Article

George Burt

Published Online January 24, 2008

Last Edited December 13, 2013

George Burt, labour leader (b at Toronto, Ont 17 Aug 1903; d at Windsor, Ont 6 Sept 1988). Burt became a journeyman plumber, but during the Depression he moved to Oshawa to work for General Motors.

Burt, George

George Burt, labour leader (b at Toronto, Ont 17 Aug 1903; d at Windsor, Ont 6 Sept 1988). Burt became a journeyman plumber, but during the Depression he moved to Oshawa to work for General Motors. He was the first treasurer of Local 222 United Automobile Workers (UAW), organized just before the historic 1937 OSHAWA STRIKE. In 1939 he was elected Canadian director of the UAW over C.H. MILLARD.

Burt was a VP of the CANADIAN CONGRESS OF LABOUR, a general VP of the CANADIANLABOUR CONGRESS, and was president 1951-53 of the Ontario Federation of Labour. He led the Canadian UAW from its militant infancy until 1968, when it was the second-largest and most socially conscious union in Canada.

Burt was involved in labour politics and gained support from communist and CO-OPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH FEDERATION factions in his union at different times. He was a member of the NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY's founding committee.