Gerard retired in July 2019 as the longest-tenured president in the USW’s history. He served the union in multiple leadership roles throughout his over 50 years in the industry, having begun at the age of 18 at a nickel smelter in his hometown of Sudbury, Ont., Canada. 

“Leo Gerard spent his entire life fighting for workers across the world, and his impact on the USW, and the global labor movement, has been immeasurable. He inspired countless other workers to carry on the fight for justice and fairness. He will be missed, but we intend to honor his legacy by continuing that work,” said current USW international president David McCall. 

Before his election as international president in 2001, Gerard served as a USW staff representative, district director, national director of Canada and secretary-treasurer. He grew the union throughout his tenure by organizing new workers, orchestrating mergers with other labor organizations and building strategic alliances with allies around the world. 

“Leo was a visionary leader, determined and fearless in taking on corporations and lawmakers alike. He spent his career building power for workers so that everyone could have safer jobs, better pay, retirement security and respect on the job. As a proud Canadian, he never wavered from his values, and his life’s work will live on for generations,” said USW Canadian national director Marty Warren. 

Gerard oversaw the USW’s merger with the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union (PACE) in 2005 and was instrumental in the formation of the Blue-Green Alliance, a labor-environmental partnership, in 2006. 

Championing international cooperation among labor organizations, he helped establish the IndustriALL Global Union which represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors.