Harry Hynd, SOAR Vice President Emeritus

Harry Hynd, SOAR Vice President Emeritus

During WWII, Harry Hynd was among other British children preparing to emigrate to Australia, but their plans soon changed when one of the ships going to Canada was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. 

In 1951, Harry began his union career in Scotland, where he worked as an Engineer in a coal mine and became a steward in the National Union of Mineworkers. The extreme danger and dust was too much for his liking, so in 1957, Harry emigrated to Canada and went to work for STELCO in Hamilton, Ontario. He joined USWA Local 1005 and soon became a Union Steward. In 1971, he joined the Steelworkers Staff.

Harry served as the Assistant to the District 6 Director, Leo Gerard, and became the District 6 Director in 1991, when Leo became Canadian National Director. Harry held that position until he retired in 2002.

Harry has been a Vice President of the Ontario Federation of Labour, a member of the Federation’s Education Committee, and Chair of its Safety and Health Committee.

In 2005, USW International President Leo W. Gerard appointed him SOAR Vice President, to fill the vacancy created when Ken O’Neal stepped down due to health concerns. Harry was then elected SOAR Vice President at the following International SOAR Conference.

Harry and his wife, Margaret, are both active in the New Democratic Party. They have two children (both girls) and three grandchildren (all girls). 

Harry likes hard work and he loves to fix things. A real do-it-yourselfer. Margaret claims that “driving her crazy” is another of Harry’s hobbies. They both have many friends in Cuba and frequently vacation there as well as in Scotland, where they visit about every other year.

In April, 2019, Int’l President Leo W. Gerard honoured SOAR Vice President Harry Hynd for his considerable contribution to the growth of the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, and to the many years of service to our union, by appointing him to the position of Vice President, Emeritus.