Labour Day 2026: Standing Strong Together!
This year’s Labour Day celebration takes place at a truly unique moment in time. We face trade wars, separatist campaigns — which we’ve been frank with our members pose an unacceptable financial risk to Alberta workers — increasingly aggressive corporate tactics, and a hardening affordability crisis. The challenges in front of us can feel overwhelming.
But workers are also standing up for themselves like never before, and generating the hope and change that can come from unity and people power. Above all else, Labour Day is a celebration of the power of solidarity.
FOOD WORKERS & LABOUR DAY: THEN…
Food workers have always been a core part of organized labour and are an important part of the story of Labour Day. Labour marches had been shaping the landscape of emerging labour law in Canada as far back as 1872, when the Trade Unions Act confirmed the legality of unions.
Another march in Toronto in 1882 — where retail food workers were key participants — inspired the Central Labor Union of New York to hold similar marches on the first Monday in September. A groundswell of marches in both Canada and America eventually led to the official recognition of Labour Day, which came to Canada in 1894. In those marches, workers carried the tools of their trades; in more than one case, Ottawa retail clerks came out bearing large imitation lead pencils.
… AND NOW!
Retail food workers are still fighting the good fight to this day. Our members at Safeway are about to take a strike vote as they face an employer at the bargaining table who has not made an offer after a full year of negotiations. Meanwhile, Real Canadian Superstore employees will soon be facing off against the immensely profitable and powerful Loblaws.
Our members at Alberta’s meat-packing facilities are getting ready for their own battles, or already engaged in them. Workers at Sofina Calgary have gone from bargaining into litigation and may yet face a strike vote of their own in the future. Negotiations will begin soon at Cargill, where we had an historic 100% strike vote at the Case-Ready plant in 2024.
STANDING STRONG TOGETHER!
Through it all, UFCW Local 401 members have stood strong together and have been incredible examples of the spirit of solidarity that we celebrate on each Labour Day.
“It’s our honour to support and serve each and every member at our local union,” says President Thomas Hesse. “And to fight for them no matter how large or small their workplace might be, no matter what their job is or how powerful their employer is.”
“We’ve been tremendously proud of the resilience and strength our members have shown in tough times,” adds Secretary Treasurer Richelle Stewart. “For all the challenges of this past year, we’ve also proved that when we stand together, we can win important victories.”
Local 401 has worked hard not just to react to these unprecedented times, but to shape a response to them that meets the needs of workers.
We are part of Alberta’s Common Front and have signed the Solidarity Pledge that treats an attack on one union as an attack on us all. Our members have gone out to support our fellow unions in their times of need, and we know we can count on our friends in the labour movement to have our back if we should face the need for a strike.
In the meantime, we continue to organize and to welcome new workplaces into the union movement, and a special shout-out goes to our newest members at Rosso Coffee Roasters, who have just begun bargaining their first Collective Agreement as unionized workers! And we’re also celebrating the the organizing efforts by Local 1518 that have led to the unionization of Uber workers in B.C.!
We encourage everyone to get out to Labour Day events in your area, to celebrate the spirit of solidarity and the achievements of Canadian workers. You can find a guide to Labour Day events in Alberta here.
Happy Labour Day!
Thomas Hesse, President
Richelle Stewart, Secretary Treasurer
UFCW Local 401
Posted on: September 04,2026