When unions stand up for fairness, it raises the bar for all Canadians, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) said ahead of Labour Day.

"Many of the benefits first won by unions are enjoyed by all workers today, including maternity leave, vacation pay and occupational health and safety laws," CLC president Ken Georgetti said in a statement Saturday.

The CLC. which represents 3.3 million Canadian workers, released a study in August showing that on average unionized workers in Canada earn $5.11 an hour more than non-union workers.

"That extra money in the pockets of individual workers means the union advantage is worth $793 million per week that is added to our economy," says Georgetti.

The organization says the study, titled The Union Advantage in Canadian Communities, shows the benefits that workers with unions bring to Canada as a whole as well as in 29 selected communities across the country.

Georgetti says that cities and towns with more union members enjoy higher incomes overall and support a richer mix of businesses and services. "These services benefit everyone in the community. In short, they are better places to work and live."

Georgetti maintains that collective bargaining is the best mechanism to build a healthy middle class.

"When working Canadians, through their unions, are able to bargain freely for decent wages, working conditions, pensions and benefits, there are demonstrable benefits for society as a whole," he said.