Ken Lewenza is stepping down after five years as head of the Canadian Auto Workers, clearing the path for new leadership to take over as the CAW prepares to merge with the CEP to form a super-union later this month.
Lewenza made the announcement at a news conference Thursday alongside Dave Coles, president of Communications, Energy, and Paperworks, who is also stepping down.
The new union – to be named Unifor – will become the largest private sector union in Canada, representing more than 300,000 workers in 20 different sectors.
"I am retiring because it is in the best interest of our union," Lewenza said, noting his resignation will take effect October 1.
"Unifor is going to build confidence and build collaboration and build solidarity for a unity team, not just between Unifor, but (for) the entire labour movement," Lewenza said in an emotional speech.
Lewenza, 59, has been president of the CAW for the past five years, a tumultuous period for the car industry that saw heavy job losses and government bailouts during the recession.
Lewenza was elected as president of local 444 in 1994 and later became the first local president to be elected as the national president at the CAW.
During his speech Thursday, he recalled how he got his first job at Chrysler.
"Forty years ago my father called me up and said get your ass to Chrysler," Lewenza said, adding that he went from a minimum wage job to well-paying, unionized job in a moment, affording him the ability to buy a house and a new car.
Lewenza says he’ll remain an ambassador and advocate for Unifor in his retirement.
Lewenza and Coles also announced Thursday they have collectively endorsed long-time CAW senior official Jerry Dias for Unifor’s top position. The new leader is expected to be chosen during Unifor’s founding convention, scheduled for Labour Day weekend in Toronto.
"It's not bragging to say that Unifor is a unique experiment that has never been tried in the labour movement before and I am absolutely thrilled to be participating and handing off to the new leadership team headed by Jerry Diaz," Coles said.
Diaz, 54, has had a long career with the CAW and was considered a possible replacement for the retiring Buzz Hargrove in 2008. It is not yet known whether Diaz will face any opposition.
Coles, who grew up in Vancouver, has been president of the CEP since 2006 and will stay on with Unifor in a transitional role. He acknowledged that there is still much work to do for Canada’s labour movement.
“Our union and its leadership are shocked and dismayed on the attack against Canadian companies; companies that provide jobs for Canadians,” he said. “This government is bent on destroying Canada and this new union is a reaction to that."
