Opposition Leader’s Labour Day Message
[Opposition Leader Jeanne Atherden’s Labour Day message]
As we celebrate Labour Day today, we should all stop for a moment and reflect on what we take for granted – but which has only been made possible by the hard work and sacrifices made by unions and the people who have laboured in this country.
Employment contracts, better working conditions, the length of the working day, health and safety and fair pay are just a few of the things that have been successfully fought for by unions on behalf of workers. A strong work ethic and service commitment by Bermuda workers forged a partnership with employers which benefitted the country as a whole.
Now the world is once again changing at a dramatic pace, whole sectors of industry are being affected by technological advances and as the politics of the world change, new challenges to the labour movement will undoubtedly arise.
Just as with the industrial revolution, workers in the future will have to realign themselves with the changing labour demands dictated by technological advances. Workers will have to retool and unions will be required once again to establish new relationships and forge new agreements.
This time however we have history as our guide and a universal road map. We have shown that labour and employers can successfully work together and therein lies the hope for the future.
So, it is with the acknowledgement of past and hope for the future that I wish all who have laboured and will labour “Happy Labour Day!”
As we celebrate Labour Day today, we should all stop for a moment and reflect on what we take for granted – but which has only been made possible by the hard work and sacrifices made by unions and the people who have laboured in this country.
same words as the plp,nothing changes with either of these 2 parties except the names!