Shahira Azmy Retires after 40 years of service! Shahira Azmy prend sa retraite après 40 ans de service!

Shahira Azmy, after 40 years of service to RRC, close to 20 years of which was also dedicated to the members of IAMAW Local Lodge 2468, has finally decided to retire!  Shahira will be greatly missed by all her colleagues at RRC and her brothers and sisters of the IAMAW.  Having worked closely with Shahira for close to ten years at RRC and then another fifteen years within various committees and the LL2468 Executive, I will truly miss her.  She never stopped smiling, was the eternal optimist and always made time for anyone who needed it.  She truly is irreplaceable, but we will do our best as she takes her well-deserved retirement.  Shahira had this to share with everyone:

Forty years, 9 RRC presidents and 2 Lodge 2468 presidents later, I take my retirement feeling fulfilled and happy and grateful for a good career and friends and colleagues I have met along the way.

The beginning was in 1977 when I started in the RRC laboratory as a lab technician; shortly after, I was promoted to metallurgist and then became senior metallurgist.

I met very interesting people and worked with great ones from all departments as well as across the ocean at the different sites of Rolls Royce. I made a lot of friends along the way and some of which I never met but except through phone calls. The spirit of team work has always been my style and I found that working together inspired people to give their best, offer help and push themselves and others to accomplish their goals.

I got involved with the union in 1999 as I joined for the first time the negotiation team. This experience has enriched my soul and allowed me to discover a lot of things I never knew I possessed. I then became a grievance chair and had participated in five grievance committees. All my colleagues on the committee were strong and we all worked together to do the best for our members and make sure we strike a balance between the company’s needs and the union.  After 6 rounds of negotiations, it was time to let the younger generation take charge and lead the way to the future.

I leave knowing that the people in charge will do an excellent job.

So thank you Rolls Royce for a great career and a great farewell party. thanks to Lodge 2468 president George Zoni and the executive for throwing me a fantastic party and thanks to the Rolls Royce Retirees Association that offered us the great venue (Lachine Legion) and for organizing the food with my family. Thanks to the wonderful RETIREES who took the time and came to celebrate with me and thanks to my dear colleagues at work who organized the Rolls Royce party and the collection of beautiful and heart touching comments and good wishes from so many of the people I love and thanks for the beautiful gifts offered by the management of Rolls Royce.

All of you will always have a big place in my heart. God bless you all.

Shahira Azmy