This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
MGEU transformed over a quarter century of skilled leadership into the largest and most innovative union in Manitoba.
Winnipeg (2 Dec. 2010) - Peter Olfert, one of the longest serving leaders in the Canadian labour movement, has retired as president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU/NUPGE) after nearly a quarter of a century of memorable battles on behalf of the workers he represented.
 |
| Peter Olfert, second from left, with former MGEU president Gary Doer, now Canadian ambassador to the United States, current MGEU president Lois Wales and NUPGE president James Clancy. |
Olfert, who stepped down at the union's recent convention, served as president from 1986 until he handed over the leadership to his successor, Lois Wales.
“Peter embodies all of the great characteristics that you look for in a leader,” says James Clancy, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE).
“He is strong willed but also reasonable and patient. He always shared the credit for victories and always took responsibility when setbacks occurred," Clancy recalled.
"Peter was thoughtful and reliable throughout his long and remarkable career. He was hard working and particular about how things were done. He was also inquisitive about everything and had a mischievous streak at times," he said.
"More importantly, Peter had a rigorous sense of right and wrong and was always fair. You could count on Peter to be there when help was needed. Not once in the last 25 years can I remember a time when Peter failed to answer the call for assistance. Throughout his career he fought tirelessly for a society based on the public good. All members of the MGEU, indeed all workers in Manitoba and the National Union, benefited from Peter’s lifelong efforts. The whole NUPGE family wishes Peter the best of health and happiness in his retirement.”
Activist since 1970s
Olfert became active in the labour movement in the 1970s when younger union members transformed the former Manitoba Government Employees Association (MGEA) into a full-fledged trade union.
After taking over as president, Peter led the MGEU during the Conservative years of Premier Gary Filmon when public sector workers were forced by the politicians of the day into a relentless fight mode.
In 1996, upwards of 10,000 MGEU members were forced out on strike - home care workers first, then health care aides, lottery workers and employees with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON).
Faced with a hostile government, the union had to find ways to mobilize members while assuring Manitobans they remained responsible and trustworthy citizens of the province.
Through this tumultuous period, the union truly came of age under Olfert's leadership, becoming the largest and most innovative trade union in Manitoba.
Olfert traveled the province regularly, trying especially hard to keep in touch with members in rural Manitoba. At the same time he held executive positions with the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) and NUPGE.
Groundbreaking initiatives
He also spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives such as the MGEU Resource Centre and the MGEU Humanitarian Fund, both of which would have an impact far beyond Manitoba.
The Resource Centre is currently being taught as a case study at Harvard University to labour activists from around the world and the Humanitarian Fund has supported important causes ranging from emergency relief to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Over the years, Peter has devoted his leadership skills and straightforward manner to executive boards ranging from the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council to the Union Centre Inc. and Manitoba Blue Cross.
Olfert begins his retirement as one of the most highly-regarded union leaders in Canada after building the MGEU into one of the best unions in Canada.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE