A significant change in the United Steelworkers leadership occurred this spring as Dominic Lemieux announced he was stepping down as USW District 5 Director as of May 15.
Lemieux was a member of the USW’s leadership team since 2016 when he was appointed Assistant to the District 5 Director. He became District Director in April 2020 and led Quebec Steelworkers for five years. He has been succeeded by Nicolas Lapierre, who previously served as Assistant to the Director.
Lemieux’s activism began as a member of Local 6951, working in the steel sector. Rising through the union’s leadership ranks over the years, he built a record of achievement in collective bargaining with several multinational corporations.
“It has been an honour to lead this great union,” he said. “Alongside our allies in other unions, Steelworkers have waged some great battles and won some great victories – a ban on discriminatory two-tier clauses in Quebec, federal anti-scab legislation and stronger pension protection in cases of corporate bankruptcies.”
Lemieux successfully guided the USW’s Quebec wing through the pandemic, supported local unions in negotiating strong collective agreements to counter soaring inflation and reasserted the Steelworkers’ leadership in the unending battle to defend and strengthen workplace health and safety.
Lemieux was guided by a conviction that the union’s strength lies in the continual engagement and empowerment of grassroots activists and members. He was convinced the voices of local union members, when heard by politicians, have greater impact than those of union leaders. He encouraged his leadership and staff team to maintain ties with local union members.
“Spend time with our members, eat with them in their cafeteria, have a chat with them,” he would say.
Lemieux timed his departure to precede two significant events this year – the annual District 5 regional meetings held across Quebec, and the USW international officers’ elections. He will be completing a master’s degree in industrial relations and will be pursuing new professional challenges.
Nicolas Lapierre was appointed to lead USW District 5 after serving as Assistant to the Director since May 2023. A native of Quebec’s Côte-Nord region, Lapierre served for seven years as USW Regional Co-ordinator in Sept-Îles. He previously worked in the laboratory at the former Pointe-Noire pellet plant in Sept-Îles.
“I have every confidence in Nicolas Lapierre to take over and pursue our union agenda with the same vigour,” Lemieux said of his successor.
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