Lana Payne was chosen president of UNIFOR, Canada’s largest private sector labor union, on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to head a group that represents more than 315,000 workers, including those in the auto industry.
Payne was the first woman to serve as both National Secretary-Treasurer and National Secretary of UNIFOR.
Jerry Dias, who had served as president for eight and a half years and retired in March, was succeeded by Payne. The Canadian Auto Workers union and the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada combined to establish UNIFOR in 2013.
