National labour leaders converging on North Bay to speak up against austerity

A “Unity For Community” demonstration is taking place this weekend.

It starts with a march outside the ONTC head office on Oak Street at 11:30 Saturday morning and proceeds towards City Hall.

Henri Giroux is president of the North Bay and District Labour Council and one of the event organizers.

He says they hope to send a message to the province that the austerity measures must stop and this area needs provincial funding.

Giroux says there are several national labour leaders involved in the event.

The list of speakers includes the President of the Canadian Labour Congress Hassan Yussuff, the President of the Ontario Federation of Labour Chris Buckley, the president of CUPE Ontario Fred Hahn, the national leader of UNIFOR, which has employees locked out at Ontario Northland, New Democrat MP Charlie Angus and NDP MPP John Vanthof.