“Don't mourn my death, fight for the living.”
This is the challenge that Bud Jimmerfield passed on to all Unifor members prior to his death from occupational illness in January 1997.
Every year, since 1999, Unifor has recognized a member who demonstrates strong commitment to the work of preventing occupational injury and illness or who excels in advocating for environmental protections or worker compensation.
How to nominate a member of your local
Nominations are now open for 2025!
To be considered for this award, nominees must demonstrate strong leadership, community activism and a proven commitment to the promotion of health, safety, environmental or compensation related issues, with a focus on the prevention of injuries, work-related fatalities and/or occupational diseases. Nominees must be active Unifor members and be nominated by their local union leadership.
Previous Unifor Bud Jimmerfield Award recipients
Read about the 2024 Unifor Bud Jimmerfield Award recipient Robert Girard from Local 1937 at Rio Tinto/Alcan in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, and other previous recipients.
Who was Bud Jimmerfield?
Bud Jimmerfield was a tireless health and safety, environment and workers’ compensation activist, not just at his workplace but at other workplaces and communities.
Bud worked as a machinist for 31 years, exposed every working day to cancer-causing metalworking fluids at an auto parts plant in Amherstburg, Ontario.
When Bud was diagnosed with esophageal cancer at the age of 47, the compensation board initially denied that his cancer was caused by exposure to metalworking fluids at his place of work. Bud and his union fought back, presenting evidence to an appeals board that agreed that Bud's cancer arose from workplace exposure. This appeal decision was ground-breaking and resulted in national attention on the effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace.
Bud died at age 49 in January 1997, 18 months after his diagnosis, leaving behind his eight children and wife Diane.
Before he died, Bud charged union activists with an important responsibility: “Don’t mourn my death, fight for the living and do your best to try to prevent future occupational diseases, death and injuries from occurring.”
As Bud’s union, Unifor continues his legacy through activism and education. Since 1999, the union has presented outstanding health, safety and environment activists with the Unifor Bud Jimmerfield Award.
