In a powerful display of solidarity, workers from across the Hunter region will march again on May Day 2026, demanding a seat at the table for the region's future. The march, led by Hunter Workers (formerly the Newcastle Trades Hall Council), underscores the enduring importance of organised labour in shaping the Hunter's destiny.
A Legacy of Struggle and Solidarity
Leigh Shears, Secretary of Hunter Workers, captured the spirit of the movement: "This story, our story, is worth celebrating. Who's town - Our Town. What town - UNION TOWN." The sentiment echoes the founding principles of the Newcastle Trades Hall Council, established in November 1869 by workers from Maitland and Newcastle. These were not powerful figures but tradespeople, stonemasons, carpenters and engineers who understood a simple yet radical truth: the only power workers have is the power they build together.
May Day commemorates the global fight for the eight-hour day — eight hours' work, eight hours' rest, eight hours' recreation. The Hunter region holds a special place in this history, with workers agitating for the eight-hour day before the movement had a name, before most unions had local branches, and before any government was willing to concede without a fight.
Industries Built by Workers
The Hunter's industrial legacy is a testament to organised labour. From the railway workshops of the 1870s to the 2,500 tradespeople at Walsh Island Dockyard who built ships, bridges and buses for the nation, and the generations who poured steel at BHP from 1915 until 1999, workers have been the backbone of the region. Today, workers at Tomago continue the fight for wages that keep pace with the cost of living. These are not separate chapters but one continuous story of building through skilled hands and unbroken conviction that work deserves dignity.
The Fight for a Just Transition
This year's theme, celebrating unions and the industries workers have built, is far from nostalgic. It is a stark reminder of what is at stake. The Hunter stands at an economic crossroads. Coal has powered the region for 200 years, but the transition away from it is inevitable. Whether it is managed in the interests of workers and communities depends on whether workers are organised, whether unions have a seat at the table, and whether the labour movement fights for a just transition rather than accepting whatever is offered.
The founding generation of the Newcastle Trades Hall Council knew that workers don't receive fairness — they win it. Every standard taken for granted today — the weekend, annual leave, superannuation, penalty rates and the right to organise — was won by people told those things were impossible, unreasonable or bad for the economy. They were told to be grateful. They marched instead.
Marching Again in 2026
On May Day 2026, the Hunter marches again. Not because the fight is over, but because it never is. The union movement built this region, and Hunter Workers built the union movement. As Shears declared, "Who's town - Our Town. What town - UNION TOWN."
