UFCW Eastern Provinces Council would like to congratulate Blair Benjamin (bottom right corner) on his retirement following a 45-year working career, including 24 years as a staff member with UFCW.
Before joining UFCW, Benjamin worked 21 years at the Maple Leaf Poultry plant in Canard, Nova Scotia, taking on the role of shop steward before eventually joining the UFCW staff as part of the Spur Program.
After working as a Spur, Benjamin moved into union organizing and eventually became a member representative where he bargained, serviced and negotiated for the membership.
“In 24 years I made a lot of great friends within the membership and even management,” said Benjamin on his retirement. “My goal was to help people as much as I could, and that’s what we did.”
Blair took pride in his work, seeing the amalgamation of Locals 864, 1288P and 1252 to form the Eastern Provinces Council, and was an integral part of several large scale organizing drives including Comeau Seafoods, Potlotek Fisheries and Clearwater units.
“I was given the opportunity to travel across the region, meet lots of people, and it was always interesting,” he said. “When you organize a unit and 18-20 years later it’s still functioning, it’s always a good feeling.”
UFCW EPC thanks Benjamin for his time and effort in helping bolster the EPC over the last 24 years.
“I was told when I first started – ‘she was here before you come, she’ll be there after you’re gone, but you have to maintain and look after the membership, and you have to organize,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the next chapter and I have no regrets about the chapters I’ve been through – you work for what you get and I really enjoyed it, can’t say nothing bad.”
Blair was treated to his retirement lunch, surrounded by EPC staff, on July 30th in Halifax.
