Hundreds of friends pay tribute to their ‘ working class hero’
Late labour leader recalled as colourful advocate of workers
Former IWA Canada president Jack Munro was remembered as a “working class hero” at a tribute to his life held Saturday in Vancouver.
Munro died in November of a chronic illness at the age of 82.
Hundreds of trade unionists, politicians, family members and friends packed a room at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where they shared stories of a man whose unique brand of guile, humour and profanity made an indelible mark on B. C.
Munro led the International Woodworkers Association for Western Canada between 1973 and 1992. During much of that period, the IWA was B. C.’ s largest union and he was the province’s most prominent labour leader. He also spearheaded the creation of the Labour Heritage Centre, an organization dedicated to telling the stories of working people in B. C.
Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labor Congress, fought back tears as he remembered his longtime friend and mentor as someone who was spontaneous, tough and never afraid to take a stand. He said Munro worked his whole life to provide fulfilment for workers, and his greatest talent was at the bargaining table where he was relentless, tough, savvy, patient and pragmatic.
“His stories were funny and profound,” he said. Many of the speakers on Saturday joked about Munro’s colourful speech when talking to politicians or reporters, always laced with “God damns,” which would have to be edited out of copy.
Underneath a tough exterior he was more than a hard- hitting labour negotiator, said Georgetti. He was someone who cared passionately for human rights.
Georgetti recalled a time when he and Munro were visiting a diner in a small town and Munro watched as the Caucasian owner belittled a black employee.
He then took the owner outside and locked him out of his own diner.
“He stayed at the door and wouldn’t let him back in unless he apologized to his employee.” said Georgetti. “At 6 foot 5, 215 pounds, it didn’t take much to extract that apology from that employer.”
Munro also loved working on his model railway, Georgetti said, and always ordered his steak rare “or as Jack would say ‘ rare, rare’ ... and keep the coffee coming.”
A tribute video played John Lennon’s poignant song Working Class Hero while humorous clips of Munro swearing at politicians or rallying workers with his fire and brimstone way of talking had the room erupting in bursts of laughter.
Former IWA local president Harvey Arcand said he made everyone proud.
“He made us proud to be workers and we were proud he was our leader.” Arcand said he’ll never forget something Munro said to describe labour consultants:
“A consultant is someone who will borrow your watch and then charge you for telling you the time.”
Another one of Munro’s longtime friends and former secretary treasurer of the B. C. Federation of Labour Angela Shira echoed the John Lennon song that played during the tribute video of Munro, calling him a “working class hero.”
While Munro will be remembered for being a champion for workers, she’ll never forget the way he loved a good laugh.
“We’ll remember Jack’s willingness to take responsibility and lead during difficult times, even though unfairly, he paid a high personal price for it,” she said.
“We’ll remember his passionate devotion to the health and safety of workers in the mills and the forest industry.”
In 1983, he met with premier Bill Bennett to negotiate an end to Operation Solidarity, one of the largest labour disputes in B. C. history.
Munro would later describe his role as the frontman in the move to derail the Solidarity protest as “either the stupidest or the bravest thing I’ve ever done.” The Operation Solidarity protest against Bennett’s fiscal restraint program largely defined Munro’s career.
Munro clashed frequently with anti- logging activists and during the ’ 90s headed the B. C. Forest Alliance, a company-funded public relations group created to counter the environmental lobby.
In his 1988 memoir, Union Jack, Munro said of his career: “If I had to sum up what it is I’ve tried to accomplish, it is to make trade unions an accepted part of society.”
Munro retired from the Forest Alliance in 2000. He kept busy during his retirement years with his third wife, Deborah, a cardiac nurse with whom he shared a passion for motorcycle riding.