Jerry Dias: Buzz Hargrove was a true rank-and-file union president
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He would never ask you to do anything he wasn't prepared to do himself. He led more plant occupations and corporate dust-ups than anyone in the country. He knew how to win and gave us all the confidence to fight against great odds. 'You can't win if you are not prepared to fight,' he would often say.
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I was fortunate to have a front row seat as one of Buzz's assistant's in the final years of his presidency of the Canadian Auto Workers. I was able to watch the master in action. He was brilliant in battle but compassionate and articulate in life.
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He understood that the most important role of the union was how we impacted the lives of the rank and file through collective bargaining. With that in mind, Buzz was the best. He knew better than anyone that our collective solidarity fused together as one, created unlimited strength. When facing the pillars of the corporate community, he was like a pit bull terrier with an abscessed tooth. Brains and brawn that drove success regardless of the situation.
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He really was a legend respected by all whose lives he touched.
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Buzz above all was a rank and file leader. He came from the shop floor and was proud of it. His working class roots are what defined him. He would often say that you can't build a union surrounded by lawyers and academics. They had a role but they just couldn't lead it. He believed that the rank and file's heart and soul was the foundation on which to build.
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