On Human Rights Day, we renew our commitment to the principles of dignity, equality, and justice for all. But this year, as workers and as union members, we cannot ignore that these rights are increasingly under attack across Canada.
We are witnessing governments and employers erode hard-won protections that safeguard our freedoms, from legislation that limits collective bargaining and public sector negotiations, to funding cuts that weaken access to health care, education, and other essential public services. These actions are not isolated incidents; they reflect a broader pattern of undermining the rights of working people to organize, to be treated fairly, and to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
In provinces like Alberta, we’ve seen proposals that roll back workplace standards, reduce access to justice through the human rights system, and target already marginalized communities, including gender-diverse youth and racialized workers. When rights are weakened anywhere, it sends a message that none of our rights are safe.
Human rights and workers’ rights are inseparable. The right to a safe, discrimination-free workplace, the right to fair wages and decent working conditions, and the right to be accommodated when barriers exist — these are all fundamental human rights. When governments silence workers’ voices or restrict unions’ ability to advocate, they chip away at the foundation of equality and democracy itself.
Unions must stand firm in defending those rights. Every grievance we file, every campaign we run, and every conversation we have about inclusion and accessibility strengthens the fight for justice.
On this international Human Rights Day, let’s recommit to solidarity — to protecting one another, amplifying marginalized voices, and pushing back against policies that divide or devalue us. Together, we will continue to defend the rights that make our workplaces, our communities, and our country stronger.
–Agriculture Union Human Rights Committee
