Randy Anderson-Fennell
Randy started his journey with labour in 1996, when as a young apprentice he was involved with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in an organizing campaign to unionize his workplace. He also served as a steward for a number of years, and briefly as an IBEW 213 Executive at Large.
Randy joined the Canadian Union of Public Employees in 2010, where he was elected the inaugural Communications Officer for CUPE 728. At various times over the next 11 years, he also held the roles of 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President/Grievance Officer, and chair of the Constitution Committee, Anti-Contracting Out Committee and Political Action Committee. He also served as Bargaining Committee chair during the 2019 contract negotiations, making gains for thousands of support workers in the Surrey School District.
After years of advancing labour’s ideals within his union, Randy decided to take his talent for advocacy to the political stage. He ran for Delta school trustee on a progressive slate in 2018 and for Delta South MP with federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s team in 2019, amplifying the voices of workers at every opportunity. Randy is currently Constituency Treasurer for the Delta South BC NDP.
No stranger to policy, Randy has served on both the Surrey Board of Trade’s Social Policy and Workforce Development teams. As well, Randy is an advocate for apprenticeships with the BC Federation of Labour Apprenticeship and Skilled Trades Working Group.
He is a member of both the Vancouver and District Labour Council and the New Westminster and District Labour Council, where he serves as Trustee and a member of the Political Action Committee.
Randy joined the Retail Wholesale family as Rep/Organizer in October 2021 and became Provincial Rep in May 2022. The RWU represents some of the hardest working people in British Columbia – workers who are essential to our economy – and Randy is proud and determined in the pursuit of better agreements on their behalf.
This has been the most challenging and rewarding work I have ever undertaken, and I want to thank all the staff, executive, stewards and members for putting their trust in me. There is nothing more important to me than our shared goal of advancing the quality of life for our members and their families. It is the most important work anyone can do for another, and when we do it together in solidarity, we are powerful, unbreakable and unstoppable.
Representative/Organizer
RYAN GROUNDWATER
Ryan has been a Union member for over half of his life. He first became a member of IBEW Local 213 back in 1995, working his way through his electrical apprenticeship to becoming a Red Seal Journeyperson electrician. After 15 years of working for a single company and working his way up to a foreperson, Ryan had the first of his two boys and took a job with the Surrey School District as a maintenance electrician, eventually becoming a foreperson again. It was there that his growth as an activist took roots.
Ryan’s union experience started as a shop steward back in 2013 with CUPE local 728. During this time, he was exposed to many aspects of the labour movement from strikes, rallies, conventions, and education seminars. In 2015 he went on to become the President of that local for three terms, upholding the collective bargaining rights of over 4000 union members. During this time, he served on multiple committees both provincially and nationally where he was able to cultivate and learn even more.
Ryan was afforded the opportunity to work for CUPE National as a servicing representative for two years to further his labour experience. One of the positions he held there was as Local Government Liaison. In that role he assisted locals across the province in reaching out and building better relations with their progressive politicians. After that role he spent the next year representing locals all over the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
Ryan’s passion for unions continues to grow the longer he is a part of this great movement. He is currently a delegate at Vancouver District Labour Council and Nanaimo and Duncan District Labour Council.
Ryan joined the Retail Wholesale Union in July of 2023 as a Representative/Organizer. He has been inspired by the dedicated members of this union and will work tirelessly to provide support, tools and training to continue to build and strengthen the RWU.
Penney Siegle
Penney has been with the RWU team since 2005 and is the first face you will see when you visit our office.
Annie Lim
Annie has been part of our Pension team since 2007 and is responsible for the administration of the Retail Wholesale Pension Plan.
Debra Lee
Debra joined the Retail Wholesale Union in 2019 and assists in the administration of the RWUPP.