Ian Johnson, NSGEU's Specialized Services Coordinator, Named N.S. Trade Unionist Of The Year

During the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour's annual convention in late October 2011, NSGEU Specialized Services Coordinator Ian Johnson was named one of two trade unionists of the year. CUPE Atlantic Regional Director Jaquie Bramwell was also named trade unionist of the year.

Ian has been associated with the labour movement for 40 years. As a university student, he was the External Vice-President of Kings Students’ Union in the early 1970s. In that role, he worked closely with the Federation and the Halifax-Dartmouth District Labour Council in support of the striking fisher people in Canso, to oppose the appointment of a proposed new City Manager for Halifax who was known for his racist and anti-labour views in Oklahoma City, and to help organize against the imposition of the War Measures Act.

As Chairperson of the Health Coalition of Nova Scotia from 1982 to 1985, he and Vice-Chair the late Leo McKay worked with the labour movement to help protect Medicare from hospital user fees and extra-billing by physicians. He and the Coalition helped to achieve the Canada Health Act and a provincial home care program in 1984 and 1985. As Researcher for the NS NDP Caucus from 1985 to 1991, he worked closely with the labour movement on such issues as occupational health, plant closures, and education. As Senior Policy Analyst with the Provincial Health Council from 1991 to 1995, he continued to work closely with the labour movement to help develop Nova Scotia’s Health Goals and to help press for progressive health reforms.

While at the Health Council, he became an active member of the NSGEU from 1991 to 1995. During that time, he became President and Vice-President of his Local. He served on the NSGEU’s Ad-Hoc Health Care Committee and attended an international health care workers’ conference in San Francisco. At the request of the Federation, he also served as a labour member of the Joint Labour-Management Working Group on Indoor Air Quality as part of the legislative review process following the Westray tragedy.

Since November 1995, Ian has been the Policy Analyst/Researcher for NSGEU. For the last four years, he has also been a Servicing Coordinator for the Specialized Services Team within the Union. He has served as Chairperson and as a member of the Federation’s Health Care Committee. He has assisted with work of the Federation’s Pension Committee. He has also conducted lobbying workshops. He served on the Organizing Committee for the Topshee Conferences at St. F.X. He has been Vice-Chair of the Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network since 1996, and he helped to establish the Nova Scotia Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in 1999.

Ian was born and raised in Halifax but has also lived and worked in Saskatoon, Toronto, Thunder Bay, and Port Coquitlam. He has been happily married to CBC Arts and Culture producer and host Olga Milosevich for two years, and he has two grown sons.