University chair honours unionist

OTTAWA , Oct. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - The Université du Québec à Montréal will soon be inaugurating the Nycole Turmel Chair in Public Spaces and Political Innovations to promote and stimulate research on the transformation of public spaces.

With funding from the Public Service Alliance of Canada , the chair was created in part to recognize the Ms. Turmel 's tireless work in the areas of labour relations and social justice. Ms. Turmel was the national president of the PSAC for about 10 years.

According to John Gordon , the current national president of PSAC, Ms. Turmel 's union actions were always mindful of the broader picture of social realities in which union members live and work.

"Nycole Turmel always knew that the union fight was not limited to improving members' wages and working conditions," said Mr. Gordon . "As far as she was concerned, every action by an activist took place against a socioeconomic backdrop and thus contributed to the advancement of society in general."

Ms. Turmel said it is with great humility that she accepts a university research chair to bear her name. She saw it as an excellent opportunity for the social struggle she waged during her entire working life to gain traction in the field of intellectual research.

"I am very honoured that this chair bears my name," she stated. "But I will be even happier when I see the activism of thousands of unionists become the subject of sustained and intensive research."

The first holder the Nycole Turmel chair is Nancy Thède, an anthropologist by training and professor of international development and international relations at the Political Science Department of UQAM.

The official unveiling of the Nycole Turmel Chair will take place on Monday, November 9, 2009 , in the foyer of the Studio-Théâtre Alfred-Laliberté, Pavillon Judith-Jasmin, 405 Ste-Catherine Street East, Room J-M400 (Metro level), Metro Berri-UQAM.

For further information: To arrange media interviews, please call: Isabelle Renaud, AFPC-Québec, [phone]; Alain Cossette, PSAC Communication, [phone]