2 biggest unions in Manitoba change who's in charge

The two largest unions in Manitoba are undergoing a shakeup at the helm.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees Manitoba and Manitoba Government and General Employees Union elected new leaders late last week.

CUPE Manitoba selected Gina McKay to take over as president, while MGEU members voted for Kyle Ross. They're both long-time union activists. 

The election of new presidents are an opportunity for the unions to reinvent themselves at a time when the provincial government they lobby is doing the same by selecting a new party leader — and premier — on Saturday. 

CUPE Manitoba, which represents around 37,000 members, hasn't been run by local leadership since early February, when former president Abe Araya, along with the entire executive, was removed from office after his arrest for an alleged sexual assault. Araya's lawyer has maintained his innocence. 

Since then, CUPE Manitoba has been run by an administrator, who has examined the union's internal practices and policies. The provincial union will be returned to local, elected leadership in November.

Fixes internally

McKay said it is rare of a union, or any workplace, to have roughly nine months to look inward.

"You learn from what's happened. You ensure that your structures are more inclusive. You ensure that your policy papers and your strategies are stronger going forward. And then you elect a new executive that wants to propel that work forward — and that's what we've done."

A queer, Métis activist, McKay has held an array of union positions over the years. She serves as recording secretary of CUPE Local 2348 and was recently elected as equity vice-president for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit, Intersex Workers of the Canadian Labour Congress.

She understands the fight for inclusivity well, campaigning for those ideals since her start in union advocacy. It's why she believes she can propel CUPE Manitoba into becoming a safe space for all members.

"I feel like we're there. And now what we do is we build that," said McKay, who currently works as a labour director at United Way Winnipeg. 

"We build the movement with the members so that we can hear and learn from them, from the front lines, the impacts and then we work stronger together going forward."

McKay is confident the internal improvements will serve the union through its external work. She's pushing for CUPE Manitoba to focus more on political action, through lobbying and conversations with government.

Various unions have endured a fraught relationship with the Progressive Conservative government, which has sought to freeze the wages of public-sector workers and make it easier for employers to fire striking workers.

McKay is hopeful the Tory government will adopt a more union-friendly approach under their new leader, either MLA Heather Stefanson or former MP Shelly Glover.

"We have some great voices at the [union] executive table. The unity is there and so anything is possible," she said. 

Building new relationships

MGEU now has a new point person leading its more than 30,000 members. Kyle Ross, working in software development with Manitoba Public Insurance, won the election as union president, unseating Michelle Gawronsky.

Ross said Pallister's tenure undermined workers' rights.

"The old premier didn't really want to listen. It was, I would say, very anti-labour and that created a lot of challenges for us," Ross said.

"Hopefully this new [premier], we can build a new relationship and maybe work together a little bit."

A desire to help people pushed Ross into union activism, starting with his days working for a construction company after he graduated from high school. 

In his election campaign materials, Ross said he heard from leaders at individual locals who felt disengaged as MGEU leadership excluded them from conversations impacting them. 

He said his leadership style will focus on engaging with members directly.

Engaging with the grassroots

"I think we can do it, but it's building trust, really," Ross said. We need them to "come forward and talk to us so we can further our ideals on where we want to go."

Gawronsky, MGEU's former president, disagreed that her leadership excluded other voices, but she said she wished Ross well and encouraged him to look after union members first and foremost. 

"I hope that he actually is going to be listening. Please listen to the locals, not just a few selected, but listen to the locals, respect the locals and above all, respect the staff that represent those folks," she said.

Gawronsky led MGEU for nine years. She said she's already fielded a few messages concerning future opportunities, and insists she'll continue to advocate for Manitoba workers in whatever comes next.