Shahira Azmy

My union involvement started in 1999, when I became a member of the Negotiating Committee for lodge 2468. It was a great experience and it opened my eyes to a world of which I was not aware. I found the experience very empowering and it made me feel part of a very important process which determined the rights, benefits, work conditions of a group of people who entrusted me as a committee member to bring back a fair contract. Since then I have been involved in six contract negotiations.  For the upcoming one I have decided to step aside to bring new blood to the table and allow the younger generation to forge their own future and the future of the Lodge. I will always be in the background encouraging and pushing them forward so they succeed in their mission. I am very pleased with the outcome of the election of the new negotiations committee and I wish them the best of luck

My second challenge came when I decided after the negotiations experience to get more involved by running for the grievance committee in the year 2000, and I have been involved in this committee as a the grievance chair ever since. It is a very challenging role and requires a lot of work, tact and extreme patience and ability to work with different management styles and to thrive to achieve an equitable solution for everyone involved.

My third involvement is the women committee which I am still hoping will become more active and more ladies would get involve to become a helping hand for all working mothers whether at the Company or even outside.

My mission in life is to change the negative view and perception that people have of unions and for everyone to understand that a lot of individuals have sacrificed a lot and some even lost their lives fighting for what we have today like a short work day, a five day work week, pension, benefits, vacations, which people take for granted but if it were not for those brave people before us who fought for us to enjoy these rights now, we would all be working seven days a week, and 14 to 16 hours days, live poor and die poor.

So be proud that you are part of an organization that seeks fairness and opens doors to people who want to work, who want to achieve and who want to secure a better future for themselves and for the next generations.