Pillar #1 Communication
Transformative leadership requires a President who is committed to open, honest, and meaningful conversations with members, local leaders, provincial office staff, and education stakeholders.
OSSTF/FEESO’s commitment to democratic decision-making only makes us stronger when diverse perspectives are encouraged, and respect for differences of opinion is a core value that is modeled by the President.
As I said in 2017 when I first ran for PE, open debate only serves to make us stronger.
No one person has all the answers. An effective leader encourages honest and diverse perspectives from members, local leaders and staff; respects differences of opinion and always upholds the majority decision to ensure solidarity.
Members deserve respect, transparency and the opportunity for meaningful conversations with provincial leadership. I will continue to make a priority for the provincial Executive and staff to leverage today’s technology—virtual meetings, social media, and direct digital communication—alongside traditional methods to ensure conversations are accessible and responsive. Your voice matters, and I will make sure it’s heard. It is only through collaboration that we can build strength and solidarity.
Local Leaders must feel supported by the Provincial Executive and staff. You must be able to trust that the priorities of the members you work with on a daily basis are understood and reflected in decisions made by the Provincial Executive. You must be given every opportunity to be heard, on behalf of your members as OSSTF/FEESO makes important strategic decisions.
Local leaders must also be able to rely on messaging from provincial OSSTF/FEESO that is clear, timely and reflects member priorities.
As President it will be my priority to ensure that once decisions are made, communication will ensure that members see their priorities fully reflected, whether in communication to them, or in our messaging to the broader public.
This will in turn assist with effective local member mobilization, united in strength for the fights that lie ahead.
Stakeholders must be engaged in our fight for publicly funded education as it is only through forceful public pressure that the government will listen. Our messaging must reflect the priorities of parents while also making clear to the broader public that a strong publicly funded education system at all levels is in the best interests of every Ontarian.
Parents must be given the opportunity to be heard by OSSTF/FEESO. The broader labour movement must be both supported through our solidarity and understand the importance of their engagement in our fight for safe, healthy and well-funded schools and universities.
Open and strategic communication is key to building, maintaining and strengthening relationships with labour allies and community partners
This means ensuring members, local leaders, local members of labour councils and parent councils all have the information they need to understand the importance of our fight for the school system on which we all rely, and which forms the basis of our democracy in Ontario
Transformative leadership means bringing renewed energy to communications both within OSSTF/FEESO and within the broader labour movement, and community.