Ken Lewenza steps down as head of CAW

TORONTO – Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) president Ken Lewenza will step down from his post in September.

A union source told CTV News the resignation will follow the CAW`s merger with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Union of Canada.

CEP president Dave Coles also told a press conference in Toronto that he will not run for presidency of the newly merged union, Unifor.

When the merger was announced last year, it was unclear whether Lewenza or Coles were planning to seek Unifor’s leadership.

Lewenza was elected the national president of the CAW in 2008.

The new union will represent more than 300,000 workers across roughly 20 sectors of the economy, primarily in manufacturing, communications and transportation.

Unifor will also represent some public sector employees in the health, education and transit sectors.

©The Canadian Press