Teachers join the collective during recruitment drive

By Danielle Blanch and Josh Gollan

Schools in the Camden-Campbelltown district were the focus of a Federation recruitment drive during the week of the February 19.

Federation Officers visited 52 schools. A variety of strategies were used, all involving Federation Officers visiting a school and connecting with the Federation Representative at a pre-scheduled time convenient to the school. Before school, recess, lunch and after school meetings were scheduled. A faculty-by-faculty approach was taken in some high schools, combined with a base in the common room, where teachers could come during their free periods.

Representatives from Teachers Federation Health, Teachers Credit Union and First State Super joined the Federation at the schools. The convenience of having representatives from all of these organisations was well received by the many busy teachers in the participating schools.

It seemed like an opportune time for this type of intense and organised approach to recruitment, given this year of both state and federal elections, the results of both being so important to public education.

The recruitment drive added 89 members to Federation's membership.

Getting existing members to 'Make the Switch' is also important, in this time of fighting against the Federal Government's WorkChoices laws. School visits resulted in 247 members 'making the switch'.

The workplace lists for the 52 schools visited were also amended to reflect current membership status and contact details.

Working as Project Officers this term has made us even more aware of the importance of the Federation and the strength it has from the collegiality that comes from working together for public education.

The recruitment drive was a great learning experience and a great success in making the two-way connection between schools and Federation. As two of the visiting representatives of the Federation to schools during this week we were heartened by the dedication and commitment that teachers everywhere have.

Josh Gollan and Danielle Blanch are Project Officers for term 1.

Objectives

1. To update the Federation's workplace lists with the help of the Federation Representative, that is to add new members of staff and to remove those members of staff no longer at the workplace.
2. To help members update their membership details such as change of address and also change of membership status.
3. To urge members to "make the switch" from payroll deduction to direct debit, auto-credit or cash payments.
4. To sign up new members.
5. To speak to beginning teachers about the benefits of joining the Federation and urge them to come to a Beginning Teachers Conference.

For further information

March 2007 contents