Amidst all the fun and frivolity of Monday's annual Labour Day Picnic Monday at Riverside Park was a serious message being delivered by organized labour.
Representatives of unionized education workers, from teachers to janitors, took to the microphone to address the issue of gradual increased class sizes imposed by the Ford government over the next four years.
"Our education workers are under attack in this province by the Ford Conservative government," said Janice Folk-Dawson, chair of the Guelph and District Labour Council, who hosted the event.
"School is starting tomorrow and we are pleased to say we are standing in solidarity with our education workers."
Mark Berardine, president of the local Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association unit, said the attack is not on teachers, it's on students.
"What we do, whichever school we're at, whichever location, what we do is go in and build relationships. That's why class size is hurting us so badly," Berardine said.
The province had dictated an average class size in four years of 28 students.
Berardine said that the the Catholic board will be down 15 teachers from last year and will have 40 sections of high school classes cut because of it.
"I have one class on paper right now in one of our school with 45 students. I've got lots that are 35 and above," he said. "That means when someone comes in, we're not going to have as much time to see if they've had a good morning before the bell rings.
"That's what my members care about, they care about the students," he said.
Lawn signs supporting teachers unions were being distributed.
Gundi Barbour, Upper Grand Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario local president, "we are in a significant fight."
"Education is heading into a crisis, as is the province of Ontario, frankly. We saw this in 1997 and we're seeing it again," Barbour said.
"We have a government that really does not care. They say they're for the people, but the truth is they are not for all ... they're for the cronies of Ford brothers. That's who they're for."
Monday's well-attended event featured corn, hot hot dogs, samosas, music, children's activities and education booths set up by local unions and community organizations.
Candidates from five of the six political parties in the upcoming federal election were on hand to meet and greet people, as were MPP Mike Schreiner and MP Lloyd Longfield.
