After nearly a decade in the role, Jerry Dias is stepping down as head of Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor says.  

In a letter sent out to the union’s 315,000 members on Sunday, National Secretary-Treasurer Lana Payne said that Dias has retired his position “effective immediately.”

Payne said that Dias notified the union’s national executive board of his immediate retirement two days ago on March 11 as he continues to deal with ongoing health issues.  He had previously announced that he would be on medical leave from his position as of Feb. 6.

“Like all of you, we are all wishing him well and thank him for his numerous and impactful contributions to working people over many years, from his days representing aerospace workers on the shop floor to National President of Canada’s largest private sector union,” Payne wrote.

Dias was first elected national president of Unifor in 2013.  He was the first national president of the union following a merger of the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.

In a tweet last month to say that he would be off of social media for a while as he deals with his health issues, Dias said that he has “every confidence the Unifor leadership team and staff will continue the important work of the union in my absence.”

He sounded a similar tone in a statement issued as part of a news release Sunday.

“After eight and a half years I can proudly say we have built an incredible organization and made Unifor the influential and successful union it is today,” Dias said in the statement. “I have all the confidence the leadership, staff and locals will continue to build Unifor into a bold and progressive force for working people from coast to coast to coast.”

The statement said Dias had been expected to retire at the upcoming constitutional convention in Toronto in August.

Payne said the union’s executive board will meet on March 21 to determine next steps around the vacancy.