Our Team
For over 75 years, Grain Workers Union Local 333 has fought to improve the lives and working conditions of its over 750 members operating in the Port of Vancouver and Prince Rupert. Together the workers of GWU Local 333 have outlasted the co-operative pool companies, Canadian Wheat Board and endured the hardships of their industry including strikes, lockouts and droughts.
PRESIDENT
Douglas Lea-Smith
Douglas (Doug) Lea-Smith became President of Grain Workers Union Local 333 – International Longshore and Warehouse Union in September of 2019. He also sits on the ILWU Canadian executive board and as a Trustee on BC Terminal Pension Plan board.
He was born at Vancouver General Hospital in 1966 to parents who were teachers in the public school system.
Lea-Smith became a Journeyman Millwright in 1994 working in Aerial Tramway Maintenance and Construction. He has worked in many industries including Sawmill, Chemical, Auto-parts and Pulp and Paper at the Woodfibre Pulp Mill where he served as Vice-President for PPWC Local 3 until the Mill closure.
Lea-Smith and his wife raised their 3 sons in Squamish, BC where he presently makes his home and remains active in community organizations. Lea-Smith sits as a Director and Recording Secretary on the board of the non-profit Harbour Authority of Squamish.
Lea-Smith joined Local 333 in 2007 as a Millwright at Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. He quickly became active in the Shop Committee serving as a Steward as well as becoming a member of the Safety Committee. He also has served as a committee member of the Emergency Family Assistance Program and a Terminal Union Representative for the United Way Fund Raising Committee. He served 4 years as the Chief Shop Steward and eventually served as the Recording Secretary for Local 333’s executive board before becoming President in 2019.
Lea-Smith remains passionate about education of the membership and particularly the youth of our industry. He has a brother and son who are members of Local 333.
VICE PRESIDENT
Mark Verde
Mark Verde became Vice-President of Grain Workers Union Local 333 – International Longshore and Warehouse Union in September of 2019. He also sits on the ILWU Canadian executive board and as a Trustee on BC Terminal Pension Plan board.
He was born at Kitimat General Hospital to immigrant parents who moved to Prince Rupert to raise their 3 sons.
Verde became a Journeyman Millwright after a 4 year apprenticeship at Prince Rupert Grain Shop.
Verde and his wife raised their 2 sons in Prince Rupert, BC where he presently makes his home and remains active as a volunteer in Minor Hockey.
Verde joined Local 333 in 1994 as a General Labourer at PRG. As a second-generation grain worker, he became active in the Shop Committee serving as a Steward as well as becoming a member of the Safety Committee. He became the Chief Shop Steward and as an Executive committee member. He has also served on the Policy Committee negotiating the past 4 agreements in Prince Rupert before becoming Vice-President. Verde has been active in organizing efforts in the Skeena region for ILWU Canada, successfully being very involved in organizing Raymont Ltd. He is also is acting as a back-up inspector for the ITF fighting for the most marginalized workers, international seafarers.
Verde remains active in all aspects of the union at PRG,he is passionate about the safety education of the membership.
SECRETARY TREASURER
Kevin Ling
Kevin Ling has been the Secretary-Treasurer of Grain Workers Union -International Longshore Warehouse Union of Canada Local 333 for 20 years being elected to the position in 2002 making this his 10th term in office and one of the longest serving officers of Local 333. He also sits on the Pension Board of the BC Terminal Pension Plan.
Ling was born at Burnaby General Hospital in 1961 and attended and graduated from Cariboo Hill Secondary.
Ling joined the Grain Workers Union in 1980 working at the United Grain Growers Terminal in East Vancouver where he took an apprenticeship as a sheet metal worker in 1991. Eventually becoming a Red Seal Journeyman in 1994.
Ling served in many different positions over the years including Shop Steward, Policy Committee Member, and Trustee for Local 333, eventually being elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Executive in 2002. He was part of the Executive that worked at returning Local 333 to the ranks of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada in 2016. Ling remains passionate and committed to championing trades apprenticeships for Grain Workers.
Ling and his wife live in Port Coquitlam where they raised their 3 daughters. They also like spending time at their cabin in the Cariboo where they entertain their grandchildren and extended family.
RECORDING SECRETARY
Tyson Compton
Alliance Grain Terminal
Executive: Cliff Henderson
Chief Shop Steward: Dino Bordon
Pacific Terminal
Executive: Ian Cameron
Chief Shop Steward: John Caroll
Cascadia Terminal
Executive: Derek Ruf
Chief Shop Steward: Ross Ferrero
Columbia Containers
Executive: Chris Moore
Chief Shop Steward: Matt Dipalo
G3 Terminal Vancouver
Executive: Robert Lea-Smith
Chief Shop Steward: Arsh Khunkhun
Cargill Limited
Executive: Jacklyn Simington
Chief Shop Steward: Charlie Parhar
Fraser Grain Terminal
Executive: Chad Poole
Chief Shop Steward: Chad Poole
Richardson International
Executive: Kaleb Wallace
Chief Shop Steward: Andrew Chandra
Prince Rupert Grain Limited
Executive: Trevor DesChamps
Chief Shop Steward: Mark Verde