History of Unifor Local 636
Unifor is the largest private sector trade union in Canada. It was founded on Labour Day weekend 2013 as a merger of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions, and consists of 315,000 workers and associate members in industries ranging from manufacturing, healthcare and media to aviation, forestry and fishing.
Unifor Local 636 received its charter in November 1944 as part of the UAW and remained so until the C.A.W. founding convention in 1985 and eventually Unifor in 2013.
Our Local has a proud and renowned history of our members advancing the labour movement both socially and politically by such trailblazing union activists as Noel Stoodley CLC Education Director, Al Seymour London Area Director, Frank Kenny Staff Representative, Sue Houston G.M Employment Equity Coordinator , Dave Vyse G.M. Training Coordinator, Bob Orr, Kelly-Anne Orr Assistant to the National Officers, Stephanie Johnstone is the 1st member of local 636 to sit on the National Executive Board as the LGBTQ Member at Large and of course Bob White.
Bob White starting working at Hay and Company, Woodstock in 1951. He was elected Steward at age 17, plant chair at 21 and President of UAW Local 636 in 1957. Bob became an Organizer in 1967 before becoming Director of Organizing. And in 1972 he was appointed to Assistant to the Canadian Director of the U.A.W, before rising to Canadian Director of the U.A.W. in 1978. Bob led the efforts to establish the C.A.W. in 1985. He was proudly Appointed the Order of Canada in 1990 and then was elected the President of the CLC 1992, 1994, and 1996 prior to retiring in 1999
Bob Orr was a National Staff Rep with our local before being appointed to assistant to the National President and then Assistant to the Secretary Treasurer and finishing his tenure before retirement in 2019 as National Secretary Treasurer.
Kellee-Anne Orr was appointed a Nation Service Representative in 2013 and remained so until being appointed to the position of Assistant to the National Officers of Unifor in 2022.
Over the last almost eight decades Local 636 has earned a well deserved reputation in the area as a solid community partner.
History of Unifor Local 2163
The UAW was certified as the bargaining agent of the employees at Fruehauf Canada, in the fall of 1980 and they concluded a successful bargaining round in
the spring of 1981, then applied and the Charter was issued June 1, 1981 as a Local Union from the International Union Called United Auto workers.
In 1985 this Local supported the split of the UAW to become the CAW Canadian Auto Workers.
In 1986 Brother Fergo Berto joined the staff of the CAW as Organizer before moving up the ranks to London Area Director before retirement.
In 1996 John Brady became the Organizer for the London and Area.
Kellee Janzen was appointed to the Organizing Department February 2015 with Unifor and subsequently appointed to a National Service Representative position with Unifor September 2018.
Dawn Leroux was appointed to Unifor National as a National Service Representative in November of 2020.
2163 merged into Unifor Local 636 in March of 2022