The Mixer, May, 2008 Long time unionist, Jim Morrison, passes away 
James “Jimmy” Morrison, Local’s 40’s oldest life member, passed away March 20, 2008, while in residence at the George Derby Centre in Burnaby. Immigrating to Canada in the 1920’s from Glasgow, Scotland, Brother Morrison served the union in every Executive position including Business Manager and Organizer since his career in the industry began in the early 1940’s, when he worked as a doorman at the Grand Union Hotel in Vancouver. Over the years, Brother Morrison was instrumental in bringing together thousands of hotel workers, bartenders, “café” and camp workers into the union. His commitment to his Brothers and Sisters was forged over many years, and even after he retired in 1978, Jimmy continued to stand up for the rights of working people in British Columbia’s hotel and food service industries. While working for the union for more than four decades, Jimmy had numerous achievements, including speaking out at many government liquor inquiry commissions, on behalf of “those employed in the dispensing of alcohol by the glass”. He served as Business Manager for one of Local 40’s predecessor unions, Local 676, heralded as the first union to organize “chambermaids”, now known as housekeepers. He was also instrumental in organizing workers at Hastings Race Track in Vancouver and at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa. He assisted in the formation of a new local union during his career when the Alcan-Kitimat project came on line in northern BC – he made sure those workers who made and served the food and took care of accommodations for workers employed in the project’s construction camp were members of the hotel union in BC. Never one to be satisfied with the status quo, Jimmy negotiated the first Health Care and Pension Plan as well as winning the fight for a 40 hour work week for hotel workers and bartenders in British Columbia. He always had a way with words and during his career with the union, Jimmy established the local union paper, The Mixer, supervising its publication through to his retirement in 1978. He was always proud of the work he did with The Mixer, and up until a few weeks before he passed, at the age of 96, he continued communicating with the current editor, Michelle Boudreau, and he often offered wise advice as he showed his enthusiastic interest in the affairs of hotel workers throughout British Columbia. Committed to the preservation of history of people working in this industry, Jimmy will be remembered for establishing a “Special Collection” in the Archives at UBC focusing on the history of culinary and bar workers in BC that features numerous historic photographs he collected over the years including original hand written records of hotel union meetings in Vancouver, going back as far as 1911. In 2003, Jimmy was awarded “The Queen’s Jubilee Medal” for his contributions and lifetime achievements. Jimmy will be missed by all who knew him and Local 40 extends condolences to Jimmy’s family on their loss. | 
