On December 5, workers from Ontario Northland, DSI, Gateway Cascades Casino, and Dyno Nobel are continuing a long tradition of giving back to the communities across the north, that is rooted back to November 27, 1994, when Unifor (formerly CAW) members at Ontario Northland were locked out for a total of 88 days.
"This happening a month before Christmas put a big strain on the families of those who were locked out. Many families wondered if their children would have something to open on Christmas morning" says Jeremy Rodgers, president of Unifor Local 103.
Low Income Peoples Involvement (LIPI) led by Lana Mitchell made sure this was not going to happen and contacted the Union to set up a Christmas party for the families and their children.
"This community outpouring of support helped the locked-out workers and their families during Christmas time has never been forgotten" adds Rodgers.
"Every year since then, the union and its members, joined by Ontario Northland have held a toy drive to give back to the broader community in supporting the good work LIPI has done, and continues to do, in all our communities, by collecting toys and raising money for those in need.
"To date, a staggering $170,000 and 60 half-ton truckloads of toys have been donated through our give back toy drive," says Rodgers.
Over the last few years, this need has been felt even more, due to economic inflation pressures, the high cost of rent and the homelessness we all see on a daily basis.
"We are looking to make this 30th anniversary Toy Drive the biggest ever, knowing the added pressures and demands that LIPI is facing. This year we have added a GoFundMe page and have expanded the toy drive to include members and management from Gateway Cascades Casino, Dyno Nobel and DSI in Sturgeon Falls to facilitate this milestone anniversary goal.
"We are asking the members of Local 103, our retirees, the families and friends, along with the broader public to contribute towards the success of 2024's 30th Anniversary Toy Drive."
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