18 - Sunday, March 11,

LOVE HIM OR LOATHE HiM, JACK MUNRO iS ONE H--L OF A GUY

NE OF the first things you notice about West Vancouver's Jack Munro is his size.

His 265-lb., 6°4°° frame is enough to rattle the confidence of even the most cocky adversary.

But don’t let those dimensions fool you: the International Woodworkers of America chief isnt really an ogre. He's like a giant Douglas fir, but his bark is worse than his bite.

Asked if he thinks of himself as a teddy or grizzly bear, Munro snaps back, ‘I'm a teddy bear with a grizzly hide.”

Munro's candid style, however, has earned him the reputation of a rough, loud-mouthed bully.

Add a voice that has been described as loud, rumbling and overpowering — ‘‘It is said that when Jack Munro whispers in his IWA-Canada Pender Street of- fice...the pictures rattle on the walls of forest industry executives a few blocks over,"’ Toronto writer Jane O'Hara writes in Munro's re- cent autobiography Union Jack — and you have a picture of a fero- cious Titan.

But this same man who has given management hell for more than 20 years has been described as having “the soul of a priest.”’

A different image of Munro emerges when you discover that he spent his first paycheque on an electric washing machine for his mother during the height of the Depression.

Today, just short of his 59th bir- thday, Munro has no immediate plans of stepping down as head of this country’s largest union. But that’s not to say he hasn’t thought about it.

“What the hell, you get stale if you stay around too long,” he says. ‘‘Sometimes | worry that | have stayed too long.”’

Whether he has depends on whom you talk to.

But most would agree that in the 17 years that Munro has set up camp in the [WA-Canada office he has come to be both liked and trusted by industry moguls and politicians alike.

He has also won the respect of his own membership.

NEW SHi

of Latin American!

1433 Lonsdale Ave.

1990 - North Shore News

2 INFLUENCE

photo Mike Wakefield

JACK MUNRO, longtime IWA-Canada president, is B.C.’s most powerful labor voice. Fighting hard-nosed industrial busses and shrewd politi- cians is part and parcel of fack Munro’s job.

One thing can be said about Munro: he’s never been afraid to say what’s on his mind.

He uses profanities like some people use salt.

“| don’t know why | swear so damn much,” he says.

In his line of work, Munro has had to be tough. He’s steered his union through times of industrial instability, labor unrest and falling timber prices.

And Munro has made more than his fair share of tough decisions: in 1983, finding himself face to face with then-premier Bill Bennett in the cold surroundings of Bennett's living room, Munro struck a deal that averted a general strike that threatened to shut down the entire province.

Munro was willing to break rank with other unions if it meant sav- ing the jobs of his workers.

To Munro, making decisions about and continuing strikes have

Folk Art. 7

pe a

N.Van. 980-7655

always been his most difficult.

“It's really hard, you know, because people are really suffering and they believe in you and so you have to produce for them. You gotta do the right thing.”

in 1966, doing the nght thing meant chasing down the provin- cial NDP nomination in Nelson- Creston, which Munro fost.

Although the West Vancouver resident has never seriously con- sidered running again, he admits to being tempted to re-enter the public fray — especially when the name of West Vancouver's current mayor is mentioned.

One of Munro’s biggest frustra- tions is that B.C. unions are

GIFT SHOP ON THE CAPILANO RESERVE FOR EXCITING LOCALLY MADE INDIAN CRAFTS

e Handcarved yellow cedar totem poles

® Sterling silver and gold jewellery

* Cowichan sweaters

* Moccasins

© Limited edition prints 270 Whonoak St. North Vancouver

987-3339 Mon.-Fri. 12-5 Saturday 10-5

Located one block off Manne Drive and McGuire St, behind the Plaza Tawers

“tol- t

erated because we're here, but we're not really accepted as being a legitimate part of society.”

The toughest time of his life: when his 13-year-old son Scotty was killed in an automobile acci- dent,

“Christ,’’ he downcast and doesn't get any that.”

His personal life p-obably won't get much tougher than that. But Munro’s job isn’t getting any easier either.

He’s currently involved in a number of bitter disputes, and, in what may be his biggest challenge today, Munro is working hard to

says, looking somber, ‘‘it tougher than

win back public confidence in IWA-Canada.

With massive public opposition to the handling of B.C.'s forests, Munro believes industry must learn to operate more efficiently and with more concern for the forests if it hopes to win back public respect.

And Munro is quick to point out that he is one of a dying breed in the labor movement. The Munro mould of a bellicose, street-smart leader is quickly being made ob- solete by university-educated, legal-minded union operatives who look good in three-piece suits.

— Evelyn jacob.

Howto save

ee at the Roofin

JOIN US FOR DINNER "é ON TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE 7pa1 AND WE'LL TAKE 50% OFF YOUR FOOD BILL. Then dance the night away with our band, which plays your

favourite music from contemporary to big band, starting at 8 p.m.

OR COME FOR AN EARLY SUPPER ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS AND Wt LL ALSO TAKE 50% OFF. All you have to do is finish your meal and head oul for a night on the town by 7:30 p.m. For reservations, call 684-3131.

NY a COCKTAILS, ANYONE? “ital Z) J

Our lounge features live music tor the cocktail hour ~ Tuesday to Friday, starting at 4-30p.m. : :,

LA

Canadian Pacitic ZZ4@ Hotels & Resorts

Hotel Vancouver