Home

Basil "Buzz" Eldon Hargrove, President CAW

This month we feature Basil "Buzz" Eldon Hargrove, a DeMerchant descendent who has earned great respect in the Canadian labor movement. Buzz was born in 1944 sixth in a family of ten. They lived in a clapboard house with four bedrooms, a large kitchen that served as a family area, and a living room with a large wood stove in the middle. They had no running water and an outdoor toilet. Buzz knew poverty from experience.Buzz is president of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW-Canada) a union representing 250,000 workers coast to coast. Once an assembly-line worker at Chrysler, he held several elected positions at Windsor Local 444 before joining the CAW staff in 1975. He was acclaimed president in 1992.
Buzz is planning to drop by our DeMerchant reunion in August 2003.
Buzz wrote a book Labour of Love in 1998 detailing his life and the fight to create a more humane Canada. This is one of those books hard to lie down after starting. It is excellent reading.

When workers rights are at stake, CAW National President Buzz Hargrove takes bold steps and makes tough decisions.His union leadership style, energy and determination to make progress are part of the CAWs dynamic tradition.National President since his acclamation in 1992, he has many years of leadership experience, yet has never forgotten his days as an assembly-line worker at Chrysler. Hargrove, a Windsor Local 444 autoworker, held several elected local positions before joining the unions staff in 1975. In 1978 he became assistant to director Bob White. He has extensive bargaining experience and an understanding of, and commitment to, economic, social and political issues affecting workers and their families here and internationally. Currently, he is a Vice-President on the executive committee of the Canadian Labour Congress.

During his years as president his action-oriented leadership style has led him to be a regular guest on many television programs, a frequently requested lecturer at universities, and as of the summer of 1998 the guest host for a time on CBC Newsworlds TalkTV.

Labour of Love: The Fight to Create a More Humane Canada (ISBN# 1-55199-033-4)is the title of a book authored by Buzz Hargrove with Wayne Skene, published by MacFarlane, Walter & Ross in November 1998.

In recognition of his contribution to society, Brock University honoured him with a Doctorate of Laws degree at its convocation ceremonies in 1998.

A household name across the country, a leader admired for his extraordinary bargaining savvy, he is respected by his members and his adversaries.