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Over 300 delegates gathered to establish the Unifor Quebec Council on February 11 and 12 in Quebec City. Among those making speeches were Michel Ouimet, Quebec Director, and Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
Ouimet got the ball rolling by mentioning the important victory by members of Local 184 at Quebec Silicium, who, after an eight-month lockout, were able to return to work with their heads held high. He reminded delegates of how the solidarity between Unifor local unions and the labour movement at large made all the difference in this victory.
Dias made an impassioned plea for the mobilization not only of our officers, but of all our members. “We are under attack! We are being targeted by several of this country’s governments and employers. That’s why we have to fight back. And to do that, we need to mobilize our members.”
Another memorable moment came when, at the request of Marcel Trudel (Local 1210), the rainbow-coloured flag was raised on the podium. “We want to send a strong and clear message that our union is firmly opposed to homophobic measures that oppress LGBT people in Russia and elsewhere in the world.”
At the heart of the meeting was the adoption of the Council’s first bylaws, as well as the elections to fill the different positions on the Executive and committees of the Council.
Unifor Quebec Council February 11-12 elected its first executive and committees of the Council.
Executive Board
Chair: Marcel Rondeau, Local 2002 – Transport Sector, Montreal.
Vice-Chair: Sophie Albert, Local 522 – Aerospace Sector, Montreal
Secretary -Treasurer: Daniel St-Pierre, Local 648 – Forest Sector, Montreal
Recording Secretary: Cathy St-Amand, Local 1044 – Manufacturing Sector, Quebec City.
Members at Large: Richard L’Heureux, Local 8284 – Communications Sector, Montreal; Jean Simoneau, Local 184 – Smelter and Mines Sector, Trois-Rivières; François Arseneault, Local 698 – Automobile and Parts Sector, Montreal and Region.
Political Action Committee
Jacques Ouimet, Local 100;Véronique Figliuzzi, Local 6000;Philippe Lavoie, Local 2009.
Health and Safety and Environment Committee
Christian Comeau, Local 75;Martin Labonté, Local 761;René Émond, Local 894.
Women’s Committee
Cathy St-Amand, Local 1044;Carolina Iacino, Local 6002;Marie-France Fleurantin, Local 62.
Young Workers Committee
François Arsenault, Local 698;Michel Du Cap, Local 6003;Mylène Brault, Local 62.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Workers Committee
Pierre De Montigny, Local 6000;Benoît Lapointe, Local 2002;Marcel Trudel, Local 1210.
Aboriginal and Racialized Workers Committee
Luc Léopold Heheng, Local 62;Mohsen Ben Kheder, Local 6000.
Workers with Disabilities Committee
Manon Camiré, Local 2002;Jean Léger, Local 894;Steve Lussier, Local 2002.
