We’re United For NSW & ACT

Our candidates are workplace delegates, union activists, and everyday members who share one thing in common: a commitment to building a stronger union for you.

ACT & Southern NSW

These are the delegates, members and activists who are standing up for UWU members across ACT and Southern NSW. They come from your workplaces and your industries. They know the challenges you face because they face them too.

They're ready to fight for a union that wins for you, picks up the phone when you need help, and puts more money in your pocket.

Meet Your Team

Endorse Our Candidates

Karma Dema

School Cleaner | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 8 years and work in ACT School Cleaning Services. I serve as a Delegate. I first joined the union to ensure my workplace rights were protected and to have access to support and representation if issues arose. Being a union member gives me confidence that my rights are upheld and that I am not facing workplace issues alone. Outside work, I enjoy spending time with family and being involved in my local community. I am interested in social justice and supporting initiatives that strengthen communities.
I want to represent members' voices and contribute to decisions that affect our working conditions and rights. I believe it is important that members from the frontline are involved in shaping those decisions. I want to advocate for fair conditions, manageable workloads, and strong support for members. United For You reflects the values I believe in: strong representation, fairness at work, and putting members' voices at the centre of decision-making.

Lyndal Ryan

UWU Vice President & Director of Property Services & Regional | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for over 35 years. I joined the union on the advice of a teacher I admired when I studied ECEC in Armidale. Soon after I started work, something awful happened to a co-worker. Ingrid was stood down without warning because our employer was using casual contracts to ensure none of us could ever claim the rights to become permanent employees. Everyone in the centre was so angry, so we decided to organise a strike. Ingrid was rehired immediately and all of us on casual contracts were offered permanent jobs. Through our union I came to understand all the issues which have led to the undervaluation of women's work. I remain in the fight for women's rights. Outside work, I like to cook, garden, read books and walk in the bush. For many years I danced flamenco (badly), but lately I just dance around the house. I love my family.
I have been privileged to hold very senior roles in the union for many years, working with several national secretaries and serving on both local and national governance bodies. I am standing because I am committed to high standards of governance and ethical behaviour. Members honour the leadership of this union with their trust, and I feel a responsibility for ensuring that trust is honoured. We have made real gains in job security that we can build on. A well governed union will free up resources that can be used to better hold dodgy bosses to account. Wage theft and modern slavery as a business model must be eradicated. I am tenacious. There is a real chance to steer our union back on course. Everyone on the United For You ticket is standing in solidarity with each other and for our members. If this ticket is successful, we will have the strong, ethical and united national leadership team that our members deserve.

Erryn Cresshull

National Coordinator Food & Beverage | ACT & Southern NSW

I have dedicated my working life to standing alongside and advocating for our members. With almost 30 years in the union movement, I have led campaigns that have delivered real improvements in pay, conditions and job security for workers in cleaning, security, hospitality, casinos, early childhood education and manufacturing.
Working together with members, we secured the first-ever enterprise agreement for contract cleaners at Canberra Hospital. After years of determined campaigning, we won insourcing and secure jobs — and today we are negotiating their conditions as public servants. That victory shows what is possible when we stand united and refuse to give up.
A core part of my work has been supporting migrant communities to ensure workers know their rights and have the confidence to enforce them. I represented massage workers who were victims of modern slavery, standing with them as they bravely challenged exploitation and held a ruthless employer to account. Together, we won justice.
I am a proud unionist because I believe everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, heard and respected at work. A union is more than an organisation — it is a community where we look out for one another and build collective strength.
I am asking for your support to continue the important work we are doing together in UWU — fighting for secure jobs, fair pay and dignity at work for every member.

Chris Wagland

Cleaner | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 41 years and work as a full-time cleaner at Madura Park. I serve as a Delegate. I joined the union on my very first night at work. I was told it was a union site and everyone was a member, and I was happy to join. Union is family. Union is knowing that there is someone who cares and when there are problems at work that there is someone who can help. I have lived in Queanbeyan since 1987 where my husband and I raised our three sons. I now have four grandchildren and enjoy gardening, reading and having everyone over on Sunday night for tea.
I am running to give back. I want to achieve recognition for members that what they do is important and needs to be respected and valued. I want members to know that I am interested in them and that I will listen and care. I've spent years fighting for our members, and i've seen the countless hours the United For You has put into winning for our members. We are a family and we stand together.

Htoo Ywai

Cleaning Services Officer | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 15 years and work as a Cleaning Services Officer at Alfred Deakin High School in the ACT, where I serve as a Delegate. I first joined the union to learn about my rights at work and to protect myself from unfair treatment. I came to understand that my employer had taken advantage of me by not paying my entitlements correctly. I wanted to stand up for myself and other workers. Being a union member means having a collective voice, protection and real support at work. Through the union movement, I have been able to support my Karen Community to protect their livelihoods and workplace rights. It's about standing together so that no one gets left behind. I am a single parent raising two children from a refugee background. We face many challenges and language barriers, but these challenges have shaped my empathy for others. I volunteer in the Karen Community, helping people to learn about their workplace rights and sharing information so others don't feel alone and powerless.
Under contractors our working conditions were very poor and insecure. The union supported us to learn our rights, organise together, and stand up for fair treatment. Through the union we won ACT Government direct employment, a major achievement that delivered better conditions, fair wages and more secure jobs. This shows the real power of union support and collective action. I am standing as a convention delegate to be a strong voice for workers who are often unheard. I want to help more members feel included, informed, and supported, especially workers from migrant and refugee backgrounds. My goal is to build stronger communication, support workplace rights education, and stand up for fair pay, safe conditions and secure jobs for all. I am approachable, I listen, and I'll always stand with you. I work closely with Lyndal Ryan and we have achieved strong outcomes through collaboration.
I am supporting United For You because it really understands members and focuses on real outcomes. This team listens to workers, works collaboratively, and fights for fair pay, safe conditions and secure jobs for everyone.

Julianna Taurima

Centre Director - ECEC | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member since 1992 and work as a Centre Director at the Association for Learning Mandarin in Australia in the ACT. I currently serve as a Convention Delegate. When I started working in children services the pay was very low. It was explained to us at the time that if we join union we can fight for better pay, and union will have a stronger voice with more members. My great grandfather William MacBirney started a union movement in NZ long time ago for the same reason, to fight for better pay for workers. I have always believed that the union could make a difference through bargaining and they did and continue to do so. Being a union member means a voice for me, an organisation where I can turn to for support, and a bigger extended family living away from home. I am married with 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren. I enjoy nature walks, fishing, camping, gardening, embroidery, painting, and tasting new food. I am involved in church and community service, including making clothes for premature babies at the hospital and creating shoe boxes for children in need around the world.
The retention grant has enabled myself and my team to take home extra money to cover the cost of living, especially now everything is very expensive. My team of educators were very happy when I told them the payment was going to them on the fortnight they were expecting. I want to make a contribution to the union movement and ensure that it stays strong under the right leadership. I want to achieve strong support and members rights upheld and respected in the workplace, and better ratios in the early childhood industry. I am friendly and outgoing. I have a very strong work ethic. I am an honest person and will try my best to support others. I am reliable and have a very strong cultural background. My family is the cornerstone of my foundation.
I have been a united member for some time and want to continue to support the movement. I believe I can make a difference in speaking out to support the leadership for the union.

Leko Leko

Cleaning Services Officer | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 6 years and work as a SCS Supervisor at ACT School Cleaning Services, where I serve as a Delegate. I first joined the union to ensure my workplace rights were protected and to have access to support and representation if issues arose. Being a union member means having support, protection, and a collective voice at work. It gives me confidence that my rights are upheld and that I'm not facing workplace issues alone. Outside work, I value time with family and friends and enjoy keeping active and involved in my community. I'm interested in learning, personal development, and staying connected to issues that affect working people. I take representation seriously and will listen carefully to members' concerns and raise them honestly and respectfully. I'm approachable and happy to listen, whether it's a big issue or a small concern.
The union made a difference when workmates had concerns about workload and rostering. The union provided advice and guidance on our rights, which helped management review the issue and make changes that were fairer and more sustainable for staff. I'm standing for election as a convention delegate because I want to represent members' voices and contribute to decisions that affect our working conditions, rights, and future direction of the union. I believe it's important that members from the frontline are involved in shaping those decisions. This term, I want to help ensure members' voices are genuinely heard and reflected in decisions. I'd like to advocate for fair conditions, manageable workloads, and strong support for members, particularly those working on the frontline. I'm supporting United For You because it reflects the values I believe in: strong representation, fairness at work, and putting members' voices at the centre of decision-making.

Shawwaal Jacobs

Hospital Cleaner | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 8 to 9 years and work as a Team Leader in the Adult Mental Health Unit at Canberra Hospital, where I serve as a Delegate. I joined the union to stand up against management's bullying tactics, excessive workload, and unfair pay. By unionising, we're fighting for transparency, equal rights, and job security for everyone. We deserve a voice and to be heard loud and clear. Being a union member means you're part of a team, a group of people looking out for each other's rights and interests at work. It's about having a collective voice to negotiate better pay, conditions, and treatment. I love travelling, playing rugby, and cricket. My family and I also make it a point to support community functions and catch up with everyone to see how they're doing. If I set my mind to something, I'll get it done, no matter how many times I fail along the way.
At the company I'm working at now, management was being super dodgy about overtime pay. The union stepped in, backed us up, and we ended up getting backpay and a better deal on rosters. Made a big difference, felt like we were actually heard. I love standing up for what's right and fighting for everyone to have a fair go and equal opportunities. I'd love to see us push for better job security and more transparent pay scales for everyone, and make a good working environment and fair go for all.
I am supporting United For You because they promote equal opportunities, fight discrimination, and represent local demographics, focusing on work-related issues.

Manmeet Kaur

Hospital Cleaner | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 13 years and work as a Hospital Cleaner at Canberra Hospital, where I serve as a Delegate. I was working as a casual cleaner from 2013 to 2015. I kept pleading with my employer to make me permanent, but they would always find an excuse not to. I sought the union's help and within 3 weeks I was made permanent! Being a union member means respect. My employer now shows me respect. They know that they must respect my rights. Since becoming a union delegate other union members respect my role as well. For me union means respect in the workplace. I came to Australia from the Punjab Region of India in 2009. My husband was on a skilled visa. We had one child at the time. Now my 20-year-old son studies psychology at university. My 17-year-old son is studying IT and my 13-year-old daughter is in high school. My husband works in IT for the commonwealth government. I like dancing, food and watching Bollywood movies. I like to party.
The biggest difference to us is the government honouring its commitment to directly employing hospital cleaners. We made it clear to the Minister and the Government "if you want our support you must commit to directly employing us." When they gave us that commitment, we were willing to support them by doorknocking and asking people to vote for them so that we could have secure jobs and hygienic hospitals. When the Minister was re-elected, we held her to her commitments. Now she is delivering on her promise. From October this year we will be public servants. I am currently representing union members on the task force which is overseeing the transition to direct employment. Hospital cleaning is an important job. The workers performing this work face issues at work. They need strong representation within our union. I am honest and positive.
I support the current local leaders of my union. We have achieved a lot together.

Sonam Choden

Hospital Cleaner | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a UWU member for 9 years and work as a Cleaner at North Canberra Hospital, where I serve as a Delegate. I joined the union to fight for better pay and benefits, job security and fair treatment, and workplace safety. As we are away from home and struggling to make ends meet, and when faced with exploitations and discrimination at work, it made it difficult for workers to find a way to fight and exercise their rights. Through union I found that power to make changes to working people's lives. Being a union member means standing together with other workers to protect our rights and improve working conditions. I spend most of my free time with family. I am approachable and honest.
In 2022, through union collective bargaining and agreement we won a pay raise and better working conditions. We won respect and decent wages. I am standing to represent my colleagues and to support fairness and help bring positive changes for everyone. I have fought for migrant workers' rights and entitlements, especially for women who are vulnerable and working hard to get respect and dignity at the workplace. As an outcome of this campaign, I received a nomination for ACT Woman of the Year Award in 2021 as recognition of my leadership. I want to achieve fair treatment, better communication and stronger support for all.
I am supporting United For You for fair treatment, equality and a stronger voice.

Bishal Sapkota

Retail Cleaner | ACT & Southern NSW

I am a cleaner at the Canberra Centre and study as an international student. I am also a union delegate.
At the time I joined the union we had a supervisor who was bullying us and refusing to pay workers what they were entitled to. He even threatened to report me for being a breach of my visa conditions even though I had always worked according to my visa requirements.
We came together with our union organiser and put our issues to senior management. The supervisor was disciplined and removed from the site.
A few years ago I became the Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF) Representative. CAF is a scheme created by the union to hold not only contractors to account but also the building owners.
As a CAF representative I meet with the building owners and the contractor four times per year to make sure the workplace standards on site are being followed.
Last year we took action to increase the wages on several CAF sites around Australia. I was very proud of my role as a delegate to stand up with my work mates, protest and win.
I want migrant workers to be protected from exploitation and to have a genuine say in the workplace. International students don’t always know their rights and the limited numbers of hours that they are able to work can make life very hard. Some bosses really abuse visa workers.
I want a strong and well-run union that responds to their members issues and educates them on their rights.

Dristi Paul

Educator | ACT & Southern NSW

I have been a proud UWU member for three years and currently work as a full-time early childhood teacher at Baringa Early Learning Centre. I joined the union when I began my first job in Australia in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector as an educator. Working for a large for-profit childcare chain, I quickly saw unsafe and unfair practices that affected both educators and the children in our care. As a new migrant and a new professional in the sector, I knew I needed to understand my rights and stand up for better conditions. When a UWU organiser came to speak with staff at my workplace, I joined the union right then and there. That moment was the beginning of my commitment to collective action and to building a stronger voice for educators through union activism.
I have seen firsthand how UWU organisers have been campaigning through the Big Steps campaign for early childhood educators, and we have already achieved some incredible wins together. I want to see this campaign go even further until we secure safe, fair, and respected workplaces for all ECEC educators across Australia.
As an immigrant, I have seen how workers in many sectors can be taken advantage of by employers. That is why strong unions matter. I am choosing to support United For You because integrity in leadership matters when it comes to making crucial decisions for workers. Our union needs strong, ethical, and strategic leadership to win real improvements in pay, conditions, and respect for members. Strong leadership ensures that members receive the support they need in their workplaces and that our collective voice remains powerful.

Margaret Hunt

Home Care Worker | ACT & Southern NSW

Jeremy Spear

Storeperson | ACT & Southern NSW

Stand with us. Endorse United For You in ACT & NSW.

Our candidates are ready to work for you. Now we need you standing with us.

By endorsing United For You, you're showing your support for a union that delivers real results. Higher wages. Better conditions. Support when you need it. No fee increases.

This is your union. Back the team that's backing you.

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