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Joe Morris (trade unionist)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Morris, CC
, LL.D (14 June 1913 - 11 October 1996) was a Canadian trade unionist mostly noted as the president of the Canadian Labour Congress
in the 1970s.
, he immigrated to British Columbia
in 1929 where he worked as a logger. He joined the trade union movement, first with a union of unemployed workers and then with the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union in 1934. The union later joined the International Woodworkers of America
(IWA) and he became a leader in the movement rising to the position of president of Local 1-80 in 1948. World War II
interrupted his life, just like everyone else's in that time. He joined the Canadian Army, and was given the commission of Lieutenant
.
and became the IWA's regional president for Western Canada in 1953. He left his IWA position in 1962 to become executive vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress
serving until 1974 when he became CLC president.
In 1976, he led the CLC in a national day of protest involving one million workers going on a one day general strike
against wage and price controls being implemented by the Liberal government of Pierre Trudeau
.
He also served as vice-president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
in the 1970s and presided over two International Trade Union Conferences for Action Against Apartheid held in Geneva in 1973 and 1977.
In 1977, Morris was elected chairman of the governing body International Labour Organization
, the first Canadian labour leader to hold the position. He retired as CLC president in 1978.
on June 25, 1978. For his service in international human rights and labour circles, Morris was promoted, on June 25, 1984, to highest class of the Order of Canada: Companion.
In later life he served on the Independent Commission on International Development Issues (the Brandt Commission) and on the boards of the Bank of Canada
and the BC Ferries Corporation.
He had a heart attack on 8 October 1996, and died at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria
, British Columbia
on 11 October 1996.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, LL.D (14 June 1913 - 11 October 1996) was a Canadian trade unionist mostly noted as the president of the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
in the 1970s.
Early life
Born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he immigrated to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1929 where he worked as a logger. He joined the trade union movement, first with a union of unemployed workers and then with the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union in 1934. The union later joined the International Woodworkers of America
International Woodworkers of America
International Woodworkers of America was an industrial union of lumbermen, sawmill workers, timber transportation workers and others formed in 1937....
(IWA) and he became a leader in the movement rising to the position of president of Local 1-80 in 1948. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
interrupted his life, just like everyone else's in that time. He joined the Canadian Army, and was given the commission of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
IWA and CLC Years
An anti-Communist in the union movement, Morris was active in opposing Communist Party activists in the IWA when he returned from serving in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and became the IWA's regional president for Western Canada in 1953. He left his IWA position in 1962 to become executive vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
serving until 1974 when he became CLC president.
In 1976, he led the CLC in a national day of protest involving one million workers going on a one day general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
against wage and price controls being implemented by the Liberal government of Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
.
He also served as vice-president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions was an international trade union. It came into being on 7 December 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions , and was dissolved on 31 October 2006 when it merged with the World Confederation of Labour to form the...
in the 1970s and presided over two International Trade Union Conferences for Action Against Apartheid held in Geneva in 1973 and 1977.
In 1977, Morris was elected chairman of the governing body International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
, the first Canadian labour leader to hold the position. He retired as CLC president in 1978.
Post CLC career
For his many years of national and international service to the labour movement, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
on June 25, 1978. For his service in international human rights and labour circles, Morris was promoted, on June 25, 1984, to highest class of the Order of Canada: Companion.
In later life he served on the Independent Commission on International Development Issues (the Brandt Commission) and on the boards of the Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank and "lender of last resort". The Bank was created by an Act of Parliament on July 3, 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the Government of Canada...
and the BC Ferries Corporation.
He had a heart attack on 8 October 1996, and died at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
on 11 October 1996.