Bermuda Public Services Union president Kevin Grant is urging members to come out to this year’s Labour Day events in a show of “strength and unity.”“Recent years have seen unions challenged in ways that have never been seen before,” Mr Grant said in an e-mail to the membership.“As a result unions have been encouraged to look at how they protect the rights and benefits of members while navigating this path. The most important aspect that we must recognise is that through all of the threats, obstacles and attacks trade unions are standing strong.“We have proven to the naysayers that we can adapt to change and come together despite our varied personal interests. When the members of the Bermuda Trade Union Congress were asked by Government to negotiate collectively there may have been a bit of apprehension. However, this exercise saw the unions grow from strength to strength and establish a bond that bodes well for the future of trade unionism in Bermuda.“It’s against this backdrop that I encourage each and everyone of you to come out this Labour Day to show the strength and unity that we have. It is time to be heard. It is time to believe in trade unionism, to believe in yourself, but more importantly to believe in the BPSU.”Reverend Nicholas Tweed will address the Labour Day annual banquet, which takes place on Friday at the Fairmont Southampton.An 11am Labour Day service will take place at Rev Tweed’s St Paul AME Church on Sunday to be followed by a picnic from 2pm until 7pm at Shelly Bay Beach.And on Monday, Labour Day, a host of events are planned culminating in a march beginning at 11.30am at Union Square.