Vancouver, BC – The longest serving Executive Officer of the BC Federation of Labour, Angela Schira, did not seek re-election in last weeks BC Fed Convention. A longtime member of the Executive board since 1982, Schira earned a reputation as an outspoken advocate for union members working in resource communities, cities and towns across British Columbia.
Schira has been on leave from her duties since suffering serious injuries in an automobile accident at the end of this summer. “First let me say this not really the way I wanted to end my career and my love for this movement, but my fight is gone and I will not be seeking re-election,” she said in a prepared speech read to delegates by IAMAW District 250 Directing Business Representative Stan Pickthall.
Schira began her activism not long after joining the IAMAW Local Lodge 2324 in March 1974 and her many talents blossomed with the BC Fed.
In her role as Secretary-Treasurer, she has succeeded in ensuring the Federation stayed on solid financial ground with the resources it needs to take on the challenges facing our movement – while keeping per capita dues affordable for our affiliated unions.
As a community activist, Angie worked hard to obtain funding for Breast Cancer, United Way agencies and BC’s women’s centres, so they can serve working families in need in our communities.
As a political campaigner, and one of the longest-serving Executives of the NDP, Angie demonstrated her unswerving commitment, dedicating endless time and energy to electing NDP candidates, and raising millions and millions for the Party. For this, she earned the well-deserved moniker, ‘the bag lady.’
As a health and safety activist, Angie led the fight for groundbreaking new WCB regulations to address workplace violence, and ergonomic risks; she fought to ensure farm workers and domestic workers were covered and won a big fight for retroactive pensions for widows.
As a leader in the women’s movement, Angie has fought for economic and social equality, and a place for women in the governing bodies of our movement and our communities; she stood for pay equity, for choice, for affirmative action and led the way for the first workplace childcare centre at an airport.
When affiliates are under attack by right-wing governments and employers, Angie was always there, standing shoulder to shoulder with both private and public sector workers in their struggles for jobs and economic justice.
Angela Schira – the Queen of Rallies has stepped aside.
