David Burt has delivered a Labour Day message urging workers to fight for their right to a decent standard of living.

The Premier emphasised how today’s union struggles are with the cost of living crisis, the battle for price transparency and fair competition to help the modern generation of workers.

Mr Burt declared: “Labour Day is a time to honour the workers of Bermuda and the generations who helped shape our island through their determination and sacrifice.

“This year's theme, ‘Labour: Uniting Culture, Diversity, and Resilience,’ recognises that the achievements of Bermuda's labour movement have never belonged to one individual or one generation.

“Rather, they encompass the efforts of workers from many cultures and backgrounds who stood together to make life better for those who came after them, while living through the challenges that remained in their own time.”

He then touched on the historical background for employees to secure a voice in the workplace and union representation.

Mr Burt said: “Across Bermuda's history, there have been individuals who chose to act and advocate for those whose voices were too often silenced by the weight of systemic oppression.

“In 1919, educators including Adele Tucker, Matilda Crawford, Edith Crawford, and the Reverend Rufus Stovell established the Bermuda Union of Teachers, creating the island's first trade union and giving workers a collective voice.

“In 1941, Dr E F Gordon helped to establish the Bermuda Workers Association and oversaw the organisation of working-class Bermudians in the fight for equity and equality. The movement later evolved into the Bermuda Industrial Union, and Dr Gordon would go on to become a founding member and the first Leader of the Progressive Labour Party.

“In 1965, workers stood together during the Belco dispute in support of union recognition and workplace representation. Led by labour figures such as Dr Barbara Ball, the events surrounding the dispute remain one of the most significant episodes in Bermuda's labour history.

“From the formation of Bermuda's first unions to the advancement of workers' rights and workplace representation, each generation has added to Bermuda's labour history.

“In more recent years, that work has continued through landmark labour reforms, including the creation of the Wage Commission in 2019, the introduction of Bermuda's first statutory minimum wage in 2023, and ongoing reforms to strengthen workplace protections and support for working people.

“Just as previous generations fought for equity and dignity in the workplace, this generation faces different challenges; ensuring that working people can afford the basic necessities of life.

“For many working people, the question is whether their hard work enables them to provide for their families and live with dignity.

“Measures are being advanced to strengthen the Cost of Living Commission, increase oversight of essential commodities, improve price transparency and promote fair competition.

“Every generation has faced its own challenge. This is ours.”

He added: “Bermuda's labour movement has always been shaped by people from different backgrounds who came together to improve the lives of working people. Each generation has taken up that responsibility in its own way.

“This Labour Day, we celebrate the progress that has been made and the work that remains.

“We honour those who carried the movement forward before us and renew our commitment to those who will follow.

“Happy Labour Day, Bermuda.”