Our History

1991 – 1993

An Introduction To Unions

  • Founder of UnionWare, fresh out of University, is contracted by Coopers and Lybrand to customize a “green screen” membership system for the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU). The MGEU had 27,000 members at that time.
  • Great learning ground for everything about unions; a full immersion.

1994

We Can Do Better

  • With 3 years of experience in hand and a feeling that something better could be created, the first UnionWare prototype was developed and launched at the IMAX Theater in Winnipeg.
  • MGEU becomes the first true UnionWare client
  • Work begins, converting the prototype into Version 1 of UnionWare

1995-1996

First Clients

  • First clients outside of our home town
    • OPSEU – Ontario Public Service Employees Union - 125,000 members
    • AUPE – Alberta Union of Provincial Employees - 73,000 members
  • Start on UnionWare Version 2 to handle the needs of more than one client

1997-1998

More Big Clients

  • CEP – Communication Energy and Paperworkers Union - 100,000+ members
  • OSSTF – Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation - 60,000 members
  • Opened Ontario office
  • Product maturing with new technology – development of version 3 starts

1999-2000

Beyond Canada

  • First clients outside of Canada
    • SEIU Local 1199 in New York City – largest union local in North America with 300,000 members
    • OPEIU – New York City
    • Marine Engineers – Washington D.C.
  • Realized all services can be provided from one location; closed Ontario office

2001

Summit

  • First UnionWare Client Summit
    • Great feedback to focus our efforts on the needs of our clients
  • Now at 20 clients with one million members

2002-2005

Getting Serious

  • Divest of other companies to focus solely on UnionWare
  • Begin to hire more staff
  • Doubled the size of support department
  • Improve upgrade process
  • Version 4 development begins

2005-2008

Momentum

  • Overwhelmed with new clients - think of a snake swallowing a goat
  • Version 4 launches
  • Increasing number of staff

2009-2011

Structure

  • Apply more structure and planning to our projects
  • Hire Director of Project Management
  • Separate Product Design from Product Development
  • More focus on current clients
  • Now at 60 clients with 2 million members