18th Biennial Convention of the Ontario Federation of Labour

Back to Blog

November 25, 2025

From Monday, November 17 to Friday, November 21, 2025, UFCW Locals 175 & 633, executive board members, staff and executive officers including President Kelly Tosato and Secretary-Treasurer Jim McLean, attended the 18th Biennial Convention of the Ontario Federation of Labour held in Toronto.

The OFL represents over one million Ontario workers belonging to more than 1,500 locals from 54 affiliated unions, making it Canada’s largest labour federation. The OFL serves as an umbrella group for working people and their unions, to unite workers in the fight for better working and living conditions.

Your union rose to speak on resolutions to push for legislative change in every area that affects people’s daily lives, and UFCW Local 175 & 633 Executive Board Vice-president stood in support of resolutions.

Michael Collins from Holiday Inn Windsor, and Scott Jackson from Highbury Canco in Leamington, each spoke on the need for the immediate inclusion of cannabis, mushroom, greenhouse and all agricultural workers to be included in the Ontario Labour Relations Act.

Jonathan Van Edmond from Olymel in Cornwall took to the microphone to speak on a resolution about improving health and safety in our workplaces by amending the Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure that as workforce size increases, the level of certified health and safety representation increases accordingly. With the support of their fellow delegates, our members spoke passionately about these issues which were both passed by the convention.

The week held a full agenda and we also heard from strong speakers with a shared message of strength, solidarity, justice, with a goal of a better future for all workers in this province.

On Tuesday the convention elected the officers as follows: Laura Walton – President, Ahmed Gaied, Secretary-Treasurer and Michael Hamilton as the Executive Vice-President of the OFL.

On Wednesday November 19^th, we joined our powerful affiliates in the “We Are Worth Fighting For” rally to oppose the passage of Bill 33 which is an attack on democracy by removing elected Trustees.