A celebration of life will be held in Toronto on Sunday for former Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) president Buzz Hargrove.
Hargrove passed away back in June at the age of 81.
Hargrove was national president of the CAW from 1992 until his retirement in 2008, shortly before he reached the union's mandatory retirement age of 65.
The CAW merged with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union in 2013 to become Unifor.
Ken Lewenza, who was elected as CAW head in 2008 and stepped down in 2013, said he will attend the service in Toronto.
He added this is personal to him because of Hargrove's connection to Local 444.
"I worked with him arm in arm for almost 30 years through bargaining with the Chrysler council, and him coming out of Local 444 it has a different take because I understood Buzz's contribution to our Local, I understood when he was put on the [United Auto Workers] staff that he would make Local 444 proud," Lewenza said.
Lewenza said he's expected many people to share stories.
"We're going to celebrate his incredible contribution to the labour movement, and to justice more generally that he supported, and again, I'm anticipating a decent crowd. I'm anticipating that people have stories to tell about their experience with Buzz," Lewenza said.
Local 444 will be one of many union hall's across the country hosting a live stream of the memorial.
Lewenza said everyone is welcome to attend.
"Anybody who appreciates their paycheque, and appreciates their retirement benefits, and appreciates what the union has contributed to their lives, and to the lives of their family, into the community more generally, should show up just to participate in a celebration of a man's life, Buzz Hargrove, that made all of our lives better," Lewenza said.
The Windsor event will begin at 12:30 p.m. with guest speakers and light refreshments being served at the Local 444/200 Union Hall, 1855 Turner Road.
The live stream of the Toronto memorial will begin at 2 p.m.