Middleton, Paul, 1947- : Paul Middleton was born in 1947. He studied sociology and history at Queen's (1967-1971), and did work in graduate studies in the MA / PhD program at McMaster (1971-1973). He worked as a teaching and research assistant, and in 1973 as a mentoring associate with Bill Walsh, Trade Union Consultant, in Hamilton. In 1973 Middleton became Staff Organizer for Local 220, London and District Service Workers Union, affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). From 1975 to 1995 he worked as a staff Union Representative in many areas of local union servicing work (collective bargaining, contract servicing and research and education). He also prepared legislative breifs and did investigatatory tribunal work. In the period 1995-2000 he managed the regional office, Local 268, of the SEIU in Thunder Bay. After the internal struggle within Canadian locals which saw them leave the SEIU and join the CAW, Middleton found employment as Director of Labour Relations with the Air Canada Pilots Association, which continues to be his place of emplyment.
Middleton has also been active in the political life of the union movement. During 1984-1990 he served as Vice-President of Local 220 of L&DSWU (SEIU), and president of this local from 1990 to 1995. During the period 1986-1993 he was President of the Ontario Provincial Council of the SEIU. He was often a delegate to community labour councils and conventions of the OFL, CLC, SEIU International and the Ontario Council of the SEIU. He has long been active in joint committees and co-ordinating groups with other public sector unions, such as CUPE, OPSEU, ONA and others, and continies today to actively participate in activities with other Air Canada-related unions, such as CAW, CUPE, IAM and CALDA.
In February 1986 he was a member of the 15-person strong Solidarity Tour of trade union activists, which visited Mexico, El Salvador and Nicaragua, and developed links with workers in Latin America through the Toronto-based Latin American Working Group (LAWG). He also helped organize solidarity actions and seminars on developing world issues in South America and amongst Canada's First Nations peoples.
