September 24 2025
Photo by United Steelworkers (USW). Used with permission.
The labour movement mourns the loss of Leo Gerard, former International President of the United Steelworkers (USW), whose lifelong fight for workers’ rights, safer workplaces and social justice leaves an enduring legacy.
“Leo was a trade unionist to the core,” said Bert Blundon, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). “The struggles he led with his members improved the health of miners everywhere, secured better wages and benefits for their families, and held governments and employers accountable for unsafe working conditions. He was clear that workplace deaths were not ‘accidents,’ but preventable tragedies caused by corporate negligence.”
Among his many achievements, Gerard is remembered for his role in securing passage of the Westray Act in 2003, which held corporations criminally liable for workplace deaths and injuries. He was relentless in his fight against unfair trade deals, exposing how globalization without worker protections led to job losses, inequality, and human rights abuses.
Growing up in a mining community shaped Gerard’s outlook, especially on public health care. Before Medicare, he witnessed the devastating toll of toxic dusts and fumes—cancers, silicosis, and mesothelioma—on miners and their families, many of whom could not afford treatment. Later, he became an outspoken critic of the American health care system, advocating for single-payer reform through the Unions for Single Payer Health Care coalition.
Blundon noted that Gerard’s commitment to justice extended well beyond the workplace. “Leo’s fights went far beyond contracts. As the leader of a private-sector union, he strongly supported the public sector, and we were proud to work with him and the USW on common issues. We shared the vision that unions are part of a broader movement for human rights, economic justice, environmental protection, and workplace democracy. Throughout his life, he championed stronger public services, broader protections for 2SLGBTQI, racialized, and Indigenous people, and positioned USW as a true ally both inside and outside the labour movement.”
Born and raised in Creighton, Ontario—a small mining town outside Sudbury—Gerard followed in his father’s footsteps, working underground for Inco. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming chief steward of his 7,000-member local, then a staff representative in 1977. He went on to serve as USW Ontario Director, Canadian National Director, and International Secretary-Treasurer before becoming International President in 2001.
He retired in 2019 after more than 18 years as president—the longest tenure in the union’s history—and returned home to Sudbury. In 2023, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada, the Order’s highest level, in recognition of his national and international contributions to labour and social justice.
Gerard also helped build global alliances. He co-founded IndustriALL Global Union, which now represents 50 million workers in the mining, energy, and manufacturing sectors in more than 140 countries. He also launched the BlueGreen Alliance with the Sierra Club, bringing together labour and environmentalists to fight for climate action, clean energy, and just transition for workers.
“Our condolences to Leo’s family and friends, and to the labour community as a whole. He will be sorely missed,” said Blundon.