= Bob Linden played ‘Amazing Grace.”
Left is Local 1-85 president Tom Russell.
NORMAN GARCIA

[> Island logger bagpipes
Amazing Grace During this year’s
IWA Council and District 3 confer-
ences he played to full auditoriums of
Steelworkers. Following each confer-
ence’s Minute of Silence, to honour
those who died on the job, Port
Alberni Local 1-85 member Bob
Linden piped “Amazing Grace.” His
renditions sent shivers up spines of
delegates and added new meaning to
the age olde spiritual hymn. Brother
Linden, a logger at Hayes Forest
Services’ Franklin Division, is a
long-time health and safety activist
in the woodlands operation.

= Jack Munro (L) and D3 Director Steve Hunt.

[> A Perennial Favourite
Following Jack Munro’s speech to the
District 3 convention in Winnipeg in
early October — a speech in which he
recalled how the union beat back con-

= Bill Owens, a former west coast logger, was a business agent, WCB advocate,
political activist, editor, photographer and devout father. norman Garcia

A Brother who walked his talk

LOGGERS, MILLWORKERS and others in the union were shocked and sad-
denned to learn of the sudden passing of USW Local 1-2171 business agent Bill
Owens on July 6. Brother Owens, a member of the IWA and then the
Steelworkers, since 1972, was a native of Saint John, New Brunswick. Many in
the union remember Bill for his tireless work. “Bill was a Brother who walked
his talk,” says Local 1-2171 president Darrel Wong. “He did his job, day in and
day out, for our membership. He just wanted to help workers and their fami-
lies.” Bill last worked at Percy Logging in 1987 as a hooktender. He hired on that
year as a local union business agent and editor of Local 1-71's Green Gold News.
He went on to become an accomplished editor, photographer, business agent,
WCB advocate, political activist and a member of the NDP BC Provincial
Council for nearly 20 years. In 2005, Bill dedicated five weeks of his own holi-
days to work on Steelworker Harry Bains’ successful campaign to become an
MLA, even sleeping in his truck on occasion to protect campaign signs in
Surrey-Newton. A memorial service was held in Courtenay on July 29, with
many union leaders and members joining the tribute. Bill is survived by his son
William Gregory and daughter Anna.

tracting out in BC with the 1986
strike, and how the union fought for

Woodworkers of America, and the
IWA Canada. The certificate also

wage parity for BC Interior woodwork-
ers in 1967-68, District Director Steve
Hunt awarded Brother Munro a cer-
tificate of appreciation. For thirty-three
years Munro was an active member
and officer of the International

thanked Brother Munro for assisting
the Steelworkers Organization of
Active Retirees and for his efforts to
preserve the labour history of all
BCers as the chair of the BC Labour
Heritage Centre Society.

40 | DECEMBER 2006 THE ALLIED WORKER