Building Pathways, Raising Voices
The summer women’s issue of Voice is one that is particularly important to me. It is an opportunity to profile the tremendous work of women members – in the classroom, within our union and in communities across the province – to advance equity and improve the lives of students and their families.
I started my involvement in our union before ETFO was created by the amalgamation of the Federation of Women Teachers’ Associations of Ontario (FWTAO) and the Ontario Public School Teachers’ Federation in 1998. At the time of amalgamation, members of FWTAO fought to have a commitment of 6 per cent of ETFO’s annual budget dedicated to women’s programs enshrined in our constitution. With a membership that consists of 81 per cent women, ensuring that there are dedicated spaces, training programs and leadership pathways for diverse women members has been incredibly important to ETFO as an organization. Today almost 30 years later, ETFO’s women’s programs are recognized internationally. While many unions produce materials for women members, few do as much as ETFO to ensure the representation of women and other equity deserving groups.
Having come up through the ranks of ETFO, first as a member of FWTAO, a local leader in what is now the Hamilton- Wentworth Teacher Local, an Executive Staff member and later as the Deputy General Secretary and then General Secretary, I know how important women’s programs are to women members. I know from first-hand experience how important it is for women to mentor and create leadership pathways for one another, and how important is it to see diverse women and members from other designated groups sitting at every decision-making table. I am here because other union women welcomed me into the space.
Last year, ETFO conducted a review of our women’s programs. Our goals were to ensure that the programs we offer to women members continue to be meaningful and relevant, and that they continue to achieve their goal of not only making space, but advancing women’s participation in the union, in their schools and in their broader community. You will hear more about this in the coming months.
This year, we have established some new programs for women and other designated groups. Gearing Up is a new women’s program for members in their first five years. Growing Leadership is a program for women from designated groups to support deepening their understanding of leadership through an intersectional feminist framework. Leadership Forum for Black Women Part II provides leadership development for Black members who are committed to increasing their participation and activism within our union or seeking election to their local or provincial executive. Raising Your Voice is a new ETFO conference focused on challenging the barriers of sexism and amplifying women’s voices in both private and public spaces.
Also new to ETFO, Affirming, Connecting and Thriving (ACT) Together offers dedicated, ongoing support and programming for ETFO members who identify as non-binary. Empower Mentorship Program for Black Members is a new multi-year mentorship program designed to build capacity and increase the representation of Black members in leadership positions locally, provincially and in the broader labour movement.
I encourage you to take advantage of these and other excellent programs. Your union has resources, supports and opportunities for you and it is our goal to create pathways for the next generation of ETFO members to become leaders.
We have a difficult round of bargaining ahead of us, with a government that is intent on corporatizing and defunding our public schools. I encourage you to connect to your union and see what we have to offer. ETFO not only represents educators at the bargaining table; we are your community. Our work together advances our rights and benefits as educators, but it also supports the students and families who rely on us to fight for what is still one of the best public education systems in the world.
Wishing you a restful summer break.
– Sharon O’Halloran
