Neil Reimer
Encyclopedia
Neil Reimer was an activist, trade unionist and former political figure in Canada.
After leaving the University of Saskatchewan
in 1942 at the age of 19, Reimer went to work at the Consumers Co-operative Refinery
, in Regina, Saskatchewan
. He immediately joined a Congress of Industrial Organizations
union organizing drive at the refinery. In 1950, he became an organizer for the CIO's Oil Workers International Union and was sent to Alberta
to organize workers in that province's booming petrochemical industry.
In 1951, Reimer became the Canadian director of the OWIU (which subsequently became the Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers Union
). Under his stewardship, the union grew from less than 1,000 members to more than 20,000 by 1961. In the 1981 union gained independence from its American parent to become the Energy and Chemical Workers Union and, in 1992, merged with two other unions to become the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
.
Reimer was elected as a vice-president of the Canadian Congress of Labour
in the 1950s and remained on the executive of it and its successor, the Canadian Labour Congress
, until 1974.
In 1961, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and the Canadian Labour Congress founded the New Democratic Party
. In January 1962, the Alberta New Democratic Party
held its founding convention and elected Reimer as its first leader. The Alberta CCF had lost its remaining two seats in the 1959 provincial election
and received only 4% of the vote. Under Reimer's leadership the NDP gained in popular vote to 9% in the 1963 election
and just short of 16% in the 1967 election
but was unable to win any seats in either contest. Reimer retired as NDP leader in 1968 relinquishing the position to Grant Notley
.
Reimer remained Canadian director of the OCAW throughout the 1960s and 1970s and became national director of the Energy and Chemical Workers Union when it was formed out of the OCAW in 1981. He retired from the union's leadership in 1984.
After retiring from the union, Reimer was active as the president and then later the secretary treasurer of the Alberta Council on Aging.
His daughter, Janice Rhea Reimer
, served as mayor of Edmonton
from 1989 to 1995.
After leaving the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
in 1942 at the age of 19, Reimer went to work at the Consumers Co-operative Refinery
CCRL Refinery Complex
The CCRL Refinery Complex is an oil refinery spread over located in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada owned by Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Limited that is in turn owned by Federated Co-operatives Limited . The refinery provides oil products to the member co-operatives of FCL...
, in Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
. He immediately joined a Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
union organizing drive at the refinery. In 1950, he became an organizer for the CIO's Oil Workers International Union and was sent to Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
to organize workers in that province's booming petrochemical industry.
In 1951, Reimer became the Canadian director of the OWIU (which subsequently became the Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers Union
Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers Union
The Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union was a trade union in the United States. At the time of its dissolution and merger in 1999, the International represented 80,000 workers and was affiliated with the AFL-CIO....
). Under his stewardship, the union grew from less than 1,000 members to more than 20,000 by 1961. In the 1981 union gained independence from its American parent to become the Energy and Chemical Workers Union and, in 1992, merged with two other unions to become the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
See also Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol SCEPCommunications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, abbreviated CEP in English and SCEP in French, is a largely private sector labour union with 150,000 members...
.
Reimer was elected as a vice-president of the Canadian Congress of Labour
Canadian Congress of Labour
The Canadian Congress of Labour was founded in 1940 and merged with Trades and Labour Congress of Canada to form the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956.-Founding:...
in the 1950s and remained on the executive of it and its successor, the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
, until 1974.
In 1961, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
and the Canadian Labour Congress founded the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
. In January 1962, the Alberta New Democratic Party
Alberta New Democratic Party
The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
held its founding convention and elected Reimer as its first leader. The Alberta CCF had lost its remaining two seats in the 1959 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
and received only 4% of the vote. Under Reimer's leadership the NDP gained in popular vote to 9% in the 1963 election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
and just short of 16% in the 1967 election
Alberta general election, 1967
The Alberta general election of 1967 was the sixteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 23, 1967 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
but was unable to win any seats in either contest. Reimer retired as NDP leader in 1968 relinquishing the position to Grant Notley
Grant Notley
Walter Grant Notley was a provincial politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984....
.
Reimer remained Canadian director of the OCAW throughout the 1960s and 1970s and became national director of the Energy and Chemical Workers Union when it was formed out of the OCAW in 1981. He retired from the union's leadership in 1984.
After retiring from the union, Reimer was active as the president and then later the secretary treasurer of the Alberta Council on Aging.
His daughter, Janice Rhea Reimer
Janice Rhea Reimer
Janice Rhea Reimer is a Canadian politician and the first female mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, having served in that capacity from 1989 until 1995...
, served as mayor of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
from 1989 to 1995.