get out!

Some beautiful moments await you in the woods and fields, the frozen marsh and the icy waterfalls of Hamilton this time of year. Check out area trails - start at Dundas Walks for some trail tales and links to local hiking trail maps.

Helping Haiti

The OPIRG Board of Directors supported a humanitarian delivery of much needed supplies to Haiti, organized by McMaster grad student Kevin Edmonds. Thank you Kevin for doing this great work with such practical benefits to those in need!

"Thank you so much for OPIRG's donation. I was able to buy several cases of oral rehyration salts and water purification tablets to take down to Haiti. We distributed these items amongst two different women's groups who lived in the camps. They were very grateful for it, and will no doubt save the lives of the people who took them. The trip was very sobering and informative, can't wait to organize a report back with OPIRG's help. Thanks again to everyone at OPIRG McMaster."

Kevin Edmonds 

Kevin is a graduate student in the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition at McMaster. He was part of an election observation team organized by the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (www.ijdh.org)

Kevin's writing:
http://www.rabble.ca/news/2010/11/haiti-un-and-cholera-election-day

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/899382--don-t-blame-haitians-for-election-fiasco

(views expressed are solely the author's)

steel aid

Community rallies around Local 1005

John Rennison/The...

More than 40 businesses, restaurants and financial institutions are donating services, food and money for a Christmas for the families of locked-out steelworkers.

The party will be Friday at the Hamilton Convention Centre in support of Local 1005 of the United Steelworkers, locked out by U.S. Steel since early November. It's just one example of support the workers are getting both on and off the picket line as their dispute carries on.

Rolf Gerstenberger, Local 1005 president, said he is quite surprised at the support locked-out U.S. Steel workers are getting. “Normally, this kind of response, we get after we've been out a couple of months,” Gerstenberger said. “This support started right away. We've been out about a month and a half.”

Gerstenberger said the party was organized after the question was asked both within the union and by outside supporters if anything would be done for the workers' children for Christmas. The idea then grew into a gathering for the workers and their supporters, as well.

Toys have been donated or purchased — there are at least 300 children from workers' families — and food and refreshments will arrive throughout the evening. Tim Hortons, for example, is going to ensure the coffee keeps flowing, said Local 1005 executive member Ron Wells.

Local 1005 has thrown open the doors to everyone in the community to join them. Gerstenberger said any leftover toys will be sent to agencies also collecting toys for children of families in need.

The children's program is from 4 to 7 p.m. The adult get-together, with live music, is from 7 to 11 p.m.

The amount of support the locked out U.S. Steel workers got for this function and are getting every day on the picket line has been astonishing, Wells said.

“We've had people coming out of the blue to donate. … It's overwhelming that people are behind us and they recognize what we're going through.”

Gerstenberger said, “People are always bringing food down to the picket line. It's a continuous thing.”

On Monday, Richard Procher, Kelvin Forrest and Gary Tourneay were among a handful of other workers standing around a furnace, burning wood at the picket line outside U.S. Steel. The furnace was donated by a farmer and the wood is largely broken up pallets donated by the spouse of another worker, they said.

Procher has worked there since 1978, Tourneay since 1989, and Forrest for only four months.

Since Nov. 7, they've had a number of different unions stop by to hand over cheques — $10,000 from CAW, $500 from the postal workers' union and $3,000 from another union, they said.

Then there are the countless number of people who have pulled up to hand over Tim Hortons coffee, food and even cash.

Some of the workers' wives dropped off cabbage rolls, someone recalled. There was also a woman from a St. Catharines restaurant — who wished to remain anonymous — who dropped off two platters of sandwiches, recalled another locked-out worker.

Over the past couple weeks as the weather turned colder they have noticed a decline in these gifts, said one worker, who would not give his name.

Regardless of the amount of coffee and kindness they receive, they say they will stay out there as long as it takes.

Last Saturday, a McMaster University group visited the line for a pickup game of ball hockey, according to the school's website.

Over at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton, Local 1005 has “a special place in our hearts” said assistant director Duane Dahl. The clubs' Ellis Avenue location has set up a barrel to collect food, clothing and gift donations for the workers' families.

The clubs' 11 after-school programs, at the students' initiative, have challenged each other on a food drive for the families, and the children of all Local 1005 families are being offered a free one-year membership, Dahl said.

Dahl said Local 1005 has always come through for the clubs through the years. “This holiday season is our turn to give back.”

Picket lines went up around the U.S. Steel Canada plant on Burlington Street after 900 workers were locked out Nov. 7 after contract negotiations broke down over company-proposed changes to pensions.

cfragomeni@thespec.com

905-526-3392

— With files from Nicole O'Reilly, The Hamilton Spectator

Bad or Good Neighbours?

CATCH News – December 13, 2010

Resident concerns delivered to Dofasco

ArcelorMittal Dofasco got an unwelcome Christmas gift on Friday – complaints from more than 2000 Hamilton residents about company air pollution. The delivery marks the latest attempt of nearby residents to engage the company in discussion about the impacts of its operations on surrounding neighbourhoods. They are concerned about everything from noise and odour impacts to fears about the impact of cancer-causing benzene and benzo(a)pyrene releases from the company’s coke ovens. 

The complaints came in the form of postcards and hand-written letters accumulated by the Good Neighbour Campaign (GNC) of Environment Hamilton. The four large clear bags tied with ribbons and Christmas bells were delivered by residents from neighbourhoods near the plant dressed as Santa Claus, Mrs Claus and four ‘elves’.

Local media were invited to attend the afternoon delivery to the company’s Hamilton headquarters on Burlington Street, but none showed up. The residents asked to briefly speak with company president Jurgen Schlacher, but were told he was “in a meeting” and couldn’t be disturbed – the latest in a series of refusals since the GNC first started asking in mid-May.

“Since this date the company has continually refused to meet with residents both on and off their property,” explained the GNC’s media release. “The most recent failed meeting attempt took place on December 2 when the company chose to not attend a press-free community and company mixer – a collaborative event between the GNC and residents intended to spark conversation on mutual community issues.”

The company had agreed to an August meeting with the GNC, but cancelled it after an individual resident sought the right to appeal thecomprehensive certificate granted to ArcelorMittal Dofasco to combine over 100 separate emissions approvals into a single document.That granting of appeal rights has since been rejected in a decision by the provincial Environmental Review Tribunal.

The comprehensive certificate allows the company to re-start a mothballed blast furnace as well as consolidate other air emissions certificates.  

The GNC has also conducted a “white flag” campaign over the summer which engaged over 400 residents in a comparison of the effects of visual air pollutants on small white pieces of cloth hung outside their homes – mostly in neighbourhoods near the plant but with control flags in Ancaster and Dundas. The campaign drew national media attention and GNC argues the results point to ongoing problems in north Hamilton.

“The flags placed in the North End and along the Beach Strip have a noticeably higher degree of discolouration than the flags placed in our comparison areas which included Dundas and Ancaster,” states a report released last month. “In particular, the flags on Grenfell Street, which is on the back doorstep of ArcelorMittal-Dofasco, and on Cope Street, which is located north of Barton and east of Centre Mall, appeared to be the most impacted with almost all the flags containing a high degree of yellowy-brown discolouration.”

The group says microscopic examination confirmed the visual analysis, and has provided the flags to the Ministry of the Environment for further examination. The GNC emphasizes that their campaign is “not to shut the company down but to open lines of communication” between residents and the company.

“What the company needs to realize is that communication is a two way street,” Stiel says. “We continue to encourage ArcelorMittal Dofasco to come forward and discuss the issues that are of a concern to both parties.”

CATCH (Citizens at City Hall) updates use transcripts and/or public documents to highlight information about Hamilton civic affairs that is not generally available in the mass media. Detailed reports of City Hall meetings can be reviewed at www.hamiltoncatch.org. You can receive all CATCH free updates by sending an email to info@HamiltonCATCH.org. Sharing tools area available on the website.

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

OPIRG and 1005 team-up

A visit to the main gates of U.S. Steel on Saturday found a well run picket line, and hockey equipment for a pick-up game of ball hockey.

A group from Katimavik made the trek on the #4 bus with OPIRG's coordinator of volunteers to the site, and were welcomed and informed by the members of local 1005, who shared coffee, water, and stories.

Next time we will come bearing tennis balls, to replace the ones that went over the fence onto U.S. Steel property.

[photo courtesy Paul Lane, USWA 1005]

Support Locked Out Steel Workers

December 11th 10:00 AM, 2010

Meet at Room 229 McMaster University Student Centre, then proceed to bus

Show support for locked out steel workers in Hamilton - take a bus to the main gates of the U.S Steel and help walk a picket line. See for yourself. http://bit.ly/hD4n6Y

McMaster students please bring your bus pass as we take the HSR to the site.

View Larger Map

safety starts with a small sharp tool

Harjot and Randy basically engraved anything of even moderate value in the office using McMaster security's engraver - like a tattoo without ink. And if we catch any thieves, we could be tempted to engrave their eyelids. But we probably won't.

PIRGtopia2

keep fares affordable

The Common Campaign Coalition of Hamilton is working towards affordable housing, transportation
and a living wage.

On Tuesday, December 14, 9:30am City Council will have a meeting to discuss raising bus fares. We are urging people to come to Council Chambers and show their representatives that they do not want their fares raised.

City Hall is located at 71 Main Street West, Hamilton ON - council chambers is on the 2nd floor.

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

Climate Change Relief: For the Victims, For the Planet

A grassroots video report from Saturday's demonstration for victims of climate change

Hamilton Action for Social Change: local climate action

Hamilton Action for Social Change: local climate action

open house

These beautiful people stopped by OPIRG's annual holiday open house Wednesday. For every one who signed in, OPIRG McMaster is donating $2.00 to the McMaster First Nations Student Association new toy drive.

It was nice to have a chance to say hi and share food with our extended OPIRG family!

More photos on our facebook page.

Eastgate Climate Action

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.