Safeway Shop Steward Runs with Olympic Torch

UFCW 1518 Shop Steward Shannon Cordingley was excited to be one of the special few chosen to be an Olympic torch runner. Shannon has always been proud to be Canadian and this gave her just the opportunity to demonstrate her national pride.

“Being an Olympic torch runner is an honour,” said Shannon. “I never expected to be picked to do something that the whole world would be watching in my lifetime.”

Shannon has worked as a Cashier at Safeway #161 in Richmond for 35 years. She is also on the store’s Health and Safety Committee and has been a devoted Shop Steward for 25 years. In the community, Shannon has volunteered with Girl Guides of Canada for 17 years and fundraised for the Cancer Society for three seasons.

Shannon’s good fortune came about when Coca Cola, one of the Olympic torch run sponsors, asked Safeway if they had any employees that would be interested in being an Olympic torch runner.

“Within each store employees voted for who would do a good job and I won in our store,” she said.

Shannon was thrilled her two daughters, Shannon Cordingley with some of her co-workers before her run with the torch.Brianne, 29, and Cherina, 26, both came to see her run with the Olympic torch. She was also excited to watch the biathlon at the Winter Olympic Games with her husband thanks to tickets bought by one of her daughters.

But there is more to Shannon than her torch run. As a Shop Steward Shannon enjoys being able to educate younger workers about their rights.

“When people have problems they come to me and pick my brain,” said Shannon.

Shannon likes explaining key events in the union’s history in attempt to show younger workers why they get the benefits they do today, and how things came to be. She wants them to know the privileges they get weren’t just handed to them on a silver platter.

“The Olympics and the torch run is a dream come true,” said Shannon. “Be kind pass it on.”