Joe Morris (trade unionist)

Infobox Politician
name = Joe Morris


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office = President of the Canadian Labour Congress
term_start = 1974
term_end = 1978
predecessor = Donald MacDonald
successor = Dennis McDermott
constituency = Canada
majority =
office2 = Executive Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress
term_start2 = 1962
term_end2 = 1974
predecessor2 =
successor2 =
constituency2 = Canada
majority2 =
office3 = Regional President of the International Woodworkers of America
term_start3 = 1953
term_end3 = 1962
predecessor3 =
successor3 =
constituency3 = Western Canada
majority3 =
birth_date = birth date|1913|6|14|mf=y
birth_place = Lancashire, England
death_date = death date and age|1996|10|11|1913|6|14|mf=y
death_place = Victoria, British Columbia
party =
relations =
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residence =
occupation = Trade unionist
religion =


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Joseph (Joe) Morris C.C., LL.D. (June 14, 1913 - October 11, 1996) was a Canadian trade unionist mostly noted as the president of the Canadian Labour Congress in the 1970s.

Early life

Born in England, 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. cite web
last = Clarke
first = John
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Industry Watch:Bland New Era Beckons Generic IWA-Canada
work = Logging & Sawmilling Journal
publisher = Lognet.net Inc
month = February | year = 1997
url = http://www.forestnet.com/archives/Feb_97/febedit.html
format=HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-13] The union later joined the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Biography: Joe Morris
work = Members of the Independent Commission on International Development Issues (ICIDI)
publisher =Centre for Global Negotiations
date =
url = http://www.brandt21forum.info/Bio_Morris.htm
format =HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-15 ] and he became a leader in the movement rising to the position of president of Local 1-80 in 1948. cite web
last = MACDOWELL
first = LAUREL SEFTON
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = MORRIS, JOE
work = The Canadian Encyclopedia
publisher = HISTOR!CA
date =
url = http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005456
format =HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-15 ] 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.

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 II 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.

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 Canada on June 25, 1978.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Honours, Order of Canada: Joseph Morris, C.C., LL.D.
work =
publisher = Governor General of Canada
date =
url = http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=1203
format=HTML
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accessdate = 2007-02-15] 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 died in Victoria, British Columbia on October 11, 1996.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Obituary: Joseph Morris
work = 267th Session, Report of the Director-General
publisher = International Labour Organization
month = November | year = 1996
url = http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb267/gb-15.htm#I.
format=HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-23]

Reference and notes

ee also

External links