Angela has been at CFIA since 1999, starting her career as a plant and animal health inspector. She now works as a Ship Inspector in Burnaby, British Columbia. Her primary role is dealing with grain and pulse exports and inspecting marine vessels. She also conducts audits for the Canadian Grain Sampling Program and the Canadian Grain Screening Pellet Program for Export, as well as others. Her work supports farmers in Canada move their products into the global market.

"With this current government, I believe this round of bargaining is going to be important, but very challenging. I want to join to strongly advocate for our members to better shape our work environment."

Angela started her union activism shortly after starting her work at CFIA with Health and Safety. She is currently the President of local 20044. Her passion for health and safety and for making workplaces better for all members have given her the drive to learn, work collaboratively with colleagues, and help protect workers' rights.

Audrey has been with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency since 2013. After getting her start as a hog slaughterhouse inspector, Audrey joined the Montreal Import Surveillance Team as an inspector in 2021. In her role, she monitors food, vegetable and wood imports. She regularly inspects mail parcels entering the country, ensuring, among other things, that importers are properly licenced and imported products meet Canadian standards.

"I was on the bargaining team in 2018, and I loved the experience. Collective agreements are living documents that evolve over time in response to grievances and workplace realities. Ten years ago, we'd never have imagined asking to work remotely, but today it's possible. I put forward more than ten proposals at the bargaining conference, and I'm eager to bring my experience to this team."

Audrey has been involved in the union for several years. Currently the Agriculture Union's 3rd National Executive Vice-President, she also sits on both the national policy and the regional health and safety committees as well as the Pay Equity Committee. The union and her component inspire a deep sense of belonging in Audrey. "Our component is designed around close engagement with rank-and-file members, which keeps it attuned to their realities and needs," she says.

David Zhang has been at CFIA for around 9 years. After starting as a summer student in 2011, he has been working as a Meat Hygiene Inspector at JBS Food Canada, a major beef processing plant in Brooks, Alberta. His work helps ensure that the beef produced in Canada is safe for consumption not only for people in Canada, but for people around the world. David is involved at every level of the inspection. His job keeps our food supply secure.

"I joined the bargaining team to represent front line workers, working in hazardous environments, to secure fair compensation for the work that they perform that directly supports both people in Canada and the agri-food industries. We need better hazard pay, up-to-date compensation for shift work, and more job security for our term employees on the front line."

David has been active with his local for over 7 years, now holding the position of Treasurer. As a young worker, he is proud to work alongside such great members from all over the world who have such diverse life experiences.

Dorothy has been at CFIA for 25 years. She has held many different positions throughout her time at the Agency, but currently works in emergency deployments as a Food Processing Specialist Inspector. In her role, she ensures that the quality and food safety of fish and other imports that we receive are safe for people in Canada.

"I am so proud to have been chosen to be on the bargaining team for the third time. My coworkers and union siblings have become my community, and I want to fight for a better future for all of us."

Dorothy has been involved with her local since 2014, holding many positions with the union. She is currently Regional Vice President, a role she has held since 2017. In her union work, Dorothy is passionate about protecting people and giving them the means to protect themselves as well. She is driven by a deep sense of justice and equity in all the tasks she tackles.

Erin has been at CFIA since 2018 working in plant health. In her role, she helps support the health of the environment, plants, animals, agriculture, and people, which helps keep our forests and plants safe from invasive insect pests and diseases, as well as maintaining market access for Canadian products. In recent years, the Avian Influenza and Tuberculosis outbreaks means she is regularly deployed to help with the emergency response, ensuring the safety of the food people in Canada consume.

"I joined the bargaining team to give a voice to every position at CFIA and keep members informed about what is going on. I want to help our members have a better work life balance, receive fair wages, and obtain better leave provisions. I look forward to working with the team to reach the best deal possible."

Erin has been involved with her local for many years, currently serving as vice-president. In her role, she has represented her members at the National Young Workers Conference and the National Health and Safety Conference. She is most proud of being able to support members in difficult situations, and advocate for human rights.

Kasia White has been at CFIA for 20 years, working in various roles and gaining broad experience and a deep understanding of the organization. She currently works as a Case Management Officer (CMO) with the National Centre for Permissions, working closely with partners to help maintain the integrity of Canada's food supply. Her work supports businesses in operating responsibly while ensuring the public can have confidence in the food and products available across the country.

"I joined the bargaining team because fairness and transparency matter to me. I'm looking forward to negotiating improvements that recognize the value we bring to the public service."

Kasia first became involved with her local union in 2012. Since then, she has actively supported members. For the past three years, Kasia has served as the Regional Vice-President for the Agriculture Union in the National Capital Region. In this role, she has advocated on a broader scale, working closely with members and leadership across the region to promote fairness, support colleagues during challenging times, and strengthen the collective voice of the union.

Michelle has been with CFIA for over 20 years, currently working as a Food Processing Specialist Inspector in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She works with retailers, registered establishments, farmers, importers, exporters, and manufacturers to ensure that regulations and policies are adhered to, which guarantees that people in Canada and around the world are consuming quality, wholesome, and safe food.

"As someone who has been on the bargaining team before, I want to bring my experience to the team and continue the work of negotiating a fair collective agreement that makes our workers feel like their work matters. I'm hoping that we can work with the employer to have productive discussions and get us to negotiating an amazing collective agreement."

Michelle has been involved with her local for many years, currently serving as President of Local 40022 for almost 4 years now. She is very proud of the work that she's been able to accomplish with her union, helping members understand their collective agreement, writing grievances, and taking the time to build relationships or just being an open ear to people who need it.

Sandeep has been working with CFIA since 2004 as an Inspector, Food Safety in the Toronto Region. In his role, he supports effective food recalls, which helps ensure that families in Canada consume food that is safe, while strengthening people's trust in the regulatory system.

"Being chosen for the CFIA bargaining team is both an honour and a privilege. In the upcoming round of bargaining, I am eager to advocate for our members to secure a fair and competitive compensation package that clearly supports a safe and transparent work environment, a healthy work–life balance, and job security – so that we feel valued for the work we do. My goal is to contribute meaningfully to positive, lasting improvements for all members."

Sandeep has been actively involved with his Local for the past eight years and currently serves as Treasurer, representing over 300 members. He was also elected to the Agriculture Union's Finance Committee in 2023. Sandeep finds great fulfillment in his deep commitment to supporting his union and values the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues in service of the membership.