News
May Day 2023
On International Workers' Day, the Hamilton and District Labour Council celebrates working class people across our city and around the world of every race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, or disability who fight against fascist, racist, sexist, ableist, white supremacist oppressors who use capitalism to steal workers' homes, wages, pensions, benefits, food security, healthcare and lives!
On May 1st from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the working class people of our community will gather in solidarity at Gage Park to strengthen our resolve to fight for working class people everywhere!
There will be live music with tents and activities set up by union locals and community groups from around the city.
If you are a union local or community group who is an ally of the labour movement and would like to set up a table for this event to encourage members to attend and have some community engagement, please contact Anthony Marco at [email protected]
Day of Mourning 2023
Our Day of Mourning event for April 28th will return to our traditional home and itinerary in the City Hall Council Chambers at 5:30 p.m.. The ceremony will be followed by a procession from City Hall to the monument out front. A short reception with light refreshments will occur after the ceremony in the City Hall foyer.
Please see the poster below. If you'd like a higher resolution version, suitable for printing, please email [email protected]
Endorse Care Fare Transit
The Hamilton and District Labour Council is proceeding with a municipal election initiative with regards to public transit in the City of Hamilton. While our ultimate goal is free/low-cost public transit for all in the city, we are prepared to work on a graduated approach to ensure some of our community’s most vulnerable people have the most access.
Our proposal is based on the idea that these members of our community deserve a transit fare that shows we care for their ability to have full access and mobility around our city.
The CARE FARE approach is asking City Council to support the movement towards ensuring no fare box costs for members of each of the following groups while committing to the steps and research necessary to implement the four steps by 2026.
Our four identified groups designated for a CARE FARE trip rate include the following:
- All K-12 students attached to local school boards.
- Anyone aged 60 or over.
- Anyone receiving benefits from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program.
- Anyone with a diagnosed disability.
If your organization is interested in endorsing this effort, and having your name identified with the platform on lobbying and promotional materials going forward, please let us know and email a copy of your logo to HDLC President, Anthony Marco, at [email protected].
Read moreMunicipal Election Volunteers
If your union local has endorsed candidates in all wards, please have conversations with them if they differ from the Labour Council choices. Your local may have specific reasons as to why they made their choices depending on the job classes they represent.
If your local has not endorsed candidates, here is a reminder of the HDLC endorsed candidates for Council and HWDSB School Board Trustee with contact information about how to help their campaigns during the last two weeks before election day.
Please feel free to share this information with colleagues and comrades!
Municipal Election 2022
The Council has made endorsements for the October 24th municipal election.
For City Council:
Mayor - Andrea Horwath
Ward 2 - Cameron Kroetsch - Ward 2
Ward 3 - Nrinder Nann
Ward 4 - Eric Tuck
Ward 5 - Lynda Lukasik
Ward 7 - Scott Duvall
Ward 12 - Craig Cassar
Ward 14 - Kojo Damptey
For HWDSB School Trustee
Ward 1 - Elizabeth Wong
Ward 2 - Sabreina Dahab
Ward 3 - Maria Felix-Miller (I)
Wards 5 & 10 - Nancy Silva-Khan
Wards 6 & 9 - Jay Edington
Wards 8 & 14 - Ahona Mehdi
Ward 15 - Graeme Noble
tbtn2022
Please click through the links below to information from the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton (SACHA) on how local union affiliates can participate in their Take Back the Night event on September 15th at City Hall.
If you would like information about tabling at the event, please read all of the details HERE.
If you would like information about how to make a donation to SACHA to help them continue their work in our city, please click HERE.
HDLC Summer Student Job 2022
HDLC is hiring this summer!
The Hamilton and District Labour Council has secured funding for one summer position from the Canada Summer Jobs Grant. The job posting is pasted below. You can share this link for people who might be interested.
BEFORE YOU READ FURTHER:
Applicants MUST meet the following requirements:
- be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment; and,
- have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
Labour Day 2022
Labour Day 2022 Information Page
This Labour Day we will, once again, return to our traditional practice of having the parade followed by a picnic and gathering back at Bayfront Park. Consider this post as the best place to come back to further updates about everything happening that day.
NOTE: The HDLC receives partial funding for the Labour Day Parade and Picnic through The City Enrichment Fund. The fund comprises 6 Program Areas (Agriculture, Arts, Communities, Culture & Heritage, Community Services, Environment, Sports & Active Lifestyles) with funding streams and categories.
More information on each step will be filled in below, but the basic itinerary will be as follows on September 5th (any of this is subject to change depending on restrictions from Hamilton Public Health):
| 9:00-10:30 a.m. | Assemble according to the DRAFT Parade Line Up (linked below). |
| 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Parade on the route (outlined below) |
| 11:30-2:30 p.m. | Picnic gathering at the park. |
UPDATE: August 3rd
We will NOT be doing reserved spots in the park this year!
There is plenty of room around Bayfront Park for any local that wants its own space. When you show up on Labour Day morning, there will be plenty of room to stake a claim around the park for your group. If, however, you wish to show up early SUNDAY afternoon to set up, we will have afternoon and overnight security until people are at the site on Labour Day morning. A group from the Labour Council is usually there around 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Sunday setting up.
Setting up a BBQ for your Local
Here are the links to the information regarding food serving at special events in Hamilton. Please note that any organization that serves food, even if provided at no charge, is considered a vendor and must comply with the requirements set out by Public Health for participation at special events.
The first link is to the city’s requirements for vendors. As the organizer of the event, the Labour Council is required to provide this information to you:
The second link is to the application form. Again, as organizer of the event, the Labour Council is required to collect this form from participants/vendors and submit them all at one time to public health. The completed form should be emailed to [email protected] by August 17, 2022. Do not submit it directly to the city.
The city charges a fee of $41.80 (including HST) for each approved vendor. The Labour Council will invoice each vendor following the event.
UPDATE: July 21st
FOOD: We will be pre-selling combo tickets for a hotdog OR hamburger and a drink for $5. Vegan options will be available. To pre-order tickets, contact Gillian Surette-Robinson at [email protected] or Tom Atterton at [email protected] A wireless credit card terminal will be available at the park for those who wish to settle up by credit care that day. Others can bring cheques or submit them at a later date.
ALCOHOL: We cannot pre-sell beer tickets, but you will be able to buy them that day. All alcohol must stay in the pre-designated/fenced area or the park.
FAMILY ACTIVITES: There will be children's activities back in the park. We are waiting to firm up the details of what the list might entail.
COMMUNITY GROUPS: We have, many times in the past, invited community groups and coalition partners to march at the back of the parade. While we are still offering that option, we are trying to encourage many of our community partners to table back at the park so they can interact with our union locals as they return.
Read more
Vote Early and Volunteer
If you live in the Hamilton area, you can vote, in advance, at these riding-based, returning offices ANY DAY leading up to the provincial election and avoid the lines on E-Day (just click the appropriate link for each riding):
Free yourself up to volunteer on Election Day!