Lana Payne has been elected as the new president of Canada’s largest private sector union, becoming the first woman to hold the position, according to Unifor.
Payne, who was Unifor’s secretary of state and treasurer, defeated White House aide Scott Doherty and Unifor Local 444 president Dave Cassidy.
Payne also served as Unifor’s Atlantic Regional Director and President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Trade Unions.
The party’s leadership vote came after former national president Jerry Diaz resigned in March and was later indicted for violating the union charter’s code of ethics and democratic practices.
Diaz has long been the face of Unifor, leading the union since 2013 and was re-elected in 2016 and 2019.
With over 315,000 members, Unifor represents workers in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, aviation, forestry, energy and telecommunications.
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