Meet Your 2025 YYC Unit Chair Candidates

I first became a workplace representative because I wanted to understand how our union can best support members at WestJet. Since then, I’ve become a strong advocate for workers’ protections and fair treatment on the job. I am committed to fostering an open, respectful, and positive relationship with you—the members of Local 531. 

If elected as Unit Chair, I bring:

• Effective leadership: I have a strong voice to represent your concerns and ideas to the company, and I value communication that builds a genuine bridge between members and management.
• Transparency and accountability: You deserve to know what goes on behind the curtain. I’m committed to keeping you informed about the union’s work on your behalf through clear, consistent communication.
• Reliability: I will deliver on my commitments. I’ll be present on the floor, hold open office hours, and ensure that your concerns are heard and addressed. 

Born and raised in Calgary, I understand the pride and joy WestJetters take in their work. I share that pride, and I’m dedicated to making our workplace the best experience it can be—where every member is respected, valued, and supported. 

Outside of my role as a Ramp Service Agent, I’ve operated my own businesses for nearly two decades. In my free time, I love gardening, hiking the foothills, and knitting all the warm and cozy things that make our long winters a little brighter. I’m running for Unit Chair because I believe in the strength, pride, and unity of WestJetters. 

I first became a workplace representative to understand how our union can truly support us — and I’ve seen the difference that strong advocacy and open communication can make. As your Unit Chair, I’ll be your voice at the table, your support on the floor, and your connection to the work happening behind the scenes. I’m committed to transparency, accountability, and building a respectful, positive workplace where every member feels valued. Together, we can make our jobs — and our union — stronger than ever.

I am putting my name forward for the YYC Chair position to more closely support our team. I believe this role requires commitment beyond regular duties, and I’ll be out there listening to peers, staying visible, and supporting fellow members. In addition to my role, I am an active OSH Committee member. If you believe I’m someone you can trust to provide fair, equal, transparent, and supportive representation, you’ve got an option! 

Members of Unifor Local 531 - you are the reason I’m running again to represent YYC as your Unit Chair. You are the skilled individuals of Unifor Local 531 who keep this airline moving — the ones who show up day and night, handle demanding work under pressure, face the general public’s scrutiny and frustrations and take pride in doing it right. You are the people I’ve worked alongside for 19 years — from check-in to the ramp, from the lounge to the bag room. I’ve seen your dedication, your frustration, your grit, and your pride. 

When we organized to bring the union into YYC, I was proud to stand on the front lines with you. I served on the first Bargaining Committee and helped build the foundation for union representation in our base. Since then, serving as your Unit Chair has allowed me to continue that work. I have represented you through hundreds of investigations, grievance hearings, and outcomes. I’ve helped reverse disciplines, secure member focused settlements, and reach resolutions that protect your jobs from erosion and disrespect. Beyond the union administrative paperwork, I’ve counselled and guided members through personal and workplace challenges — helping to find clarity, confidence, and direction when things felt uncertain. I’ve devoted the past several years of my life to this union and to serving you, our members. 

This role carries great responsibility—something I take very seriously. The workload is immense, the scrutiny can be intense, and the phone calls, emails and text messages often fill my days and nights. Every grievance, meeting, and member concern carries its own emotional weight. This work is demanding, and it doesn’t come with a set schedule or much balance. But I’ve remained fully committed all the time because I care about this union and the people it represents. I do this work because I love it, and because I believe in what we’re building together. 

I’ve heard some of the promises being made in this election by other candidates, and while they may sound appealing, they don’t reflect the realities of this role. Those who haven’t done the work or lived the day-to-day responsibilities like I have for the last 3 years can’t fully appreciate what this job truly entails. Promising to be on the floor “all the time” simply isn’t realistic—I’ve lived it and know firsthand the balance this role requires. Yes, spending time in the operation talking to members is important, but there’s also critical work that happens behind the scenes—grievances, meetings, advocacy, and planning—that often goes unseen but directly benefits our members. The Unit Chair’s role is to be the voice of the membership, not just a visible presence. That’s why I’m cautious when I hear big promises about sweeping changes or guarantees from those who haven’t been involved in the work. This role isn’t about promises that can’t be delivered on or quick fixes—it’s about steady, consistent effort, day after day, doing the work that often goes unnoticed. It takes time, sacrifice, and commitment. There’s no real work-life balance in this position—and I accept that, because I’ve chosen to dedicate that time and energy to you, the members. You deserve leadership that’s experienced and knowledgeable in union processes, labour relations and navigating the difficult employer we work for. This job takes thick skin, emotional balance, and a clear understanding of how to navigate the realities of our operation. I prioritize my mental health by working with a therapist and staying connected to supportive family and friends, which keeps me grounded, focused, and ready to show up with clarity and strength every day. 

I also need to acknowledge that I know I could have done better over the past three years. There have been times when I dropped the ball, when I promised to return your calls or reply to your emails and didn’t follow through as quickly as I should have. I want you to know that this weighs heavily on me every day. As a brand-new local union, our beginning was very grassroots. We didn’t have the finances, support, or resources to provide you with everything you deserved, and that made it challenging to for me to keep up with the many demands that came my way. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m proud of the progress we’ve made — especially over the past six months. With the support of our Local Union President, Karen Berry, we have expanded our YYC team to more than 20 union representatives on the SRC and OSH teams as well as Workplace Reps, all working to better support you. In the last four months, we also introduced a 20-hour dedicated workplace representative position to improve response times and ensure members get the help they need faster. Looking ahead, my goal is to continue strengthening our workplace representatives through training opportunities, mentorship, education and visibility. I want our YYC union office to be an active, welcoming, and accessible space — a safe place where members can come for conversations, support, and to be heard. 

Over the last three years, I’ve also had the privilege of working alongside strong leadership within our Local, especially our President, Karen Berry. Her leadership, integrity, consistency, and determination have been instrumental in building Local 531 into what it is today. Karen has created stability, structure, and accountability — giving our members and the Executive Board the foundation to stand stronger together. 

Bargaining will be front and center in the year ahead and I know there needs to be significant change to the current contract. I’ll continue to push for fair compensation that reflects the complexity and responsibility of the work you do every day. I’ll advocate for scheduling practices that protect your health and your families, and I’ll keep pressing the company for better communication, consistency, and respect at every level. I’ll also keep prioritizing member wellbeing — making sure mental health and workload balance remain part of every conversation we have, not just when issues arise. 

I won’t stand here and promise things I can’t deliver. What I can promise is that I’ll keep showing up. I’ll keep doing the hard work, the follow-ups, the uncomfortable conversations, and the constant push to make sure you’re represented fairly. I’ve learned how to do this work effectively, how to handle the pressure, and how to stay grounded so that I can keep showing up strong — for you, every day. I’m also proud of the relationships I’ve built with company leaders and our local executive team. Those relationships don’t mean compromise — they mean credibility and trust. They allow me to have real conversations, to negotiate effectively, and to get results that stand up for you. 

Beyond WestJet, I am deeply connected to my community. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Philippine Festival Council of Alberta, and I’ve proudly represented Unifor as Chair and now Co-Chair of the Prairie Regional Council 2SLGBTQIA+ Committee, leading Unifor’s participation in three Calgary Pride Parades. I’ve completed Unifor’s Human Rights and Pride Activist courses and continue to advocate for inclusion and fairness. As someone from the LGBTQ+ community and a person of colour, I understand what it means to fight for space, fairness, and respect — and that’s the same commitment I bring to this role. 

You’ve seen what we’ve achieved, but there’s more to do. Together, we’ll keep improving fairness, pushing for better compensation, building work-life balance, and strengthening our solidarity. I’ve dedicated the last several years of my life to this base, and with your continued trust, I’ll keep doing the work — not just for you, but with you. Thank you for your trust, and your continued support in me. 

In solidarity, 
Sherwin Antonio