Union isn’t a dirty word …

June 14, 2011 Peter Kalis, ATA Executive Staff Officer, Teacher Welfare


American government employee unions are under attack in Wisconsin, the very birthplace of unions in the United States.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation is involved in job ­action, including strike action.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is involved in rotating strikes.

Alberta’s Premier Stelmach blames the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the teachers it represents for education being underfunded this year. He says this despite having been a signatory to the memorandum of agreement that was to guarantee labour peace for five years. (For details, see pages 1 and 3 of this issue of the ATA News.)

In coffee shops, around water coolers and at summer barbecues across Alberta, people’s conversations are at times anti-union. A common theme is "Everyone is hurting and jobs are scarce. So why are unions taking job action under these conditions?"

We would argue that this is precisely why unions are essential. It is to the benefit of teachers, students and education that teachers’ rights are protected and defended from arbitrary ­decisions based solely on the bottom line. The union aspect of your ATA is an integral part of the organization. Your dentist, doctor and lawyer all belong to professional union organizations that define and set clear boundaries for the workplace and workday. Professional teachers, too, require boundaries on their working conditions to enable them to provide the best possible service.

What does your union membership do for you? Let’s imagine that your great-grandmother, grandmother and mother were all teachers. Your great-grandmother would have been fired upon getting married. Your grandmother would have been fired if she’d gotten pregnant, and your mother would have taken unpaid maternity leave, with her employer determining when her leave began and when it ended. Today, teachers receive paid maternity leave with full benefits. Also, through the efforts of their Association, teachers have a defined pension that provides a stable and reliable income throughout their retirement.

Teachers understand tough times. As an active member of the union, you’re entitled to all the earned benefits that come with membership. Ensuring and protecting working conditions that both define and build boundaries in your workday promote the best conditions for professional service.

Union isn’t a dirty word. ­Rather, it represents professionalism and a commitment to represent fairly all members of an organization.isn’t a dirty word. ­

Be assured, if employment issues arise, ATA Teacher Welfare staff are only a phone call away. We will defend and support you. Next time you’re in a coffee shop, at the water cooler or enjoying a social event and union bashing begins, hold your head high and profess that you’re a member of a professional union, and that when you and your colleagues—Alberta’s teachers—are working under positive conditions, you can work tirelessly to preserve public education in this province.

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