Carol Wall

A long-time labour and social justice activist, Carol Wall (born c. 1953) ran for the presidency of the Canadian Labour Congress in 2005, gaining 37% of the popular vote in spite of being blocked from many union caucuses and unions directing their members to vote against her, while running against incumbent Ken Georgetti. Her campaign was widely seen as part of a broader movement to set the Labour Congress back on a more strategic, inclusive member focused path.^[1]

She first became involved in labour politics during the seventeen years she spent working for the Toronto Star, holding various positions in its ranks,^[2] where she became involved as an activist in the Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild (SONG). Starting out as a shop steward, she became the union's representative on various labour bodies. In 1995, she became a representative for the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP).

Her strong interests in equality issues led to her being hired in 2000 as CEP's first director of Human Rights,^[2] and she participated on their behalf in the World Conference against Racism held in Durban, South Africa in 2001. In 2002, she was elected Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress representing workers of colour. She has also worked as a national negotiatior for the Public Service Alliance of Canada, negotiating contracts in the public and private sectors from coast to coast to coast.

Wall was a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and has served on the Women's Committee of the Ontario Federation of Labour and the CLC's Human Rights Committee. She has also served as a member of several boards including the Pay Equity Advocacy and Legal Services Clinic, York University's Centre for Research on Work and Society and the Chiropractic College of Ontario. As well, she co-chaired the 1998 Commonwealth Study Conference, and is co-author of a book on popular education entitled Education for Changing Unions.

Carol and her partner Gerry have three grown children and are proud grandparents of three grandsons. Born and raised in Toronto, Carol now lives in Warkworth, east of Toronto. She is currently employed as a conciliation officer and mediator for Human Resources and Social Development Canada, working within the labour program].

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