If you asked anybody who has had the pleasure of coming across Shelly Johnston to describe her, the word “supportive” will be among the first to come up.
That should come as no surprise given Shelley’s long service over the years to our union as a job steward, but it is particularly her compassion and caring nature that stands out.
Whether you are new to the workplace or a seasoned member of our union, Shelly always makes sure those she helps support are treated fairly and respectfully – whether that’s dealing with an issue with management, at the bargaining table, or at a social event.
In addition to being a job steward with our union, Shelly, who works at BC Hydro and is based out of Vernon, has also been involved in numerous committees including our Women & Gender Rights Committee, our Events & Social Planning Committee, and our new Community & Social Action Committee. She is also currently in her first term as an executive councillor.
Shelly is a familiar face for those in her workplace and around our union and is extremely deserving of being the recipient of our union’s 2024 Ardell Brophy award.
Congratulations, Shelly, on receiving this well-deserved honour!
About the Ardell Brophy award
Created by MoveUP’s executive council in 2011, the Ardell Brophy award is presented annually to a MoveUP steward who demonstrates fierce dedication and commitment to our union, and who provides mentorship to new union activists.
The award is named after Ardell Brophy, a former MoveUP executive board member and union representative, who passed away in 2015 after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Ardell donated her talented as a standup comedian to raise money for countless causes and mentored many up-and-coming female comics during her life.
Past recipients of the Ardell Brophy award are Lori Watt (2011), Stephen von Sychowski (2012), Karen Cirez (2013), Laurie Kirk (2014), Joyce Galuska (2015), Heather Christie (2016), Linda Kemp (2017), Cenen Bagon (2018), Brian Martens (2019), Colleen Rayner (2020), Graeme Hutchison (2021), Bryan Finstad (2022), and Tejbir Basi (2023).
