Annual Meeting Canadian Committee on Labour History Concordia University, Montréal, 31 May 2010

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Alvin Finkel, CCLH president, at 12:30 p.m. Present:

• Alvin Finkel

• Nolan Reilly

• Craig Heron

• Greg Kealey

• Donica Belisle

• Ben Isitt

• Linda Kadis

• Sanna Guérin

• Rhonda L. Hinther

• Dominique Clement

• Raymond Léger

• Bryan Palmer

• Christine McLaughlin

• Betsy Jameson

• Peter Bischoff

• Marc-André Gagnon

• Jennifer Anderson

• Cecilia Danysk

• Joan Sangster

• David Frank

• Jeff Taylor

• Sean Carleton

• Myron Momryk

• Jim Naylor

• Larry Hannant

• Nicole Lang

• Arthur Carkner

• Andrée Lévesque

Regrets: None.

Approval of Agenda

m/s/c (Greg Kealey/Bryan Palmer):

Be it resolved that the agenda be approved as circulated.

Approval of minutes of 2009 annual meeting as published in labour/le travail, 64 (fall/automne 2009), 295-299

M/S/C (Ben Isitt / Raymond Léger):

Be it resolved that the minutes as circulated be approved.

President's Report

Finkel thanked the Forsey prize committee and asked for people to serve for next year. The president advised that ProQuest has dropped Labour/LeTravail from the lawsuit. He explained how the committee is co-sponsoring a digital history project, and is following developments at the Ottawa Workers Heritage Centre.

Editor's Report

Bryan Palmer encouraged people to submit articles and to encourage others to consider submitting to the journal. The journal takes a broad approach to labour studies and welcomes a wide range of submissions. Also, the journal is always considering thematic issues for the future. He further reported that the journal is receiving more French articles, although the journal needs a French book review editor [Raymond Léger agrees to take over for 1 year]. Palmer also discussed the move from Memorial University to Athabasca. The relationship with Athabasca University Press is excellent, and the move has resulted in a slight format change and more on-line options. Subscriptions have fallen slightly as they have for all print journals — L/LT's subs are currently in a holding pattern — and he would like to encourage more graduate students to subscribe.

Isitt commented on Athabasca's professionalism and great turnaround. Palmer responded that the journal endeavours to have peer-review responses within 3 months.

Ottawa Workers' Heritage Centre

Hinther spoke to the current Ottawa Workers' Heritage Centre controversy.

Since last year Ken Clavette and others have been fired.

Carkner spoke about the fight to keep the Centre operational and concerns surrounding the loss of municipal funding. Staff have been fired for disloyalty and for working with volunteers. They are trying to maintain projects that the fired staff were working on when they were dismissed. For instance, a new documentary is underway. He is asking the CCLH for help to maintain museum and get the staff back.

Kealey recommended that the CCLH form a committee to look into the issue. Finkel, Hinther and Palmer agree to form the committee. The committee will offer recommendations to the president on how to proceed.

Treasurer's Report

M/S/C (Jim Naylor/Bryan Palmer)

Kealey summarized the report distributed at the meeting. He indicated that it was time to get out of the gic — there's too little interest. Overall, there is good news: CCLH made a profit last year.

Report on CCLH Website

Belisle noted that the listserv has 93 members. The listserv began 6 years ago. Seventy per cent of the traffic is academics. She asked someone else to replace her as the listserv moderator.

CCLH Workshop 2011

M/S/C (Raymond Léger/ Christine McLaughlin): Be it resolved that the CCLH approves up to $7000 for simultaneous translation at the 2011 CCLH Workshop in Fredericton.

Léger discussed plans for Fredericton. They will have an event on the Sunday before the Congress in Fredericton in 2011. He recommended simultaneous translation. When they do similar events in New Brunswick, it includes translation, which he estimates at a cost of $5000 to $7000. The Federation of Labour could be asked to apply for a provincial government grant to fund translation to help offset the costs.

Léger moved to approve funding for translation. Frank agreed that we should support...