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Family, friends, and colleagues gathered in the hundreds in Ottawa to remember 57-year-old labour legend Dick Martin, who died October 30, 2001, after a battle with cancer.

Known for his numerous projects, hog farming, lousy ties, disastrous family vacations and heart of gold, Martin left his mark on the Canadian labour movement.

Martin began his union career in 1968 as a member of the United Steelworkers’ Local 6166 in Thompson, Manitoba. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as President of the Local before being elected President of the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) in 1978. While at the Federation, Martin was instrumental in establishing the MFL Occupational Health Centre. In 1984, Martin was elected an Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and, in 1992, he was elected Secretary-Treasurer by acclamation. In 1997, Martin was elected President of the 43-million member Inter-American Regional Labour Organization.

Martin is also recognized as the driving force behind the designation of April 28 as the Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured in their work, which is now observed by working people in several countries.

Other honours bestowed upon Martin include the Manitoba New Democratic Party Stanley Knowles’ Award (2001) and the Order of Manitoba (2001).

"After my first meeting with Dick, I was convinced he walked on water," said Manitoba Federation of Labour President, and former Steelworkers’ Local 6166 member, Rob Hilliard. "As my local union president, he backed us up when we went out on a wildcat strike against Inco to protest the Anti-Inflation Board’s decision declaring our upcoming negotiated wage increase null and void. We all shared in the victory when our wages were restored.

"Dick was the real deal. There weren’t a lot of layers to the man. He always put people first. In addition to being a militant and strong labour leader, he was a caring and sincere individual."

"One of the reasons Dick was successful in working with the various unions at the Federation and at the CLC was because he had people’s respect," said retired Steelworkers’ Area Co-ordinator Brian Hunt. "He was a generous spirit and a tremendous trade unionist. If he thought even one worker could benefit from his efforts, he would go out of his way to help. Dick left the world a better place for the rest of us."

Martin is survived by his wife Cathy and three children, Margaret, Ross and Jack.