Paul Moist

aul Moist is national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Canada’s largest union with some 560,000 members. First elected national president in 2003, Moist has been a member of CUPE since 1975. He worked for 10 years as a national staff representative, and a further 10 years as president of CUPE 500 representing 5,500 municipal workers in Winnipeg. He also served six years as president of CUPE Manitoba. A strong advocate for quality public services, Moist has led the union in its fight against privatization. Under his leadership, CUPE’s work in rebuilding strong communities has intensified. The union is on the front line defending public health care, building stronger communities and municipalities and playing a key role in the fight for quality public child care. Moist serves as a vice-president of the 3 million member Canadian Labour Congress and serves as a governor of the Labour College of Canada. Moist has served as vice-chair of the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation; co-chair of the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council in Manitoba; treasurer of the United Way of Winnipeg; director of Misericordia Health Centre; director of the Winnipeg Library Foundation; and was an executive member of the Manitoba Federation of Labour for 20 years. Moist is CUPE’s fifth national president and the first from Western Canada. He is an active member of the New Democratic Party. He has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Manitoba, where he studied Canadian history and political science.