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 Carr
at

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