The message of unity, resilience and stronger protections for workers took center stage today as Bermuda marked its annual Labour Day march and celebrations.
Following the march, representatives from trade unions across the island addressed the gathering at Union Square, with Trade Union Congress President Dean Smith delivering a passionate address reflecting on Labour Day’s history, the strength of Bermuda’s workers and the challenges facing employees and retirees today.
Smith announced a new theme for 2026:
“Labour, United in Culture, Diversity and Resilience.”
He said the new theme reflects not only Bermuda’s history, but also the reality of the modern labour movement and the need for workers to remain united.
Smith reflected on Labour Day themes from his childhood, including the 1986 theme, “United We Stand,” and the 2002 theme, “You Are the Salt of the Earth,” saying those messages helped shape his understanding of community, responsibility and the power of working people.
He also shared personal memories of attending Labour Day celebrations with his grandmother, who operated a business from Union Square selling toys and creating entertainment for children.
Smith recalled the crowds of families that once filled the area, with children enjoying themselves while food, music and speeches created what he described as a true celebration of Bermuda’s working people.
Years later, Smith said he returned to Bermuda and became a vendor himself, providing fun castles, kiddie trains and fairground entertainment for children.
He said he did not realize at the time that he was following in his grandmother’s footsteps and continuing her legacy of service to families and the community.
But Smith’s address quickly turned to the serious issues facing Bermuda’s workforce.
He said negotiations between unions and government involve matters that directly affect the lives of working people, including wages, the rising cost of living, healthcare, support for seniors and pension reform.
Smith took particular issue with the phrase “negotiate in good faith,” saying workers and their representatives cannot rely on promises alone.
He argued that unions negotiate through persistence and pressure, backed by the thousands of workers they represent.
Smith said workers deserve action, fairness and respect, rather than simply assurances.
He thanked government for efforts to address what he described as years of setbacks for workers, but issued a firm challenge over proposed pension reform.
The TUC president said many workers spent their entire careers planning for retirement and trusting that their pensions would provide security after decades of service.
He warned that changes to the pension system could force retirees and future retirees to reconsider their financial plans and potentially sacrifice dreams they worked their entire lives to achieve.
Smith said pension reform is therefore about far more than policy and numbers—it is about people’s homes, families, dignity and financial security.
He made it clear that the labour movement would not accept a future in which workers reach retirement only to face uncertainty over their financial security.
Returning to the theme for Labour Day 2026, Smith said “Labour, United in Culture, Diversity and Resilience” represents a commitment to stand together while recognizing the different backgrounds, professions, genders and cultures that make up Bermuda’s workforce.
He said diversity should not be viewed as a challenge, but as a strength—and, in his words, a necessity.
Smith told the gathering that Bermuda’s culture is reflected not only in music, food and traditions, but also in families and workplaces.
He said resilience means more than simply surviving difficult times; it means emerging from hardship stronger, wiser and more united.
And as he brought his Labour Day address to a close, Smith returned to a message that has resonated throughout Bermuda’s labour movement for generations:
“United we stand, divided we fall.”
For the TUC president, Labour Day 2026 was not simply a celebration of the past. It was a call to Bermuda’s workers to remain united as they confront the economic, workplace and retirement challenges ahead.
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