Unifor Local 195 President Gerry Farnham and 2nd Vice-President Mike Renaud.Unifor Local 195 President Gerry Farnham and 2nd Vice-President Mike Renaud.
Windsor

Local Unifor Leader Retiring; Starting New Career At Brentwood

A day after Windsor's labour community found out Rolly Marentette passed away, it has learned that the president of Unifor Local 195 is retiring.

Gerry Farnham says after signing up to 180 collective agreements over his tenure, it was time to make a change. He has accepted a position at the Brentwood Recovery Home as an addictions counsellor.

"I was offered a job by the director at Brentwood. Dan Souilliere called me in once I had let it [be] known that I was retiring," remembers Farnham. "I asked him if it was like for a janitor's position or something like that and he said no, that they'd like to see me come in as a counsellor."

The front entrance of the Brentwood Recovery Home in Windsor is seen on March 7, 2016 The front entrance of the Brentwood Recovery Home in Windsor is seen on March 7, 2016

Farnham started taking courses and let the union executive know he was leaving.

"I kept it kind of low key because I knew I was in a position where I still had to get quite a few collective agreements negotiated, and I didn't want to be a lame duck president," he says.

Having fought demons of his own 25 years ago, Farnham says addictions counselling is a cause close to his heart.

"I've never kept it a secret that 25 years ago I walked through the doors of a recovery program," he says. "I was in a lot of trouble. Certainly, wasn't, in my opinion, a wonderful guy. I harboured a lot of resentment... That's changed because of obviously entering into recovery."

Farnham, reflecting on his career, says labour negotiations have changed, and the movement has had to change too. He recounts the financial meltdown of 2008 and the impact it had on the auto industry.

"We were negotiating collective agreements that were concessionary. That was probably my most difficult time because it's not something that I was educated in, or trained in," says Farnham. "Prior to that, I was negotiating collective agreements that always had gains in them."

His last day at Unifor Local 195 is Wednesday, May 31.

John Toth was elected president in the last executive vote and will take over the helm.

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