Trade Union Career
Georgetti arrived at the head of the Canadian Labour Congress after a quarter century of union activism in British Columbia, home to Canada's most polarized politics and of a vibrant labour movement. Born in Trail, in the southern interior of the province, Georgetti first went to work in the giant Cominco smelter, just like his father. He worked in most areas of the smelter and earned his trade ticket as a pipefitter. Following the family tradition, Georgetti became active in the United Steelworkers of America Local 480, rising through the ranks to President of the Local in 1981.
Elected Vice-President of the British Columbia Federation of Labour in 1984, he became its youngest-ever President two years later. At the same time, he broadened his national labour involvement by becoming a Provincial Vice-President of the CLC. During his 13 years as President of the "B.C. Fed", he oversaw the Federation's rapid expansion, with membership growing from 218,000 to more than 450,000.
Read more about this topic: Ken Georgetti
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