The Joint Labour Day Organising Committee have invited a former US Secretary of Labor to be the guest speaker at its celebrations on Monday, September 2.

William Usery - who served in US President Gerald Ford's Cabinet in the mid 1970s - will speak during the festivities at Bernard Park after the Labour Day Walk. The Labour Day celebrations follow the Labour Day Heritage March/Walk through Hamilton, which will begin at 11.30 a.m.

Mr. Usery worked for US President Bill Clinton as a member of the Commission on the Future of Worker Management Relation, which investigated the state of employment relations and labour across America.

He also served Clinton's chief mediator between Major League Baseball team owners and players during the 1990s.

A JLDOC spokesman said: "Having Bill Usery as the special guest of this Labour Day is evidence of the transformation of the Joint Committee which now includes both labour and management.

"His involvement in this year's Labour Day activities, speaks to our theme - `Labour is Me'.

"It is a reminder of our conclusion to our mission, which is transcending all barriers, we undertake to unite the entire community in the celebration of labour."