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Labour of Love
Book by Hargrove, Buzz
324 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 1990
About the author
Buzz Hargrove
2 booksBasil Eldon "Buzz" Hargrove was a Canadian labour leader and onetime National President of the Canadian Auto Workers. Until his death in 2025, he served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's Ted Rogers School of Management.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 1, 2013
Had to read this for a university course. So of course I only read a minimal amount, just enough to answer questions like, "What did Buzz learn from Gino the Sweeper?" The answer was that as long as you had a union behind you, you could be a lazy ass.
Now don't go getting yourself all twisted up: I was in CUPE Local 79 for 22 years. I know that big unions helped bring about things like same-sex benefits in Canada, and without them we'd probably not have gay marriage and the like.
But that doesn't excuse someone from doing 4 hours of work, reading a book for 4 hours, getting paid for 8, and thinking that's a good thing. Buzz is old school union, and unrepentant in his outdated ideas. Like thinking it was cool that Gino's union rep "won" the battle with management because he'd once beaten up the guy representing management. Supporting the idea of violence and physical intimidation as valid union methodologies is, frankly, sickening.
As we grow up and gain experience in this world, we're supposed to become better people for it. Seems like Buzz missed the memo. Blech.
Now don't go getting yourself all twisted up: I was in CUPE Local 79 for 22 years. I know that big unions helped bring about things like same-sex benefits in Canada, and without them we'd probably not have gay marriage and the like.
But that doesn't excuse someone from doing 4 hours of work, reading a book for 4 hours, getting paid for 8, and thinking that's a good thing. Buzz is old school union, and unrepentant in his outdated ideas. Like thinking it was cool that Gino's union rep "won" the battle with management because he'd once beaten up the guy representing management. Supporting the idea of violence and physical intimidation as valid union methodologies is, frankly, sickening.
As we grow up and gain experience in this world, we're supposed to become better people for it. Seems like Buzz missed the memo. Blech.
August 7, 2026
I have mixed feelings of Buzz on his political thoughts.
The Rae government was a mixed bag of goods.
Buzz wrote how CAW 222 membership voted to disaffiliate. He was silent on how the disaffiliating process proceeded at 222.
A group at the local called Members Against Political Affiliation (MAPA) were those who lead the disaffiliation drive.
They went to Port Elgin (union training centre) as a right wing group of workers who lead what was happening.
They produced flyers denouncing the indigenous community's right to fish on Lake Huron, given the lake is on the shores of Port Elgin.
They were opposed to affirmative action programs, probably opposed to same-sex rights (at the time).
Buzz was silent to the actual events on this drive at 222.
Buzz then flip flopped in the early 2000s with the Liberals.
While I appreciate his beliefs on social justice, the rights of workers, and protection for the poor, elderly, his politics operated all around like a weathervane in the end more towards the Liberals.
The Rae government was a mixed bag of goods.
Buzz wrote how CAW 222 membership voted to disaffiliate. He was silent on how the disaffiliating process proceeded at 222.
A group at the local called Members Against Political Affiliation (MAPA) were those who lead the disaffiliation drive.
They went to Port Elgin (union training centre) as a right wing group of workers who lead what was happening.
They produced flyers denouncing the indigenous community's right to fish on Lake Huron, given the lake is on the shores of Port Elgin.
They were opposed to affirmative action programs, probably opposed to same-sex rights (at the time).
Buzz was silent to the actual events on this drive at 222.
Buzz then flip flopped in the early 2000s with the Liberals.
While I appreciate his beliefs on social justice, the rights of workers, and protection for the poor, elderly, his politics operated all around like a weathervane in the end more towards the Liberals.
October 24, 2014
This book certainly has a lot of detailed information regarding the history of the labour movement and the political parties. I think Buzz made the stories interesting to read for the first couple of chapters. However, I was getting bored with the second half of the book and I just rushed to finish it. It is highly opinionated.
I too, had to read this book for a university course. Not sure if I would read this again but for anyone studying Human Resources, I'd recommend this book.
I too, had to read this book for a university course. Not sure if I would read this again but for anyone studying Human Resources, I'd recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews