Clementine Ng: Remembering a Beloved Hotel Worker Activist
It is with very heavy hearts and deep sadness that we say goodbye to the beloved hotel worker activist Clementine Ng. She was fighting for justice right up until her very last days of life. We will always love her and carry her in our hearts.
“Clementine was a trade union activist like no other. She defended some of the most vulnerable workers in Toronto and she never slowed down after retirement,” said OFL President Sid Ryan. “She had a big heart and truly understood that the strength of the labour movement was people. She nurtured other people to gain the confidence to stand up for their rights. Her greatest legacy was the empowerment of others.”
The OFL recognized Clementine’s incredible contribution to the labour movement by adding her name to the OFL Labour Honour Roll in 2011.
Funeral and Memorial Details
The viewing will be held at Chapel Ridge Funeral Home, 8911 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, Thursday night from 5pm to 8pm.
The funeral will be held at Saint Agnes Kouying Tsao Catholic Church, 2130 Rodick Road, Markham on Friday at 10:30am sharp. A number of our leaders will be her pall bearers.
In several weeks, UNITE HERE Local 75 will be organizing a union memorial service to celebrate her life and leadership.
Details will follow soon.
About Clementine
Sister Clementine was a native of Malaysia who immigrated to Canada in 1985.
She landed a job as a cook at the former Colony Hotel in Toronto in 1988. The hotel, located at 89 Chestnut St., became a University of Toronto student residence and Clementine continued to serve the students while they pursued their education.
When the Hotel Employee and Restaurant Employees Local 75, became UNITE HERE Local 75 in 1994, Clementine got active in her union as a defender of social justice, women’s rights, the elderly, the young and the poor. Above all she embraced the fight for the rights of all immigrants to Canada.
In 2004, Clementine ceased working at age 63 due to health reasons, but that did not stop her from carrying on the fight for working people, in addition to retirees rights and pension reform.
Everywhere across the city, Clementine was a common fixture at strikes, lockouts, rallies, demonstrations, community forums, labour forums, pension forums and any other political events. She was always dressed in the brightest clothing in her union’s colours, raising her voice and urging us all to fight on.
The highest office that Clementine held was that of a rank and file Executive Board member of UNITE HERE Local 75 and a shop steward and committee person. But in spite of never holding full-time office, Clementine distinguished herself as a recognizable and inspiring leader of her union and Toronto’s labour movement.
Clementine was 71 years young and she will be deeply missed.
