Jerry Dias

Jerome P. Dias, Jr. (born October 10, 1958) is a Canadian trade unionist, who was elected the first president of the Unifor union, a merger between the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, on August 31, 2013.[2]

Jerry Dias
Dias at the 2013 Ontario Federation of Labour convention
1st President of Unifor
Incumbent
Assumed office August 31, 2013
Preceded by	position established
President of Canadian Auto Workers Local 112
In office 1987–1993
Personal details
Born	(1958-10-10) October 10, 1958 Toronto, Ontario
Political party	Liberal/NDP
Parents	Jerry Dias, Sr.[1]
Residence	Milton, Ontario
Occupation	Union leader

The son of Jerry Dias, Sr., a worker at de Havilland's facilities in Downsview who led the plant's United Auto Workers local from 1967 to 1978,[3] Dias pursued studies at York University before dropping out and taking a job at the plant, and later became president of the union local himself in 1987.[1] He later became a staff representative for the Canadian Auto Workers' national office in 1993;[1] in 2007, he became a senior assistant to CAW presidents Buzz Hargrove and Ken Lewenza, Sr.[3] Jerry has been active in the labour movement for nearly four decades.