Bro. Armell Thomas

President

Bro. Armell Thomas is a long standing employee at the Department of Health as a Senior Environmental Health Officer.

Bro. Thomas comes back to the BPSU as he was President of the Union from 2005-2011 and served as President of the Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA) from 2006-2007.  He also presided over the 37th Annual Conference held in Bermuda in July 2007.

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Under Bro. Thomas' previous presidency with the BPSU, the Union participated in marches on the Government of the day in 2008 for unsettled BPSU negotiations and joined public service unions in support of the Police Service Association in protest of their outstanding contract talks.

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Bro. Thomas' aim is to continue to move the Union forward in this ever changing world

Sis. Lalisha Simmons

1st Vice President

Sis. Lalisha Simmons had devoted 14 years to the Civil Service within the Customs Department.  She is currently a Senior Customs Officer and has been a Shop Steward for Division 1 for 8 years, holding the positions of Assistant Secretary and Chairperson.

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The importance of trade unionism was instilled in Sis. Lalisha as a teenager as she observed her uncle, Bro. Ottiwell Simmons, advocating for Bermuda's workers.  Following his lead, she has continued to advocated for the rights of Bermuda's workers.

Within the BPSU, Sis. Lalisha has served as an active member of the Community Outreach Committee, the Education Committee and Chairperson of the Future Leader's Committee.

A quote Sis. Lalisha lives by is, "True leaders always practice the three R's: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all their actions".  She believes in a voice for all to bring about solidarity. 

Sis. Jacqueline Robinson

2nd Vice President

Sis. Jacqueline R. Robinson is a long tenured employee of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, and has served as the former Senior Technologist of Anatomic Pathology.  After studying abroad, she returned to the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) to serve as a Cytotechnologist.

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Sis. Jacqueline returns to the BPSU to serve as the 2nd VP.  As a former 2nd VP and Division 5 Chairperson, she attended the Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA) Conference and Women’s Summer School Conferences overseas, which strengthened her abilities to work effectively to represent BPSU members in negotiation processes.  Sis. Jacqueline has served collaboratively with the BHB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement teams and in Joint Consultative Committee meetings.

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Sis. Jacqueline’s passion for trade unionism developed after watching colleagues experience inequities and unfair practices in the workplace.  Upon learning of the BPSU’s commitment to defend, represent and protect the rights of workers, she knew she had found an organization that would fully accomplish this task.

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Sis. Jacqueline adopts the sentiment of one of her favorite activists, whose indomitable courage changed the lives of a nation; “Never be afraid to make some noise and get into good trouble……. necessary trouble” - The late John Robert Lewis, US House of Representatives.

Sis. Nadine Henry, JP

3rd Vice President

Sis. Nadine Henry is the Senior Youth Services Development Officer for the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation. Formerly a Social Studies teacher, Sis. Nadine transferred within the public service in 2006 to become a Community Education and Development Programme Coordinator. Shortly after she joined the BPSU and became a Shop Steward for the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.

Sis. Nadine was an involved unionist having served previously as the Division 7 Secretary, member of the BPSU - Government Negotiation Team, member of the Young Workers Committee (now Future Leaders) and Chair of the BPSU Women’s Committee. She has represented the BPSU overseas, presenting in Women’s Forums and served as the Education Chairperson for the Caribbean Public Services Association.

Sis. Nadine considers herself a servant of fellow mankind therefore she easily aligns herself with defending the rights of workers.

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Sis. Nadine’s mantra is, “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” Marian Wright Edleman

Sis. Ashley Smith

Recording Secretary

Sis. Ashley Smith is currently an Enforcement Officer within the Judicial Department, responsible for the Supervision of the Office of Family & Child Support and enforcement of Maintenance Orders in over 20 jurisdictions.  

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Sis. Smith has been the Secretary and Chairperson of Division 12 and served on the Future Leaders and Women's Committees.  She has represented BPSU both locally and overseas at UNI, CPSA and CLC.

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As Division Chair, she was responsible for members spanning eleven (11) different Departments/Sections of Government.  Sis Smith has participated in Government negotiations, Secretariat negotiations, grievance handling, disciplinary hearings, critical Health & Safety issues, decision making for the Union and more.

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She is a proud Public Servant, BPSU Member and Union Activist.  As an acknowledgement of her work as a Unionist, Sis. Smith was awarded 'Young Woman of Influence' by the BPSU Women's Committee on International Women's Day in 2018.

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Sis. Smith's biggest supporter is her 11-year-old daughter, and she keenly observes her mother serving the members fairly, transparently, effectively and most importantly in their very best interests.

Sis. Shakia Smith

Assistant Recording Secretary

Unionism has been something that was etched into my soul from a very young age. Marching in annual Labour Day parades and partaking in the weekend celebrations were something I looked forward to.

Watching the unionists of the day fight for equality for all, during a time when our people didn’t have the loudest voice in the Country, is something I’ll forever be grateful for. So, it was only right that once the opportunity afforded itself, I became more involved.

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Within the BPSU, Sis. Smith has been an active member of the Finance Committee and Bar Committee.  She also represented the BPSU overseas at the Caribbean Public Services Association and the Caribbean Congress of Labour.

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Sis. Smith was a Shop Steward for Division 1 (Customs Department) for six years and held the post of Secretary for four years. I hope to continue to assist in highlighting the importance of the Union and continuing the legacy set forth by our forefathers. 

Onward and Upward Together!

Bro. Kevin Grant

General Secretary

The Union is pleased to report that effective May 12, 2021, Bro. Kevin S. Grant assumed the role of General Secretary.

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In 1994, Bro. Grant was elected as Shop Steward for the Department of Planning, where he worked as a Senior Administrative Officer for 27 years, while still serving in various capacities within the BPSU.  In 1997, he was selected to participate in BPSU’s Leadership Development Program and served as an Executive on the Youth Committee.  In 1999, Bro. Grant was elected the Chair of Division 11.   As a part of his on-going development, Bro. Grant attended the New Union Leaders Course at George Meany University of Labor in Baltimore, Maryland in 2000. As a representative of the BPSU, he participated in the prestigious Commonwealth Study Conference in Australia and New Zealand in 2003.

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Bro. Grant was elected as 3rd Vice President (2005-2008) and 1st Vice President (2008-2011) before ascending to the post of President (2011-2014). 

During his tenure as President, the relationship between the BPSU and the Bermuda Industrial Union was rejuvenated resulting in the BIU joining the Bermuda Trade Union Congress in 2012.  As President, he participated in the historic round of negotiations between the Bermuda Government and the BTUC in 2013. 

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In March 2014 Bro. Grant received his Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, and in October 2016, he was appointed BPSU’s Assistant General Secretary. In 2018, he obtained a certificate in Labour Relations through Queen’s University IRC program, and in June of 2019 he was awarded the designation of Chartered Manager.

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Bro. Grant has served on various Government boards and Committees including Immigration Board, Labour Advisory Committee, Joint Grading Panel, GENI Management Committee, Public Service Superannuation Board and the BHB Compensation Governance Committee.

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Married to Dorothea and father to one son named Dakai, Bro. Grant is very active in the community having served on the Pembroke Parish Council and in various positions on the North Village Community Club Executive as well as the Treasurer for North Village Community Trust (St. Monica’s Neighborhood Action Group).