstration, while unions became a staple of Canadian working life. Then, in 1894, thanks to mounting pressure from the emboldened working class, Labour Day became an official federal holiday in both Canada and the United States.

Today, nearly five million Canadians belong to a union, with millions more enjoying the benefits that come with fair, sustainable business practices. Indeed, across sectors, there is a dominant consensus that fostering employee wellness as a sustainability initiative is both morally right and financially sound. Many contend that it leads to enhanced employee efficiency, productivity, retention and growth. In short: companies that embrace the Labour Day ethos are more successful.

Rewarding sustainability, in fact, has engrained itself in Canadian corporate culture. For the last 18 years, Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a competition ranking the country’s leaders in sustainable work environments, has structured its evaluations on those same century-old Labour Day principles. The organization judges employers via eight criteria:

• Physical Workplace
• Work Atmosphere and Social
• Health, Financial and Family Benefits
• Vacation and Time Off
• Employee Communications
• Performance Management
• Training and Skills Development
• Community Involvement

Valuing these categories in employee–employer relations is a fundamental extension of the Labour Day movement. And when a company excels in these areas, it stands to attract and retain better talent.

Several of The Works’ partners were honoured on the Canada’s Top 100 Employers list. Intact Financial Corporation, among many achievements, was praised for offering its new-parent employees on-site daycare. And Export Development Canada earned distinction for providing academic scholarships to both its employees’ children and undergraduate students interested in international business. Both companies are leaders within their industries. Most importantly, they’re leading by example.

Understanding the intrinsic link between employee wellness and financial success is essential when crafting a sustainability strategy. Once viewed as an attack on the private sector, honouring and expanding employee benefits is now commonplace and a means to building competitive advantage. When employees feel valued – and when a company understands its role as a citizen – the rewards can be felt both within and outside of the workplace. And that’s worthy of a parade.

Feeling the Labour Day blues about heading back to school? Check out our Sustainability Book list to get you back in the scholastic mood.