About us

Executive and staff

Connie Angman - Confidential Executive Assistant and Office Administrator
236-425-2141 (or Local 2141)
cupe4879@shaw.ca

 

Executive Board

President: Lois Rugg

 

First Vice-President and Grievance Chair: Cindy Ozouf

 

Second Vice-President: Kayla Sanford

 

Treasurer: Jackie Enders

 

Recording Secretary: Devon de Vries

 

Membership Officer: Laszlo Nemes

 

Committees

CUPE 4879 has several active committees that members can participate in during their employment.

Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC)

The Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) is responsible for evaluating newly created positions and for reviewing positions submitted for re-evaluation. The committee is made up of three CUPE members appointed by election and three Administrative representatives appointed by the university President. Please see the Resources section for JJEC forms.

  • Zahid Sheikh (term expires 2028) zsheikh@tru.ca
  • Michael Dillon (term expires 2027) mdillon@tru.ca
  • Jaspreet Kaur (term exp 2026) jkaur@tru.ca
  • Alex Floyd (1year alternate term expires 2026) afloyd@tru.ca

Negotiating Committee 

  • Lois Rugg
  • Cindy Ozouf (chair)
  • Devon De Vries
  • Jackie Enders
  • Vivian Oosthoek
  • Kayla Sanford (alternate)

Grievance Committee

  • Lois Rugg
  • Jackie Enders
  • Cindy Ozouf (chair)
  • Devon de Vries
  • Shilpee Sharma
  • Kayla Sanford

Labour Management

  • Lois Rugg (co-chair)
  • Cindy Ozouf
  • Nico Bosworth
  • Alex Floyd
  • Leah Stubbings

Joint Occupational Health & Safety Reps

  • Alex Floyd
  • Marianna Abutalipova

Trustees

  • Gabriela Jimenez (term expires 2028)
  • Shilpee Sharma (term expires 2027)
  • Kathleen Johnston (term expires 2026)

Education Committee

  • Cindy Ozouf (Executive Liaison)
  • Shilpee Sharma (term expires 2028)
  • Dan Stultz (term expires 2027)
  • Tony Kuczma (term expires 2026)

Social Committee

  • Laszlo Nemes
  • Cindy Ozouf
  • Devon De Vries
  • Shannon James
  • Shilpee Sharma
  • Tony Kuczma
  • Dan Stultz
  • Sarah Porter
  • Gabriela Jimenez
  • Nicolas Bosworth

Communications Committee

  • Lois Rugg
  • Cristian Sonea
  • Cindy Ozouf (Chair)
  • Gabriela Jimenez
  • Kayla Sanford
  • Vivian Oosthoek
  • Kayla Sanford

Parking Appeal Advisory Committee

  • Vivian Oosthoek
  • Michael Dillon

Shop Stewards

  • Lois Rugg
  • Cindy Ozouf
  • Jackie Enders
  • Vivian Oosthoek
  • Devon De Vries
  • Shilpee Sharma
  • Kathleen Johnston
  • Zahid Sheik
  • Alex Floyd
  • Yi Fan Yin-Cheng
  • Kayla Sanford
  • Rhea Clements (Williams Lake)

To contact a shop steward please contact - Lois Rugg (President) 236-425-2142 or 250-318-9919 or reach out to our CUPE 4879 office at 236-425-2141 or email cupe4879@shaw.ca

 

What we do

CUPE 4879 represents our members on many levels but most importantly by bargaining for rights and improvements to our Collective Agreement (CA). Our union also represents our members if those rights and the CA have been contravened. We are always available to provide support, advice, and assistance to our members at any time.

It is important that all members are treated on an equal and fair basis and their rights are protected in the CA. The CUPE 4879 Executive meets with the Associate Director of HR and the HR Consultants regarding day to day issues and grievances. We will from time to time make presentations or send requests to the Board of Governors on more global issue topics, and we participate on several TRU Committees.

Our union contributes to the community more broadly through participating in the Kamloops and Distict Labour Council as well as contributing to CUPE BC, CUPE National conventions and regional and national union committees on Higher Education.

Where we work

CUPE 4879 members live and work in the following communities in BC:

Services we provide to members 

Education opportunities

Throughout the year, we offer education workshops for our members in topics ranging from:

  • Health and wellness
  • Retirement and pensions
  • Conflict resolution in the workplace
  • Social justice issues
  • Union training

Conventions

CUPE 4879 members participate in several conferences and conventions each year to increase our knowledge and awareness and contribute to campaigns of importance to our members.

Scholarships and awards

CUPE 4879 offers three $1000 education awards yearly to students who are a member in good standing, or students with a parent, guardian, or spouse/partner of a CUPE 4879 member. Preference is given for:

  • 1 student in a trade, technical, or vocational program
  • 1 student in an academic program
  • The final award is for a student in either a trade or academic program

Application deadline is on the 3rd Friday in January. For more information, contact cupe4879@shaw.ca.

Professional development

CUPE 4879 supports our members through professional development funding and opportunities.

 

Equality statement

Union solidarity is based on the principle that union members are equal and deserve mutual respect at all levels. Any behaviour that creates conflict prevents us from working together to strengthen our union.

As unionists, mutual respect, cooperation and understanding are our goals. We should neither condone nor tolerate behaviour that undermines the dignity or self-esteem of any individual or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

Discriminatory speech or conduct which is racist, sexist, transphobic or homophobic hurts and thereby divides us. So too, does discrimination on the basis of ability, age, class, religion, language and ethnic origin.

Sometimes discrimination takes the form of harassment. Harassment means using real or perceived power to abuse, devalue or humiliate. Harassment should not be treated as a joke. The uneasiness and resentment that it creates are not feelings that help us grow as a union.

Discrimination and harassment focus on characteristics that make us different; and they reduce our capacity to work together on shared concerns such as decent wages, safe working conditions, and justice in the workplace, society and in our union.

CUPE’s policies and practices must reflect our commitment to equality. Members, staff and elected officers must be mindful that all persons deserve dignity, equality and respect.