The former head of Canada's largest private-sector union has entered a rehab program after being charged with breaching Unifor's constitution by accepting funds from a third-party supplier.
Unifor leaders said Wednesday that Jerry Dias, who recently resigned as union president ahead of the union announcing an investigation into his actions, is accused of accepting $50,000 in Canadian money (about $39,700 U.S.) from an unnamed supplier of COVID-19 rapid tests that he promoted to employers of his members. Several employers purchased the tests, Unifor said. Dias told the union, which represents workers for the Detroit Three automakers in Canada, that he gave a Unifor employee half of the funds and told the employee it came from a supplier.
Unifor did not identify the COVID-19 test supplier. The union also would not identify the employers Dias pitched the tests to, saying they were unaware of "Dias' personal interest in the transactions," the union said.
