Michael Gallardo is the President & CEO of Merit OpenShop Contractors Association of Ontario and brings expertise in areas such as trade advocacy, safety training, workforce and leadership development, employer group benefits, contract/collective bargaining agreement expertise, and labour relations. He is a leading voice for non-union construction contractors across Ontario.
Michael brings over 20 years of industry experience, including his time at the Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada where he supported contract management and collective bargaining with unionized contractors, developed construction safety videos, management-level leadership courses for field-level personnel, business seminars, advocacy and government relations. He also worked for the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, liaising with member dealers of the Industry Relations and Legal Action Committees, automotive manufacturers and associations’ executives to advance equitable Dealer Sales and Service Agreements, and championed the National Dealer Arbitration program. He developed an effective dealer council program to enhance clear communications between dealer councils and manufacturers and played a critical role in supporting new car dealer principals for General Motors during the 2009 restructuring.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and also speaks Spanish.