Ken Georgetti Interview: from Steelworker to head of the BC Fed and the CLC
Ken Georgetti’s life as an elected union representative spans over 40 years. Beginning as a proud member of Trail, BC’s United Steelworkers Local 480, Brother Georgetti rose through the ranks to become Local Union President, President of the BC Federation of Labour and ultimately, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.
This interview was conducted by Phil Legg on July 5, 2017 in Burnaby, BC. It is part of our Oral History Collection.
Ken Georgetti’s life as an elected union representative spans over 40 years. Beginning as a proud member of Trail, BC’s United Steelworkers Local 480, Brother Georgetti rose through the ranks to become Local Union President, President of the BC Federation of Labour and ultimately, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. As the BC Fed’s youngest President ever, he led workers through times both daunting and transformational. His “intelligent militancy” moved to the national scene in 1999, where he spent 15 years as President of the Canadian Labour Congress. In this oral history, Ken recalls highlights of his early days, struggles with labour’s foes and remarkable successes at the bargaining table and in the political arena. His story chronicles a time when a union generation believed anything was possible, and often proved it!