Hamilton Area Steelworkers Action Centre

Our Committee is an employment adjustment committee set up by the Hamilton Steelworkers Area Council.  The Committee provides job search and re-employment assistance to any laid off steelworker from any USW Local affiliated with the Hamilton Steelworkers Area Council.

The Committee has assisted steelworkers from 33 USW Locals.  We are currently servicing over 1,000 laid off steelworkers who have been affected by plant closures or major downsizing.

The Committee is sponsored by and funded by the Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) and by companies, where there is significant downsizing and the USW Local is able to negotiate a package of support for the adjustment process.

The Committee has an independent Chair, Brian Charlton, as required by the MTCU.  The Committee has chosen a full time Committee Co-ordinator, Charles Poore, from among its active laid off workers.  In addition, the Committee has two other full time staff, Jim Huff the Committee’s Administrator and Dennis Barlett the Adjustment Services Co-ordinator.  Currently the Committee’s work load is such that we have two additional people, from among the laid off workers, on temporary contract assisting the staff.

Our Committee delivers the vast majority of adjustment services for workers in house.  We run job shops for the workers, which include job search techniques, resume writing and interview skills.  We provide workers with individual assistance with their resumes and access to counselling sessions targeting personal, financial and family problems, as well as their job search and job needs.  The Committee provides access to assessment and re-certification for forklift operators.

The Committee has a program for basic computer familiarization to assist workers with their job search and with internet job search.  The Committee will also assist with and cover the cost of a GED/Grade 12 assessment for workers considering academic upgrading.

The Committee’s Action Centre has “Jobs’ Boards” available to laid off workers, which are updated daily.  We uncover the hidden jobs’ market and post jobs workers won’t find advertised anywhere else.  There are computers available for workers to use for internet job search and a fax machine for sending out resumes to employers.

To sum up, the Committee provides newly unemployed workers with a co-operative self help approach to dealing with the difficulties of unemployment, ongoing support and counselling during their job search and access to adjustment services that create a more orderly approach to re-employment.