Our team

Michael Given, President, SIU Canada

Mike Given became a seafarer with the SIU of Canada in 1986. After sailing for over 15 years, Mike took a job as a Dispatcher with the Union in Thorold, Ontario. Coming from a family of seafarers, with his grandfather, father and brothers all being seafarers with the SIU of Canada, Mike knew the importance of the job, and how important it was to fight for better working conditions for his fellow sisters and brothers on board. Mike has worked his way up the ranks of the Union, eventually elected as the SIU of Canada’s Vice President for the Great Lakes and West Coast, and was then elected to be the Union’s Secretary Treasurer. In 2022, as a testament to his lifelong advocacy for Canadian seafarers, Mike was elected to serve as President of the SIU of Canada, pledging to continue the fight to ensure SIU Members are amongst the most respected and sought-after seafarers in the world. In addition to being President of the SIU of Canada, Mike also serves on the board of the Canadian Marine Careers Foundation, the Vice President of the Hamilton Port Council and is a Member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Cabotage Taskforce.

• Born and raised in Owen Sound
• Started sailing with the SIU in 1986
• Began working for the Union in the early 2000s as a dispatcher at the Thorold Union Hall
• Comes from a family of seafarers, with grandfather, father and brothers all being SIU Members
• Graduated from Queen’s University in 2008 with a certificate in Industrial Relations
• Focused on making the lives of Canadian seafarers better and strengthening the job market for SIU Canada Members
• Other Positions held: Board Member on CMCF, Member of the ITF Cabotage Task Force, Vice President of the Hamilton Port Council.