Earl Manners

Jul 22, 2021 | Oral History Project, Video

If there was one teachers’ union president who created controversy during the 1997 two- week strike against the Mike Harris government, it was Earl Manners, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF). Manners’ career path began as an early...

John Humphrey

Jul 8, 2021 | Oral History Project, Video

British-born John Humphrey was an activist in the United Steelworkers, and was president of the large local at Ontario Store Fixtures, which grew to 1,500 members before the company shut down with two hours’ notice in 2003. In this interview, he focuses on his work in...

Eileen Lennon

Jun 30, 2021 | Oral History Project, Video

Eileen Lennon was the president of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) during the controversial 1997 two-week strike against the Conservative government of Mike Harris. She was the spokesperson for all five of the teachers’ unions. Her position as the president of...

ONTARIO’S BLACK TEACHERS – Negotiating the politics of Black Women’s Professional Working Lives

Jun 4, 2021 | Event

This presentation features the stories of Black women teachers in 20th century Ontario. Considering that labour and employment were important markers in Black women’s lives, this presentation will rethink access to employment and uncover the ways Black women teachers...

Hotel Workers Rising: From the 1961 Royal York Hotel Strike to present day struggles

May 31, 2021 | Event

It was a year-long strike and a bitter strike at the prestigious Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto. Many of the workers were immigrants, people of colour and mostly, they were women. Join us for this fascinating presentation as race, gender and class play...