Aegis Deputy General Secretary Fiona Steele is retiring from her role after a remarkable journey spanning 18 years.
During her time with the union, Fiona has spearheaded a number of pivotal initiatives in the interest of our members.
In her earlier years, she worked tirelessly for two years to secure a Certificate of Independence to ensure the sustainability and success of the union we see today and she was a committed member of the STUC Women’s Committee for nearly 10 years.
From navigating tumultuous times of staff redundancies to championing union causes and fostering collaboration across sectors, Fiona’s unwavering commitment stands as a testament to her leadership and she will be greatly missed.
Fiona is incredibly proud to have championed the rights of our members during her tenure and she is confident that she is leaving the union is in good shape under the guidance of General Secretary Brian Linn and Aegis’ new Deputy General Secretary, Ania Lomax.
“Ania is the perfect successor. She has been getting into the role since January and is already making her own stamp on the role.”
Ania has been involved in union activity since 2008, starting out as a rep with the Yorkshire Independent Staff Association (YISA) while working for the Yorkshire Building Society.
She has been Assistant General Secretary for our YBS Division for 10 years now and during this time she has forged good working relationships with both her employer and fellow reps.
Ania said: “I am looking forward to a new challenge and learning new things, but I know I have big shoes to fill! From the start I want to start forging new relationships, by attending external committee meetings, conferences and more.
“I will continue to beat the drum for women’s issues within the workplace, which Fiona has successfully championed during her years as deputy and green issues and Diversity and Inclusion will also feature high on my agenda.”
Ania will also support her YBS Assistant General Secretary successor Steve Crotty in his role, as well as Ricky Markham, who was appointed as Assistant General Secretary for the Aegon branch, following the retirement of Sandra Easson last year.
Fiona added: “Retirement is bittersweet. I am looking forward to getting time back to enjoy the things I’ve long wanted to do. But I have loved my role with the Aegis Union, working with an amazing team and supporting our many members.
Brian concluded: “I would like to thank Fiona for her unwavering dedication to Aegis for the past 18 years and wish her a very happy retirement. I wish Ania, Steve and Ricky the very best of luck in their new roles and together we look forward to continued progress in the years ahead.”
