Local union leaders are up in arms over comments made by Chatham-Kent’s mayor.
In an article published in the Thamesville Herald earlier this month, Randy Hope referred to the municipality “shedding its stigma of a unionized community.”
Members of Unifor, including National Representative Aaron Neaves, take exception to that…
“The reality is we put hundreds of millions of dollars back into this community,” Neaves says. “We support those most vulnerable, we have so many examples of where we give back into our community and it’s reciprocated throughout our community.
However, Mayor Randy Hope says it’s all about context.
“People believe that the unions were bad here, and we’ve had our trials and tribulations in the past and that’s stayed on people’s minds,” he says. “We’ve been talking to investors and others and the trade unions you’re thinking of in the past are not what’s happening today.”
However, Rick Garant, Unifor’s director of constitutional matters, says the negative connotation is concerning and hypocritical.
“I really believe he ought to be our biggest cheerleader,” Garant explains. “He directly benefited on a personal level from what the labour movement has done for this community and also for himself.”
Labour leaders believe that municipal officials should be focusing on the benefits of unions and its membership to help to build a positive rapport with employers.
