Cathy Walker
Adjunct Professor, The Labour Studies Program
Cathy Walker, Past Director, Health, Safety and Environment Department for the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), now Unifor, Canada鈥檚 largest private sector union.
Cathy was a student at 丁香园AV from 1967 to 1970 when she left to work in factories in Vancouver, becoming active in her union, CAIMAW. In 1973, she was elected President of her local union and the following year became a national staff representative. In 1975, she was given additional responsibility for health, safety, environment and workers鈥� compensation. In 1992, CAIMAW merged with the CAW (Canadian Auto Workers) union and Cathy was appointed head of the CAW Health, Safety and Environment Department in Toronto. She retired in 2006.
Since her retirement and moving back to the west coast, Cathy has worked on China-related labour projects for the Canadian Labour Congress, the BC Federation of Labour and the Vancouver & District Labour Council as well as working with researchers and educators at the University of British Columbia and the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia on working conditions in South Africa and China.
Cathy continues to be active in environmental issues and outdoor activities.