[2] Subsequently, White became fully immersed in the Canadian labour movement as a union organizer and then by 1959 president of Local 636 of the United Auto Workers (U.A.W.
), a union based in the United States, that at the time had a large membership in Canadian industry (particularly in automobile manufacturing).
White became a national figure in Canadian labour and politics during this time and was outspoken in his opposition to the then proposed Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.
White had been a vocal opponent of U.S. missile testing on Canadian soil and encouraged other world leaders to take a pro-active role against U.S. led military initiatives and continued to be an outspoken critic of international trade agreements that he argued failed to recognize basic human and labour rights.
[citation needed] White was an advocate for jobs, labour and human rights before several international forums including the G8 and the OECD (the organization of the 25 most industrial nations).
White was the President of the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).