This summer, United Steelworkers Local 8327 made a lasting impact at Camp Smitty, an overnight camp operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, which provides a safe and supportive space for children from low-income families. Instead of funding a single camper’s tuition, Local 8327 decided to do something that would touch every child who attended. With the help of Universal Promotions, the local donated 400 t-shirts for campers to tie-dye during their stay.
For Amanda McMillan, Vice-President of Local 8327, the initiative was deeply personal. A proud member and former camper herself, Amanda understood the value of creating tangible memories. “If we just pay tuition for one child, it’s invisible to everyone else,” she explained. “This way, every child got something special to take home, and they’ll remember that it came from USW.”
Amanda described the joy of visiting the camp and seeing the children light up as they tie-dyed their shirts, some pulling them on immediately. “If you can impress a 13-year-old boy, you can impress anyone,” she laughed. “It was magical – kids jumping up and down, cheering, so excited to have something of their own.”
The project also sparked meaningful conversations. Amanda shared how campers inquired about unions, wages and benefits, opening the door to introduce them to the concepts of solidarity and fairness at a young age. “Kids are the future, and this was a way of showing them what unions stand for – community, support and care.”
For Amanda, who grew up benefiting from the Boys and Girls Club, the donation was a full-circle moment. “Someone’s generosity saved my life. Now I get to give back,” she said. “Local 8327 gave these kids more than a shirt – we gave them memories, confidence, and a glimpse of what collective action can achieve.”
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
USW Local 9344, representing mining and transportation workers at Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company (IOC) operations in Quebec’s North Shore region, recently won key legal challenges of company policies on medical leave and workplace favouritism. One of the Local 9344 victories appears to have set legal precedent, with a recent decision by the Superior Court […]
More than 850 activists from across Canada and the United States gathered in Toronto for the United Steelworkers National and International Women of Steel Conference – a space defined by learning, solidarity and a renewed commitment to building power across the labour movement. From the moment delegates arrived, the energy was clear: this was more […]
The following statement was released jointly today by Canada’s two largest industrial unions, Unifor and the United Steelworkers: U.S. sector-based tariffs (“section 232 tariffs”) have hit Canadian manufacturing workers and businesses hard, impacting families and entire communities. Many Canadian steel mills, auto plants, wood product facilities and aluminum fabricators have slowed or shuttered production, leaving […]