Stefan Gudmundson
When did you start at the WCB? I worked summer terms in 2016 and 2017, and then joined full-time in January 2018.
What is your current position at the WCB? Assessment Business Analyst
What previous positions have you held at the WCB if any? Payment Assessor, Claims Service Representative, Adjudicator – STC, Adjudicator – ODU
When did you become involved with the union? Q1 of 2019
What positions, including your current position, have you held in the union? I started on the Union executive as an Executive Officer and am currently the 2nd Vice President. I am a member of the Joint Job Evaluation Committee, Bargaining Committee, and Communications Committee.
What made you want to become more involved in the union? I majored in Human Resources in university and took many of the labour relations style courses such as Labour & Employer Relations, Collective Bargaining, and Comparative IR & HRM. I enjoyed these courses from a university setting. When I joined the WCB, we were in the middle of a difficult round of bargaining so I found it interesting to see how things were playing out in practice versus what I had learned in school. Some of my peers suggested that I get involved with the union so I decided to run for Executive Officer in 2019 and was very fortunate to have the membership vote me in as such a new employee.
What do you find most gratifying about being part of the union executive? The reason I got involved and am still involved is simple; to be a voice for those who need it. Navigating the CBA, collective bargaining, corporate policies, etc. can be complicated and time consuming for members. Having the opportunity to influence decisions, priorities and goals of our local is important work and I am thankful to be involved.
What is the most frustrating thing about being part of the union executive? It can be frustrating dealing with someone who has a different perspective or interpretation as you but at the end of the day, our role is to try to make sure decisions are being made fairly and consistently. If we feel that is not happening, we have ways to escalate to a next level.
Why should someone consider becoming a part of the union executive? People often forget that aside from the president, the Union executive is made up of volunteers. We all have a passion to help members, but there is no special training that we have to qualify for the roles. If you have a different perspective/idea or relevant experience, then you can help make our workplace better in some way. If you have any questions about the various committees or roles, please reach out and I’d be happy to have a chat!
Written by Denise Wiebe, September 2023
