Gino Donato photo

Denis St. Pierre, left, presents United Steelworkers 2020 president Myles Sullivan
with a donation of $320 to help members of local 6500 in their strike against Vale Inco. The money was collected at his going away party.

22 October 2009

Local's journalist-activist president
swaps one career for another

Northern Ontario Newspaper Guild | CWA Canada Local 30232

CWA Canada's loss is another union's gain of an activist extraordinaire.

Denis St. Pierre, a reporter/columnist at the Sudbury Star for one month shy of 25 years, this week started a new job as communications officer at the United Steelworkers' national office in Toronto.

"I had mixed feelings about leaving journalism because I've always loved the profession," says St. Pierre. "It was the only thing I wanted to do all those years. The only thing that could draw me away from journalism was a full-time position in the labour movement."

St. Pierre became a union activist "almost from the start" when he was hired by the Thomson-owned Star in his hometown. He first was a steward and then held various executive committee positions until becoming president 10 years ago.

Bob Vaillancourt, who has moved from vice-president to president, says St. Pierre's departure leaves an "incredible vacancy and vacuum," but the Local is very healthy and has a hardcore group of activists. With 18 months left in his term, it has yet to be decided whether to call an election.

One of the founders of the Local in 1973, Vaillancourt has nothing but praise for St. Pierre's time at the helm. "Level-headed, spirited and determined ... he combined all those traits in a leader. Denis is not vindictive, he's very subtle. He's an easy guy to talk to and he got along well with publishers. He knew when to push and when to accommodate."

Vaillancourt also notes that St. Pierre was very good with members of the Local. "He has patience beyond belief."

David Esposti, a CWA Canada staff representative who was among the 60-plus people at the official sendoff reception and dinner Saturday night at a Sudbury hotel, says it was a "bittersweet' moment for him.

"I'm happy for him, but I'm sad to be losing him and so is the Local. I will miss him as a friend and as a union leader."

Esposti describes St. Pierre as "a linchpin of the Northern Ontario Locals."

Arnold Amber, Director of CWA Canada, says "Denis is really bright and was a true, wonderful union leader through and through. You could always count on him to follow up on things he had committed to do."

There were many speakers on Saturday night, including Sudbury's mayor, who paid tribute to St. Pierre's influential role as political watchdog for the city.

"I was overwhelmed by all the kind words," says St. Pierre. "I'm going to dearly miss the CWA Canada people. They taught me a lot."

While he's not thrilled about leaving his family and friends in Sudbury, his wife works in Toronto and two of his children live there, so it will be a coming together in a city that he really likes.

His new job will see him involved with internal communications such as newsletters and union websites, media relations and news releases, plus communications related to several labour disputes in Canada.

St. Pierre was well acquainted with one of those disputes, the strike at Vale Inco in Sudbury. The USW, he says, has always been supportive of the Northern Ontario Newspaper Guild, so there is a long history there of quid pro quo.

NONG was able to secure favourable rates for the Steelworkers to place full-page ads in the Sudbury Star. In addition, the Local donated money and held fundraisers in support of the strikers.

Given the lengthy relationship, says St. Pierre, "I can't imagine working for a better organization."