In this book (part memoir, part polemic) Canadian Auto Workers president Basil “Buzz” Hargrove recounts where he came from and where he believes the labour movement is going. A self-made man, he appears to be very pleased with his handiwork.

Starting from humble origins in New Brunswick, Hargrove drifted from job to job and province to province before landing with Chrysler in Windsor, Ontario. It was there he began his rise through the ranks of organized labour.

Hargrove is well-versed in labour lore, but seems unwilling to acknowledge the efforts made by unions other than his own. His occasional words of praise for other unions seem hollow. He even offers up praise where none is warranted: He lauds Ontario’s teachers for taking on the Harris government, while omitting the fact that the teachers’ pension fund is a shareholder in the anti-union Sun Media chain and in Maple Leaf Foods, which he condemns for its oppressive labour policies.

Hargrove delves into his past, warts and all. He discusses his children and their flirtations with skinhead gangs and other rebellious groups. His gambling, drinking, and skirt-chasing also come under scrutiny. “Why do I share this painful history?” he asks. “Well, I may not be a person who spills his guts easily, but I don’t hide things either. I believe that when you take on a public position, as I did, you give up your claim to a completely private life.”

Hargrove has some blistering comments on politicians of all political stripes, but is also ready to provide compliments and surprising insights into some of his foes. His profile of Ontario premier Mike Harris softens the man somewhat. His accounts of negotiating sessions with Canadian Airlines and with the Big Three auto makers is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how labour and management operate.