Frank Morrison
Canadian-American trade unionist

Frank Morrison

The basics
Quick facts
Intro
Canadian-American trade unionist
Gender:
Male
Work field:
Birth:
23 November 1859(Beckwith, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada)
Death:
12 March 1949(Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, USA)
Star sign:
Education:
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Lake County, USA
Employers:
AFL Office of the Secretary-Treasurer
(1897 - 1939)
American Federation of Labor
USA
The details
Biography

Frank Morrison

Frank Morrison (23 November 1859 – 12 March 1949) was a Canadian trade union leader.

Born in Franktown, Canada West, Morrison grew up in Walkerton, where he became a printer. In 1886, he moved to Chicago, and there he joined the International Typographical Union. He qualified in law at Lake Forest University, and joined the Illinois Bar.

Morrison became active in the American Federation of Labor (AFL), within which he was a supporter of Samuel Gompers and the conservative wing of the movement, and he opposed organizing recent immigrants or black workers. He was first elected as secretary of the AFL in 1897. In 1919, he attended the conference which founded the International Labour Organization. He successfully argued for a wide range of labour legislation, for the creation of the Department of Labor, and for the creation of the Social Security system.

In 1936, the role of treasurer was added to Morrison's position in the AFL. He finally retired in 1939, at the age of eighty, and he died ten years later.