The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, in Canada is a community based organization rooted in the labour movement formed to give voice to Black trade unionists within our workplaces, Unions and communities. Members of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists will not remain silent or be censored in the face of the horrors that we are witnessing:
In just a matter of days, thousands of innocent Palestinian and Israeli civilians have been killed following Hamas’ October 7th attack and the Israeli government’s subsequent declaration of war;
On Tuesday, the bombing of the Anglican Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza killed hundreds of people, most of them children. Over 5,000 people had been sheltering inside. This is a war crime;
The Gaza strip is facing a complete siege as food, water, electricity, and fuel have been cut off. The last functioning seawater desalination plant shut down on Sunday after running out of fuel;
UN shelters have also run out of water and hospital workers are warning that thousands more civilians could die if access to water, fuel and medicine is not restored;
Israel continues to prepare for a catastrophic ground war and intensified bombing;
As hostilities escalate, they are fueling forced displacements of Palestinians coupled with a rise of Anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism world-wide;
To prevent the further loss of life, a greater humanitarian disaster than what we have already witnessed and an escalation of war to the entire region, CBTU demands that Canada:
Palestinians have the right to be free along with all peoples in the region to live in peace and security based upon the fundamental principles of freedom and self-determination.
For more information
This CBTU statement is based upon a joint statement from 50 other labour, faith, Arab, Palestinian, Jewish, and civil society organizations to raise a united call for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid to Gaza. If you would like to endorse the united call, please visit: https://ceasefirenow.ca.
March 1st, 2026
Greetings, CBTU Family:
As Black History Month comes to a close, the work of celebrating, uplifting, and advancing Black history does not end for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU). Black history is not confined to a single month; it lives in our communities, our workplaces, our struggles, and our victories every day of every year.
Over the past months, we have witnessed many inspiring moments across our movement. Black leaders have stepped forward to serve in new roles, some have retired after years of dedicated leadership, and others have begun new journeys that continue to shape our communities and labour movement. Each transition reflects the strength, resilience, and ongoing legacy of Black leadership within CBTU and beyond.
At the same time, our community has also experienced profound loss. We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of CBTU Region One President Sharon Lovelady-Hall. Her leadership, commitment, and impact will be remembered and honoured throughout our organization.
We also send our heartfelt sympathies to all members of our CBTU family who have lost loved ones in recent weeks. Please know that you are not alone; our community stands with you.
The CBTU family remains rooted in solidarity and care. In moments of celebration and in times of grief, we continue to support one another. Together, we will keep building, organizing, and advancing the lives of Black people in our workplaces, our communities, and across the globe.
As we move forward, let us remain committed to the mission that unites us: empowerment, justice, and progress for Black workers everywhere.
Greetings, CBTU Family:
November 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of our organization becoming a Chapter of the CBTU, and the beginning of our year of celebration! Please take a moment to read our Special 30th Anniversary Edition Chapter Newsletter, where we have highlighted to accomplishments of several of our dear chapter members.
On behalf of the Chapter's Executive Board, we wish you all safe, happy, and healthy season's greetings and look forward to seeing and celebrating with you at our General Membership Meeting December 16 at 6pm.
Dear CBTU chapter members,
We are 30! This year marks 30 years of being a chapter of the International CBTU. To celebrate our history and the contributions of our members towards the Canadian Labour Movement, past and present, we invite you all to a special CBTU General Membership Meeting on Tuesday, December 16 in the evening. Location TBD and will be included in our newsletter coming out within a week. Yes, of course there will be food, it wouldn't be a proper celebration without it☺️
We look forward to seeing you there!
