Shirley Geraldine Edwina Carr (May 1929 – June 24, 2010) was a Canadian
union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
leader who was the first woman president of Canada's largest labour organization, the
Canadian Labour Congress.
Union activism
Carr first became active in the labour movement in 1960, when she was employed by the City of Niagara Falls and a member of CUPE Local 133, then in 1970, she became an employee of the Regional Municipality of Niagara and the founding President of CUPE Local 1287. She became general vice-president of the
Canadian Union of Public Employees
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE; french: Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique, links=no; french: SCFP, link=, label=none) is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector – although it has in recent years organized workpl ...
in 1969, and also served as president of CUPE's Ontario Division between 1972 and 1974. Between 1974 and 1984, she held the position of executive vice-president of the
Canadian Labour Congress. In 1984, she became secretary-treasurer of the CLC, and in 1986 was elected its president.
CLC presidency
As president of the CLC, she began Canadian labour's campaign against the
Canada-US Free Trade Agreement
Northern America is the northernmost subregion of North America. The boundaries may be drawn slightly differently. In one definition, it lies directly north of Middle America (including the Caribbean and Central America).Gonzalez, Joseph. 200 ...
, a deal promoted by then-prime minister
Brian Mulroney and the late US president
Ronald Reagan and signed in 1988. She was a pioneer in using the technique of seeking support for labour's goals from other organizations in the community, and this strategy was ultimately responsible for turning the tide of public opinion against the trade deal.
Chairperson of the Workers' Group in the International Labour Organisation
Shirley Carr was elected in 1991 to be the first female chairperson of the Workers' Group in the ILO, and as such vice president of the Governing Body of the ILO. She served in this position until 1993.
Honours and positions
As the first female president of Canada's largest labour federation, Carr was awarded numerous honours. She was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the cen ...
in 1980 and a Member of the
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario () is the most prestigious official Award, honour in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the A ...
in 1995. She received the Centennial Medal for Exemplary Contribution to Vocational/Technical Education in 1980, the
Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Federation in 1992, and the
Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case in 1994. She was also awarded honorary doctorates from
Acadia University
Acadia University is a public, predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level. The enabling legislation consists of the Acadia ...
,
Brock University
Brock University is a public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The university bears t ...
,
McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Ga ...
,
University of Northern British Columbia
The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a small, research-intensive public university in British Columbia, Canada. The main campus is located in Prince George, with additional campuses located in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and ...
,
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames R ...
,
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary insti ...
, and
York University
York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...
.
References
External links
Shirley Carrat
The Canadian Encyclopedia
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage.
Available f ...
Canadian Labour Congress website
Georgetti praises Shirley Carr
1929 births
2010 deaths
Presidents of the Canadian Labour Congress
Trade unionists from Ontario
Members of the Order of Ontario
Officers of the Order of Canada
People from Niagara Falls, Ontario
Canadian Union of Public Employees people
Canadian women trade unionists
{{Canada-activist-stub
Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case winners