Delegates Convention Elect New President and Honour Longstanding Trade Unionists

On Tuesday May 27th, 140 delegates attending the New Brunswick Federation of Labour (NBFL) Convention elected Chris Watson of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) as their President for the upcoming two years. Watson had been serving as the organization’s Interim President after former president, Daniel Legere, passed away. Watson is a longstanding trade union activist. He has held many positions including President of CUPE local 380, CUPE member facilitator, NBFL First-Vice President and President of the Saint John and District Labour Council.

Delegates also elected Nicholas Maltais, of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), as NBFL Secretary-Treasurer. Catherine Little, of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, was elected as First Vice-President. Matthew Barnable, of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, was elected as Second Vice-President. Christine Hawkes, of CUPE, was elected as the Vice-President responsible for Women’s Issues and Ryley Hallihan, of PSAC, was elected as Vice-President responsible for Young Workers.

On Sunday afternoon delegates celebrated the accomplishments of two longstanding trade unionists as they were inducted into the NBFL Honour Roll.
Lawrence McKay, the first inductee, retired as the Atlantic Regional Coordinator with the Steelworkers union. Lawrence firmly believed that all workers must go home at the end of their workday in the exact same condition that they came in. Coming from the mining sector and seeing so many underground fatalities, he was a lifelong advocate for safe and healthy workplaces for all workers. Throughout his labour activism, Lawrence was always a steadfast advocate for member-to-member labour education and strongly believed in giving the younger generation of workers the tools they need to become advocates and leaders in their union, workplaces and communities.

The Late Daniel (Danny) Legere was also inducted into the NBFL Honour Roll, with his wife, Cindy, accepting the award. Danny was active locally, provincially and nationally in the labour movement for over four decades. He served as President of CUPE New Brunswick for fourteen years and President of the NBFL for six years. He believed that the only way workers and unions would be able to continue to make gains is through solidarity and supporting each other’s causes. “We are stronger together!” He also cared deeply about people and raising them up. He was a mentor to countless social, political and union activists over his long and distinguished career.

“We are living in challenging times. Workers from across our province are facing unsafe workplaces, attacks on bargaining rights, and an erosion of public services. But we also live in a moment of rising worker power, a time of solidarity, courage, and renewed hope,” says Chris Watson, President of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour. “I am so proud of the work that union activists do day-in and day-out. I am also proud of the fact that we finished convention on a high note by rallying in support of postal workers and protecting public post offices.”

-30-

The NBFL is New Brunswick’s largest central labour body with over 40,000 members representing unions from both the public and private sectors.

For more information please contact:

Chris Watson
NBFL President
(506) 663-9123