Michael Lewis
Special to Ontario Construction News
Kingston, Jamaica-born Chris Campbell, recently named the first black president of influential labour organization Carpenters’ Union Local 27, says he draws inspiration from those before him.
“Thirty-five years ago, when I first walked through the doors of 64 Signet (then Carpenters’ District Council offices in North York) as a 20-year-old I saw a vice-president sitting at the podium during a meeting — his name was Dory Smith,” Campbell told Ontario Construction News.
Also from Jamaica, Smith joined the Carpenters’ Union in the 1970s and became business representative for Local 27, the first full-time black business representative in the history of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners in Canada who also served as the GTA local’s vice-president.
“It encouraged me to want to be a part of this because I could see myself reflected in the membership and the leadership,” Campbell said.
“I’m confident that my being appointed will send a message, just like it did back then, that it doesn’t matter who you are. It’s possible that you may attain a leadership role with hard work. It’s not beyond your grasp.”
Migrating to Canada in 1987 after attending a technical school in Kingston, Campbell became a Local 27 member in 1990. Following in the footsteps of his father and uncles who were also tradespeople, he said a mentor directed him to the union.
“That is how I got started. My journey to the presidency has been one of commitment, sacrifice and perseverance.”
Campbell said his appointment shows that Local 27 recognizes the need to reflect the community in union leadership as well as the rank and file, signalling a continued commitment to inclusiveness and to addressing the challenges faced by tradespeople from various backgrounds.
“Representation matters,” Campbell said. “It shows that we’re walking the talk.”
Campbell said he started as a first-year apprentice and worked his way up to journey person and union organizer, eventually becoming the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion representative of the Carpenters’ Regional Council, a role he continues to fulfill.
He ascended to the Local 27 presidency from vice president with the retirement of Paul Daly and plans to seek a full three-year term at Local 27 elections next year.
Founded in 1882 to advocate for fair wages and safe working conditions, Local 27 has grown to represent more than 10,000 members while also emerging as a progressive voice for diversity in the labour movement across the province.
Now 55 and the father of five, Campbell was named among the 100 Most Influential Black Canadians at 2022 awards presented by Afroglobal Television.
He was recognized for his outreach work and humanitarian efforts including home building after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and his participation in a team that constructed schools in Haiti and Jamaica.
Campbell in the same year delivered a convocation address to students at George Brown College’s Centre for Construction and Engineering Technology in Toronto and is slated as keynote speaker for the Jamaica Independence Gala to be held at the Jamaican Canadian Centre, also in Toronto, on August 10.
Campbell’s appointment has been met with accolades from community leaders including Sylvanus Thompson, Global Jamaica Diaspora council member and former Jamaican Canadian Association vice-president, who calls him a pivotal figure in Canadian society.
“This moment celebrates not just a leader within the Carpenters’ Union,” Thompson said, “but a trailblazer who embodies the spirit of progress and inclusion in the broader community.”
Campbell said his focus is on attracting young people and underrepresented groups to the trades, suggesting that he has seen gradual progress in diversity at Local 27 over the years, though “there is still a lot of room for improvement.”
According to a 2019 report from the Ontario Construction Secretariat, women account for only about 3 per cent of on-site construction occupations, while the 2016 Census shows immigrants made up 19 per cent of Canada’s construction workforce compared to 26 per cent in the overall labour pool. Recent immigrants accounted for just 6 per cent of the construction labour force.
Campbell said he will continue to venture into the community to promote careers in the trades as baby boomer retirements and other factors contribute to chronic labour shortages in segments of the construction industry. He said he marched in last month’s Pride Toronto parade while participating in community events from Caribbean festivals to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
His message recognizes the intolerance that persists on construction sites, but it also highlights union and management measures to promote inclusion, as well as the advantages of learning a skill and being part of a growing and well-paid industry.
“When I joined had to ask if I was allowed to come in, black folks were turned away from construction unions. It’s not perfect today, but things have definitely improved,” Campbell said, adding that retaining recruits from black, Indigenous and people of colour communities can be a particular challenge.
“There’s some push back, some uncomfortable conversations. It happens. I never cover up the reality of the struggle that I have faced, or that my friends and family have faced.
“But I try to keep my eyes on the positive things and grow the organization from there.”