April 14, 2004

Solidarity grows around Steelworkers Fightback

By Sam Hammond, Hamilton

THIS MAY DAY, workers from Oakville, Hamilton, Welland and St. Catharines will rally at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton in solidarity with Steelworkers who are locked in a struggle with Stelco and the courts. Stelco is under Bankruptcy Protection, which allows it to ignore the collective agreement and to attack workers pensions and standards won over the last 50 years.

Prominent in the move to support Steel are the CAW and CUPE, and the Labour Councils. Buses will bring supporters to the event, which starts at 12 noon on May 1st. Later in the afternoon, there will be a car cavalcade to the Oakville Labour Council where another rally of support will be held. The Hamilton Labour Council will wind up the day with its traditional May Day Celebration at the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre in the evening.

It is expected that between 4000 and 8000 people could attend the mass protest at Copps Coliseum. The local Steelworkers have done an impressive amount of work to harness traditional solidarity and recruit the working public to their cause.
Good Luck and Solidarity to Hamilton Workers on May Day!

Sam Hammond is the new Chair of the Communist Party of Canada's Central Labour Commission.

© 2002 Communist Party of Canada