Firefighters union head won’t seek re-election

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/11/2021 (1123 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The long-serving president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, who triggered plenty of debate and headlines during his tenure, will be replaced next year.

In a letter sent to union members on Monday, Alex Forrest reveals he will not seek re-election.

“It has been an absolute honour fighting for my members on so many issues important to yours and your family’s quality of life for 25 years. For me, it has always been about making all your lives better and ensuring that if any tragedy were to result due to occupational disease or traumatic on-scene injury, you and your family would be looked after,” he wrote.

Forrest describes leading the union as “a hell of a ride.” He was out of town Tuesday and couldn’t be reached for further comment.

The change will let Forrest focus on extending presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters around the world, as he remains president of the Manitoba Professional Firefighters Association and a Canadian trustee of the International Association of Firefighters, said Tom Bilous, union vice-president.

Forrest sparked plenty of headlines in recent years, after Mayor Brian Bowman criticized an agreement that has has the city pay 60 per cent of the UFFW president’s salary since 2014. Prior to that year, city taxpayers covered the entire salary.

Under the latest collective agreement, the UFFW will begin paying the entire salary on May 1, 2022. The city will then redirect money it had devoted to Forrest’s compensation to a new fund that helps firefighters attend residential addictions and mental health treatment programs.

Bilous said Forrest’s decision not to run again has nothing to do with the controversy over his salary nor the deal to change who pays for it.

“It’s not related. We see that change as a win-win, where the members will ultimately win with better mental coverage,” said Bilous.

Forrest has said the city’s payments toward his salary provided good value for taxpayers, since union leaders fight for minimum health and safety standards that benefit workers.

While Forrest also stirred debate by publicly calling for the province to take over paramedics from the integrated Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, Coun. Sherri Rollins said his key legacy will be his work to ensure firefighters receive greater cancer coverage.

“For all those conflicts that we may have had (about the united service), I would always champion and always respect… his enduring support for families on presumptive cancer,” said Rollins, the chairperson of council’s protection committee.

Last week, the Manitoba government announced it would revise the Workers Compensation Act to cover more types of work-related cancer for firefighters, for which Forrest had lobbied.

The next union president will officially take over the role in April 2022.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga