Bill Fennell, longtime union member and activist, was elected president of the Nunavut Employees Union at their triennial convention Thursday, Oct. 9.
Fennell, a former social worker, said his priorities are to combat pension reform under Bill 1, the Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, and to increase the union's public presence.
"We've heard in this convention loud and clear that the members want us out in the communities," Fenell told CBC.
Tracy Oram, president of NEU's Local 6 in Iqaluit, was elected first vice-president.
"We need to get into the communities to talk to our members, even if that means going in and breaking down some of our locals to smaller locals to make them better represented," she told CBC.
Former NEU president Doug Workman announced his retirement shortly before the convention in Iqaluit.