On January 31, 2013, Vashti Deokie heard an explosion in her Brampton home and within seconds she was running through the front door in her pajamas with flames licking at her heels. The flames completely destroyed her home and severely damaged two adjacent houses. Her family was left with only the clothes on their backs; everything they had owned, from two automobiles to their daughters artwork along with every bit of personal identification, went up in smoke. Vashti, her husband and three daughters were unharmed but her mother-in-law who was staying with her family suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital.
Within minutes of hearing of this disaster, the ticket agents at Continental Airlines inside Pearson International Airport, where Vashti has worked for the past 12 years, sprang into action. The members of IAM Local Lodge 2323 began to take up a monetary collection, even passengers who were checking in at the time, donated cash. The response was tremendous.
At the next union meeting a resolution was passed to donate $500.00 to Vashti and her family. The IAM has always prided itself of taking care of its members no matter what the situation may be. Her local turned to the International Headquarters in Washington about the possibility of further monetary assistance from the IAM Community Services Fund and that assistance will be forthcoming.
In mid-February, co-workers participated in a bake sale and raised another $4,000. Vashti, described as a quiet hard working individual has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity by her union both on an individual and local lodge basis.
Insurance will rebuild their home but that won’t be completed until the spring of 2014. For now they reside in a rented condo in Brampton and it will take some time to overcome this disaster. Vashti has yet to return to work, she remains at home caring for one of her daughters who is having a hard time adjusting to this tragedy. Until she returns to work and her daughter returns to school, Vashti knows she has the support of her union every day. She is part of the IAM family, a family filled with caring and compassionate members across North America who look out for one another in a time of need. More than anyone, Vashti Deokie knows the value of being an IAM member.