Ottawa
One of Canada’s major public service unions has chosen former vice-president Sharon DeSousa to take the reins from Chris Aylward, who chose not to run again.
Was formerly a vice-president under Chris Aylward, who didn’t run again
Gabrielle Huston · CBC News
· Posted: May 30, 2024 12:04 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago
Sharon DeSousa, the new Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) national president, on a picket line last spring. DeSousa says she’s often been both ‘the only racialized person and the youngest woman in the room.’ (Francis Ferland/CBC)Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) have elected Sharon DeSousa as their new national president.
DeSousa has been serving as national executive vice-president of the union, which represents more than 245,000 public service workers across Canada, since 2020. She was a regional executive for about a decade before that.
She replaces Chris Aylward, who has been president since 2018 and did not run for re-election this year.
The union said she’s its first racialized national president.
“I’m just quite honoured that our members put the trust in me to lead,” said DeSousa on Thursday, standing in front of Parliament Hill.
DeSousa said throughout her career, she’s been in various leadership roles and was often “the only racialized person and the youngest woman in the room.”
“It’s truly unbelievable [to have] the confidence of the membership in me, and for other members who belong to equity groups to see themselves reflected in the leadership.”
James Calbert Best, a Black man and president of the Civil Service Association of Canada, was one was one of the founders of PSAC in 1966 but did not serve as its president.
Will fight back-to-work mandateDeSousa said she’s planning to prioritize a fight against the government’s plan to bring public servants back to the office three days a week, which was confirmed by the Treasury Board earlier this month and met with strong pushback from public servants and their unions.
According to a recent PSAC survey, members “are ready to take action,” she said.
“You better believe it will be a summer of discontent,” said DeSousa.
Chris Aylward, the now-former national president of PSAC, speaks with vice-presidents DeSousa, left, and Alex Silas in April 2023. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)PSAC’s change in leadership comes after last year’s widespread strikes and as it has been clashing with the federal government over a mandate to return to the office three days per week.
More than 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency workers under PSAC are in a legal strike position as of June 6, the union said Wednesday, with mediation scheduled for this coming Monday.
Alex Silas has been elected as the new national executive vice-president. He was previously serving as the vice-president for the capital region.
Silas and DeSousa will each serve a three-year term.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gabrielle is an Ottawa-based journalist with eclectic interests. She’s spoken to video game developers, city councillors, neuroscientists and small business owners alike. Feel free to send story ideas to gabrielle.huston@cbc.ca.
Follow Gabrielle on InstagramFollow Gabrielle on TwitterWith files from Radio-Canada’s Estelle Côté-Sroka
