Ornella Ospino

Occupation: Case Worker/ Plumber/ Illustrator

Member of UVW since 19 February, 2019

It would be and honour and privilege to serve as UVW’s General Secretary. I understand this role to be an immense responsibility that I do not take lightly.

I come from a long line of trade unionists in the Colombian Caribbean. My grandma is a revolutionary guerrillera and I grew up with trade unions all around me.

My first job outside of cleaning and service work was with UVW as a case worker. This union saw something in me very early on and has nourished it ever since. UVW has raised me to be a revolutionary with a clear political vision. Workers have power! We can change our material realities and I believe an organised working class can also change the world.

This belief and commitment to UVW has led me to want to nominate myself. If I am elected, I will be a leader who will lead by obeying the mandate of the membership mandar obedeciendo like our comrades of el ELNZ have taught me to do.  I have big shoes to fill and I am under no delusion that me being General Secretary is the work of many, many comrades who believe in me and in the work. This nomination is not one that comes from my ego, but one that comes from love, love for the working class and my comrades. It is thanks to the belief of those who have nominated me that I believe that I will be a successful General Secretary and will bring forth a new chapter in our union’s history.

I have had the opportunity to work with several teams in our union, I have worked with the membership and other stake holders so I can speak to the needs and wants of our union. I wish to execute collective plans for our future and to help shape and practice our mission, vision, and values.

Finally, I believe that I have the historic obligation to step into this role when called upon as a Trans Afro Indigenous Caribbean person. My people have been revolution incarnate and I am to continue that work.

This nomination wouldn’t be possible without the hard and thankless work of the current leadership team and our standing General Secretary. Thank you for your consideration.