The following is a statement from CUPE National President Paul Moist and CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Claude Genereux.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees has lost one of its visionaries today, as generations of CUPE members and staff mourn the loss of former national research director and tireless labour activist Gil Levine.
- See photos of Gil Levine at CUPE’s gallery
- Read and leave memories of Gil at the family’s memorial book
Few people were as dedicated to Canada’s working people as Gil Levine. From that dedication grew an energy and leadership that, for the past 50 years, has shaped CUPE into the incredible organization it is today.
Gil Levine first joined the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE), one of CUPE’s two predecessor unions, in the 1950s, and was present when NUPE merged with National Union of Public Service Employees (NUPSE) in 1963 to become the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
As the union’s first-ever national research director, Gil built CUPE’s research branch into the largest labour research team in the country – an accomplishment that remains a distinguishing feature of CUPE to this day.
Gil has truly been the heart and soul of our union and its predecessor for over 50 years. His passion and innovation has not only benefitted CUPE, it has been an immeasurable contribution to the labour movement as a whole.
On behalf of over 600,000 CUPE members from coast to coast to coast, we send our deepest condolences to Gil’s wife Helen, his children Karen and Tamara and his extended family. He will be greatly missed.