Sefton Memorial Lectures

The Sefton Memorial Lecture series is dedicated to the memory of Larry Sefton (1917-1973), whose long career in the labour movement culminated in his tenure as Director of District 6, United Steelworkers of America.

This unique annual lecture series began in 1983 . It is organized and hosted by Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto, and funded by the generosity of the Valleydene Corporation and the United Steelworkers of America (Toronto Council and District 6). Speakers have included some of North America's most prominent academics and labour relations practitioners.

Thanks to all the speakers who have granted permission for us to reproduce their lectures.

For information on the next Sefton Lecture please consult the Events Calendar on the CIRHR home page.

1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

31st (2013)

Labour's Responses to Globalization: Alternative Forms of Organization

Tony Burke, Why Unite and the USW created Workers Uniting – the Global Union (pdf)

Nelson Lichtenstein, Supply chain tourist, or how globalization has transformed the labor question (pdf)

Natalie Des Rosiers

30th (2012)

The Three-Part Crisis of Globalization (PDF document, 98 kb)

29th (2011)

Beyond Managing the Margins: Gender, Citizenship and Precarious Employment (text of speech unavailable)
Based on author's book: http://go.utlib.ca/cat/7015094. The book is also available to the UofT community online at http://go.utlib.ca/cat/7984827

28th (2010)

 The Changing Canadian Workplace (PDF document, 162 kb)

27th (2009)

Roots of the Crisis: How Growing Inequality Sowed the Seeds for an Economic Meltdown (PDF document, 97 kb).

Accompanying PowerPoint presentation (PDF document, 264 kb).

26th (2008)

New Union Strategies for Tough Times: The CAW-Magna Deal, and other Responses.

Part 1: Introductions; Sefton Award Winner speech; Morley Gunderson Award Winner speech; Opening statements by Jim Stanford and Charlotte Yates.

• Charlotte Yates - Opening Statement (pdf)
• Jim Stanford - Opening Statement (pdf)
• Jim Stanford PowerPoint presentation (part of opening statement) (pdf)
• Audio file (.mov) (Duration: 52 minutes) (statements start at 00.22:10 minutes)

Part 2: Debate by Charlotte Yates and Jim Stanford; Question and Answer session. Duration: 62 minutes.

• Debate and Q&A transcript (pdf)
• Audio file (.mov) (Duration: 52 minutes)

25th (2007)

AIDS as Metaphor: The Class Struggle in the Workplace (DVD available for loan in the CIRHR Library)

24th (2006)

Global Unions, Global Companies, and Cross Border Campaigns: The Vision, Opportunities, and Challenges Raised by the Global Union Conference 2006 (PDF document, 50kb)

23rd (2005)

The Rights Stuff: Labour and the Constitution: If Labour were Charged with Possessing Constitutional Rights, Would There be Enough Evidence to Convict It? (PDF document, 114kb)

22nd (2004)

Labour Reform in China: How 700 Million Workers are Coping with Global Capitalism (PDF document, 145kb)

21st (2003)

Contemporary Collective Bargaining: How Well is it Working? (PDF document, 346kb)

20th (2002)

Hostile Takeover: The Threat of Privatization (PDF document, 48kb)

19th (2001)

Can't Get There From Here: Old/New Unions in a New/Old Economy (PDF document, 39kb)

18th (2000)

Presentation Not Available

17th (1999)

Presentation Not Available

16th (1998)

The Politicization of the Ontario Labour Relations Framework in the Decade of the 1990s (PDF document, 1517kb)

15th (1997)

Crisis and Renewal: Algoma Steel Inc. - A Case Study in Adaptation (PDF document, 371kb)

14th (1996)

UTlibraries link to article: http://simplelink.library.utoronto.ca/url.cfm/358912

13th (1995)

Presentation Not Available

12th (1994)

Labour-Management Relations: Reflections on the Past, Challenges of the Future (PDF document, 1056kb)

11th (1993)

Presentation Not Available

10th (1992)

Law and Labour in Ontario: The Career of J.L. Cohen (PDF document, 1490kb)

9th (1991)

Towards a New Vitality: Reflections on Twenty Years of Collective Bargaining Information (presentation not available)

8th (1990)

Labor and Socialism in Canada and the United States (PDF document, 1468kb)

7th (1989)

The Representation Gap in the North American Workplace (PDF document, 1377kb)

6th (1988)

Courts, Boards and Labour: Reconciling Competing Cultures (PDF document, 504kb)

5th (1987)

The State and Labour in Modern America (PDF document, 1138kb)

4th (1986)

Presentation Not Available

3rd (1985)

Conflict or Co-operation: Which Way is Industrial Relations Heading? (PDF document, 567kb)

2nd (1984)

The Trade Union Movement in Today's Changing Society (PDF document, 837kb)

1st (1983)

The Labour Movement and the University (PDF document, 1021kb)