Federation is not only an industrial union for all public education teachers and related employees in NSW, we are also the professional body for those teachers, educators and education-related professionals.
We cover people who work from preschool to post-school; from the classroom to beyond; from the first day on the job, throughout career changes and promotions, until retirement. We have been on the journey with teachers and related employees for 101 years.
Something all members have in common is a commitment to public education and students. As professionals, we want to provide the best possible education for our students.
That’s one of the reasons why teaching is a collaborative profession — we know we can provide the best for our students by working together, enhancing our practice by sharing each other’s strengths, knowledge and skills. We know we fit into the chain of education, whether working directly with students or not, and we know each part of the chain is as valuable as the next.
Our day-to-day working lives, with increased workload, the pace of work and technological change, has the capacity to isolate, but we must remain mindful of the collegial nature of our profession and ensure we find time to come together to maintain camaraderie. Just as we know no student learns in isolation, we must remember that no teacher educates alone.
The professionalism of teachers and others in education fosters collegiality; the ethos of unionism is to come together, to support one another. Is it any wonder the two go hand in hand?
To support our colleagues, we must find time to engage in professional conversations, to break bread and build solidarity.
Throughout the year, Federation officers visit workplaces and regions to hold meetings to facilitate discussions with members about the issues important to you.
Every member, at some point throughout the year, will receive emails detailing when and where these meetings will be held. Please take the time to attend them and connect with your colleagues and engage with your union.
A strong union and profession has excellent two-way communication, engages in considered debate and learns from one another. A strong union builds a healthy workplace, and a healthy workplace has a strong union.
Think of your union membership as very much like a gym membership. Joining is just the start — the more you participate, the more likely things change for the better.
Federation asks you to make time to build a better workplace: attend your next workplace or association union meeting.