What I am all about
Member
Engagement
-Participation in Governance Structures
-Equity and Access
-Supporting Equity Seeking Members
-Inclusive Practices Support Entire Membership
Amplifying
Voices
-Raising Trans/Queer Voices
-Reflecting Experiences and Concerns
-Inclusive and Intersectional Perspective
-Experience/Activism in Community
Democratizing Bargaining
-Increased Transparency
-Open Bargaining with Member Participation
-Decentralizing Decision-Making
-Protection of Superior Provisions
-Local Autonomy
Member Engagement
- Increasing transparency about decision-making
- Support for open bargaining and member participation
- Decentralizing decision-making and empowering member input
- Additional training and support for member understanding
- Support for protection of superior provisions and local autonomy
Our current bargaining structure is problematic - I support an increased number of matters to be bargained at the local tables, where locals have the ability to reflect the voices and priorities of their members. This means revising the way we’ve always done it. It is only by bringing members into the process and honouring those voices that we will become stronger and bring greater solidarity to the bargaining table.
I know that the EC makes thoughtful bargaining decisions once the bargaining conference is over, but centralization is a challenge to including and lifting up member voices. We need to re-imagine bargaining processes that centre the beautiful and diverse experience of our members. This also requires us to be doing education and support for our members about bargaining now.
Democratizing bargaining also includes revisiting the way we approach superior provisions. In my opinion, the work done by local tables on behalf of our diverse membership is rooted in important history and context. There’s an old union saying that “the members are always right” and what better way to embed this in our practice than by improving the way locals mobilize and engage our membership.
The work of bargaining feels academic to many members, and one of the ways I think bargaining can be brought to life is by connecting members to the objectives, priorities, and strategies. Inviting greater member attendance at provincial bargaining and increasing the size and the amount of representation are two ways to increase capacity as a bargaining team. Helping members to understand how their passion, whether health and safety, equity, working conditions, professional issues connect to the bargaining is important too. Learning where our rights come from and how we enforce, defend, and improve our working conditions can only result in a stronger union and a greater engagement among members.
Amplify Voices
- Raising trans and queer voices
- Reflecting the experiences and concerns of equity groups
- Bringing inclusive and intersectional lens and perspective to the Executive Committee
- Well rounded experience and activism in community
I was so pleased to see the new designated position and this was the first time that I saw myself being a provincial activist. I’ve always been an active union member and have experience at my local on committees and in-house as a fully released table officer. Knowing that my colleagues supported and believed in the creation of this position in and of itself, made me feel more seen by my provincial union. I”m here to give back by offering my lived experience, connection to the teaching profession, and local and provincial work to the role of the Executive Committee.
There are concerns among members - several Issues sessions on Racism, 2SLGBTQIA+, and the Inclusion committee have shown us that equity-seeking members feel disconnected from their union and experience barriers to their participation at both the local and provincial levels. There is no shortage of leadership from equity seeking members on what is needed to make the BCTF more accessible and equitable, it’s time to implement and operationalize that advice. I’m eager to represent all members on the EC
and I’ll bring my experience, knowledge, and skills to the table to ensure accurate and representationally appropriate work is done by our provincial organization.
Democratizing Bargaining
- Respect and appreciation for member participation
- Equity and access of union structures
- Support for equity-seeking members at all levels of the union
- Inclusive practices benefit all members
We have always prided ourselves on the fact that we are democratic and member-driven. As an organization that has a very diverse membership, and a membership who is active, we have strong opinions, and bring experiences based on their frontline work in education. When we increasingly centralize, we risk losing the insight and leadership of those members. Understanding that so many of our members are overwhelmed by their workload, the barriers to equity they experience, and the challenges of navigating our structures, we need to work harder than ever to bring our voices together.
Support for equity seeking members supports all members, and strengthens us as a union. When we create inclusive union structures and use that lens, it increases our representational integrity among our members and in the broader labour movement. It’s never more important than when we are headed into bargaining, but needs to be woven into the fabric of our organization.