Lana Payne
Lana Payne is the first woman elected National President of Unifor. A former journalist and prominent labour leader, she has spent more than three decades standing up for working people, fighting for good jobs and pushing back against corporate and political forces that put workers and their communities at risk.
Payne has been a leading voice in Canada’s fight to protect jobs and investment from the U.S. trade war and tariffs. As a member of the federal Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations and the Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force, she has pressed governments to defend Canadian workers and industries rather than accept job losses as the price of doing business. She has consistently challenged tariffs that threaten to bleed jobs, investment and production out of Canada, and has called for a stronger industrial strategy that puts Canadian workers first.
Elected National President in 2022 and re-elected in 2025, Payne previously served as Unifor’s Atlantic Regional Director and National Secretary-Treasurer, as well as President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour.
As National President, Payne has led Unifor through major bargaining campaigns and some of the most significant workplace fights in recent Canadian history. She has championed higher wages, stronger pensions, job security and better working conditions, while challenging corporations and governments over affordability and the growing pressure on working people.
Payne led Unifor’s campaign for federal anti-scab legislation, helping secure its passage into law in 2024. She continues to push for anti-scab protections across every province and territory and for policies that put workers at the centre of Canada’s economic future.
Her leadership and advocacy have earned national recognition. Payne was named to The Hill Times’ Top 100 Most Influential People in Government and Politics in 2026, the 2025 Automotive News 100 Leading Women and is a multiple Automotive News All-Star. She was also named to Maclean’s 2024 Power List, received Chatelaine’s 2023 Doris Anderson Award and has twice been recognized among Toronto Life’s 50 Most Influential Torontonians.
Throughout her career, Payne has remained grounded in a simple principle: working people deserve a fair share of the wealth they create, a strong voice on the job and a real say in Canada’s future. She continues to challenge CEOs, governments and anyone else standing in the way of good jobs and a stronger future for workers and their families.
To request an interview with Lana Payne, contact Kathleen O'Keefe. Media outlets can download Payne's high-res photo here.
