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BROTHER JACK NICHOL REMEMBERED The Canadian trade union movement lost a giant from its ranks with the passing of Brother Jack Nichol. Born April 6, 1926, in Hanover Ontario, he passed away in Vancouver November 6, 2009. Jack is survived by his beloved wife Rose, and seven children: Jim, Gail, Bob, Julie, Richard, John, and Cathy. A dedicated family man, Jack was especially fond of his grandchildren. Jack was a veteran of the Canadian Navy, serving for two years during World War II. After the war he found work in the West Coast fishing industry as a cold storage worker for the Canadian Fishing Company. Over the years Jack became increasingly interested in workplace issues and soon came to represent union members as a shop steward, bargaining committee representative and local union delegate to United Fisherman and Allied Workers Union conventions. In 1963, he went to work for the UFAWU as a full-time organizer, and a year later, was elected as an officer, taking on the position of business agent. Jack's initial focus was on shoreworkers' issues, and he distinguished himself as a skilled negotiator on behalf of fresh fish, cold storage and cannery workers, tendermen, and whalers. In 1967 Jack served time in prison, along with UFAWU secretary-treasurer Homer Stevens and president Steve Stavenes, for courageously defying a court injunction ordering striking fishermen at the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Co-op back to work. In 1973, among his many career accomplishments, he negotiated a landmark collective agreement that established pay equity for women and men in UFAWU-certified fish processing plants. In later years, Jack became deeply involved in the complex policies and issues facing the fish harvesting side of the industry. In 1985 he was appointed as an alternate commissioner representing Canada on the new Pacific Salmon Commission. Shortly afterwards he was appointed to the minister's advisory committee – the senior advisory panel on west coast fishing issues. Later, he co-chaired the Commercial Fishing Industry Council. In 1994, he and Don Millerd co-chaired the Fish Processing Strategic Task Force, a special task force appointed by the provincial government to look into fish processing issues. Three years later, he was appointed to the board of the Crown corporation, Fisheries Renewal B.C. A long time supporter of the New Democratic Party, Jack also served on countless labour committees and bodies. In the mid 1980s he was elected to the executive council of the B.C. Federation of Labour and later became one of its vice-presidents. Jack was also a strong supporter of environmental causes, well before the advent of today’s environmental organizations. In recent years he was an active leader of B.C. Forum, the coalition representing retired union members. Jack will be sorely missed by his many relatives, friends, colleagues, and associates. His legacy in British Columbia is profound and will be lasting. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the B.C. Children's Hospital. | ||||||
Click here to read "Maritime leader is immortalized" published in The Province | ||||||
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