Meet Jessica Montgomery. At 35, she is the youngest president of the Sudbury & District Labour Council in its 68-year history and only the second woman picked for this high-profile volunteer leadership post.
First elected in 2021 when she was 29, she is currently serving her third two-year term with the council, which is having a "you've come a long way" moment. All members of the executive are women.
The soft-spoken articulate and bilingual Montgomery describes herself on social media as "a mom, occupational health and safety specialist, feminist and Steelworker (Local 2020)."
She is quick to point out her husband, Mitchell, is supportive as she juggles a busy family life with a demanding position on the labour council and a full-time job as an occupational health and safety specialist with Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW).
The labour council represents the interests of unionized workers with delegates from the city's unions. Its commitment to the entire community is evident in the fact the labour council has five members on the United Way North East Ontario board of directors.
"I couldn't do the work I do without the support of my family,” Montgomery said. “I have no hobbies except for volunteering.”
She is a joiner who is also an executive board member with the Joe MacDonald Football League, coaches her son's team, and sits on his school's parent association.
In May, Montgomery was one of 12 individuals to receive a City of Greater Sudbury Civic Award.
She was honoured for contributing 400 hours of volunteer time annually since 2016 when she first got involved in the Period Promise campaign, formerly known as Tampon Tuesday.
"All of labour comes together to collect donations, to run workplace campaigns to collect products to ensure individuals in our community don't go without menstrual hygiene products,” Montgomery said.
"The campaign usually kicks off in March but we collect donations in partnership with United Way all year long because people need products all year around. Not everyone has access to hygiene products. It is not a highly donated item, and not everyone has access to the food bank.”
Donated menstrual products are distributed through the United Way to organizations such as the Sudbury Women's Centre, the YWCA, schools and other community organizations.
The campaign also encourages cash donations.
For the labour council, Montgomery is involved with organizing the annual Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. The event is held every April 28, the date Ontario passed the Workers' Compensation Act in 1914.
The first Day of Mourning was held in Sudbury in 1984 and it has since become a national event.
The council also heads up Labour Day activities, organizes workplace safety education and awareness campaigns, and supports striking and locked-out workers.
Labour council representatives advocate to local politicians on behalf of unionized workers. For example, they met with Sudbury MP Vivian Lapointe to discuss how American tariffs are affecting their members.
"Workers are losing their jobs," said Montgomery, who grew up in a family committed to social justice, community service and political action.
"I was born into politics. My grandfather, Ted Nicholson, was a politician (city councillor) when I was growing up. I remember helping to put up (campaign) signs.”
Nicholson established the Minnow Lake Restoration Group in 1979.
Montgomery’s father, Geoff Nicholson, is president of Local 493 Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), which represents construction workers.
In 2006, Sudbury.com reporter interviewed a young Jessica Montgomery (née Nicholson), then a Grade 10 student at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, about her opinions on candidates running for mayor.
The 15-year-old said she couldn't wait to be old enough to vote for candidates who shared her concerns about the environment.
“If we don't fix our environment, my grandchildren aren't going to be able to breathe in Sudbury with all that pollution. I think it's cool that they want to bring the vegetation back and protect the lakes,” the teen said.
Montgomery still has that zeal for important matters such as the environment, workplace health and safety, homelessness and the high cost of living.
After a workplace injury, she gained firsthand experience with the challenges and obstacles workers can face to get assistance and compensation.
"Occupational disease hits home to me and my family. My grandfather died of an occupational disease. My first job out of (Laurentian) university, I worked for a health care organization and I was the health and safety rep,” she said. “I went for union training and all the education offered.”
She joined the United Steelworkers in 2016 as a compensation and benefits specialist before joining OHCOW in 2022.
Speaking up for others' rights comes naturally to Montgomery.
"My report cards always said I talked too much and was disruptive,” she said. “There are a lot of photos of me in the media with my mouth open … . I have learned how to use that (trait) to benefit other people. I have a child who has special needs, so I have had to advocate for him to get the supports he needs in the classroom. There are long waitlists for funding for programs, unless you can pay out of pocket.
"I am happy to advocate for people and bring their issues forward." Montgomery said.
Vicki Gilhula is a freelance writer. People You Should Know About is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.