Tomorrow, Brock will unveil a new plaque recognizing the significant contributions that local union members made to the University’s Founding Fund from 1965 to 1970.

The plaque, which will be located in the Mackenzie Chown Complex 300-level hallway where blocks B and C meet, was proposed by Brock’s Centre for Labour Studies as part of the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

• What: Plaque unveiling honouring early union supporters in Niagara
• When: Wednesday, April 2 at 1:30 p.m.
• Where: Mackenzie Chown Complex, 300-level hallway (B & C blocks), Brock University

Labour unions played a key role in organizing voluntary payroll deduction in worksites across Niagara in support of the early growth and development of the University.

In 1965, local unions throughout Niagara agreed to recommend to their respective memberships that each member donate a day’s pay each year to Brock for the next five years. Organized labour set a goal of $1-million for itself, but by 1970, had surpassed this target, having raised more than $1.4 million for the University’s Founding Fund.

This amount represented almost a quarter of the total amount raised by the University’s Founding Committee.

Workers at McKinnon Industries — a subsidiary of General Motors (GM) — contributed to Brock University’s Founding Fund (Special Collections and Archives, Brock University)