UFCW 1518 - Key Persons
Angela Crosato is a dedicated UFCW 1518 member, and shop steward for over 20 years. She recently advocated for colleagues in the 2023 Sobeys bargaining negotiations.
Armin Reyes a breadth of experience to the Board of Directors. A UFCW 1518 mem ber for 41 years, Armin has worked across different units, serving in roles including SCOP Coordinator and steward.
Presently, Armin serves on the Safeway Reline Crew and as Vice President of the Safeway Em ployees Association. Cultivat ing robust connections with UFCW mem bers in both work and volunteer settings, Armin looks forward to fighting for fairness on their behalf.
Dennis is a 35-year Safeway veteran. He brings a diverse list of experiences. He has served as shop steward, Health and Safety Co-chair and Training Mentor. Dennis brings a passion for coaching and mentoring.
Erica Jones joins the Executive Board after serving as shop steward for over 8 years. Erica is passionate about bringing their lived experience as a queer, neurodivergent person to the Board.
A champion of the labour movement's root values of economic and social justice, Erica is dedicated to providing educational opportunities to members and empowering their collective voice.
As a member for 24+ years, Jaime Emerson is a committed advocate for workers, having served on multiple bargaining committees, as shop steward, and Health & Safety Representative. A mother to three boys, one whom is a young adult with disabilities, Jaime is very passionate about addressing inequalities that limit a person's ability to access opportunities to achieve better health, education, and economic opportunity in the workplace.
Jennifer Brown has been a member of UFCW for 29 years. Whether in her role as a shop steward, or JHSC cochair/member she builds relationships and is a strong advocate.
She is passionate about the impact of politics on a personal level, worker's rights and disability and identity issues.
Jennifer Vecchi o is a dedicated union advocate who has served on UFCW 1518's Executive Board for over 25 years.
Joel Simmons is a dedicated union advocate, writer, and community member who has been a UFCW 1518 member for 8 years. Serving as shop steward and representing Save-On-Foods members recently at the bargaining table, Joel is committed to fighting for workers' rights.
Kathleen Guerin has been an active UFCW 1518 member for over 16 years and has represented her unit as a shop steward since 2014.
Joining the Executive Board for a second term, Kathleen is passionate about empowering members, and supporting them wherever possible.
She looks forward to continu ing as an advocate and fighting for fairness.
Kevin Sparks has been a champion of workers' rights for over 36 years.
Serving his colleagues as a shop steward and on numerous bargaining committees, Kevin brought his experience to the Executive Board in 2017. As a board member, he is a staunch advocate for fair wages, safe work environments, and respect for workers, not just in his unit, but for all workers.
Kevin is proud to be a UFCW 1518 member and to fight for fairness in solidarity with workers across Canada.
For Kim Novak, the heart of the union is its members. She is a passionate advocate for social justice who draws upon her experience as a Safeway clerk in fighting for what's right for members. Although she once considered a future in the legal profession, Kim's job as a summer student for UFCW 1518 showed her the power of organized labour to make a real difference in workers' lives.
After graduating with a degree in history from the University of British Columbia in 2007, Kim worked at the union in various positions, including communication representative, union representative, director and Secretary-Treasurer. She was unanimously elected President by the Executive Board in 2019. Kim is committed to bringing about positive change on issues that matter to members through education, engagement and empowerment. Her long term goal is to continue building member power in the workplace and for UFCW 1518 to become a leader in human rights and equity, fighting for fairness one member at a time.
Marlene White brings dedication and passion to the UFCW 1518 Executive Board, mirroring the commitment to service she shows in her workplace.
A defender of worker's rights, Marlene actively advocates for workers while empowering them to advocate for themselves as well. She fights to ensure hard-fought contracts are honored and workers respected.
Marlene is excited for the future of UFCW 1518 and looks forward to engaging with members over her term.
Job Titles:
- Recorder
- Bargaining Committee Member and Co - Chair of the Health and Safety Committee
Nanette Fredericks is a dedicated advocate who has served UFCW 1518 members for numerous terms as member and Recorder on the Union's Execut ive Boar d.
As shop steward, Bargaining Committee member and Co-Chair of the Health and Safety Committee, Nanette has fought for the safety, respect, and dignity of workers across BC.
Outside of her union advocacy, Nanette also enjoys gardening, camping and travelling.
A labour activist and environmentalist, Secretary-Treasurer Patrick Johnson has been organizing communities and handing out leaflets for as long as he can remember. It was through his fight for regional equity that he first witnessed the power of unions to bring progressive change on issues like affordable housing, environmental sustainability and workers' rights. Patrick started with the UFCW 1518 in 2009, working as an organizer and fighting to bring the rights and benefits of the union to non-unionized workers. Since then, he has led successful organizing drives in the retail and industrial sectors, helping tip the scales toward justice for more British Columbian workers.
Patrick believes every worker is an organizer, with the power to bring fairness to the workplace and beyond; he is dedicated to building our members' collective strength through education, engagement and political action. Patrick served as Executive Assistant from 2016-2019, when he was unanimously elected by UFCW 1518's Executive Board to the position of Secretary-Treasurer. Patrick lives on the traditional and unceded territory of Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations with his wife and young two daughters. He has a degree in Environmental Policy from Western Washington.
A seasoned advocate, Rajiv Mehra has been a UFCW 1518 member for 17 years, serving as an Executive Board member, and Chief Steward in his unit. Rajiv is passionate about building equality, solidarity and fairness among members.
Committed to workers' rights, he looks forward to empowering and supporting members, while organizing workers to secure the respect and fairness they deserve.
Teresa-Lyne Dziedzic, has been a pharmacy assistant at Safeway for the last 25 years. Her years of service as a UFCW 1518 member are marked by a passion for educating members about their rights.
Teresa-Lyne brings her passion for empowering workers to the Executive Board, and she looks forward to supporting the next generation of UFCW 1518 workplace leaders.
Virgil Encarnacion has been a member of UFCW 1518 for 18 years, passionately serving workers across BC as a shop steward, Co-Chair of the Health and Safety Committee, Bargaining Committee member, and Executive Board member.
Virgil is dedicated to empowering workers, protecting their rights and ensuring hard-fought agreements are respected.