Statement on World Day of Social Justice

Today, we acknowledge and celebrate the World Day of Social Justice. Our commitment to social justice work is essential in building a more equitable society and important for our unions. Today we have a heavy heart about the current state of social justice work within our province and in government.

Since the Nova Scotia legislature opened a few days ago, we have seen little to no progress toward advancing social justice in any of the legislative pieces put forward by the provincial government. Their lack of action is disheartening and indicates a disconnection from the urgent needs of the people and workers they serve.

It was in 2008 that the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice in our Global world. Our governments must not undervalue the significance of the declaration, which was meant to guide us toward increased equity, opportunity, and social justice.

It serves as roadmap to a fairer society where every individual’s rights and dignity should be respected, not ignored. Unfortunately, the reality we face today is very far from the expectations in the declaration. We are witnessing daily the escalation of inequality, a growing disparity in income and opportunity, and a disappointing disregard for the rights and well-being of workers.

The uphill battle for social justice has become steeper. As a province, we are failing to live up to the promise of the ILO Declaration; it is a trend that we must reverse now.

On this World Day of Social Justice, and every day, we will continue our work and call upon our governments to stand for improved social justice and not exclude the voices of organizations from being heard. By standing together with others who share our values we can move mountains, we can see legislation that promotes equality, respects workers’ rights, and addresses the widening gap in income and opportunity. It is time to all of us to work together and uphold the principles of the ILO Declaration and make real, with tangible progress towards a fair and just society, a society we all dream of. We, at the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, are committed to this cause, and we will not rest until social justice is not just an aspiration, but a reality for all Nova Scotians. We can do better and we must do better for the sake of our people, our future, our province and our country.