DND Stewards,
Last week we lost our good friend and respected leader in labour/management consultation, Glenn Maxwell. His sudden passing is profoundly sad and our thoughts and hearts go out to his family. Glenn touched many lives and I hope that his family finds some comfort in the hundreds of messages of support and love they have received from all across the country.
Glenn was President of DND Consultation for a little more than a decade. Under his leadership, our team became the model for consultation within PIPSC. Glenn also elevated the entire concept of consultation in our union through his participation on the Working Group on Consultation and the founding of the Consultation Symposium. His tireless work for PIPSC members and especially those who work for DND will have lasting effects for years to come.
Glenn was an excellent recruiter as many of you can personally attest! He had an infectious passion for justice and inspired many stewards, new and old, to speak truth to power and go the extra mile for their members. He would travel anywhere and everywhere in Canada, often driving & flying for several hours or days, to support local stewards at consultation and local executives as a guest speaker at AGMs.
As DND senior management can and does admit, his presence at the top level consultation table was formidable. His easygoing attitude and slightly goofy personality often disarmed and diffused otherwise hostile discussions but when pushed he could and would push back with a fiery intensity befitting his Scotch ancestry, of which he was proud and would often mention.
Glenn was a very special person, a professional colleague, a caring mentor and a dear friend. He will be sorely missed.
In the near future, the DND Consultation Executive will be in contact with our steward team to discuss the appointment of a new President of DND Consultation.
In solidarity,
Matt Vanner
Communications Director
PIPSC DND National Consultation Executive