The importance of appropriate tactics and credibility / L'importance des tactiques et de la crédibilité

Dear readers,

I received this anonymous comment today regarding my previous post: The importance of experience and building unity

"the big question mark here is not 'what experience has Rob in confronting school administration and EMSB management regarding collective issues faced in his school,' but why has Rob's school not needed to 'confront' the administration and EMSB mgmt to solve school issues needing attention and action. 

This looks like a need to share information between schools about how to foster positive relationships between teachers, administrators and management, rather than spinning this accomplishment as some gap in Mr Green's experience or character."

Thought I'd share my response with all of you. 

To Anonymous,

I certainly have no issue with fostering positive relationships between teachers, administrators and management. In many instances, this is the case, and it's a good thing as long as teachers' concerns are being addressed in a meaningful way. The reality, however, is that when poor decisions are made by management, someone needs to be in a position to advocate on behalf of teachers. When I talk about confronting school administration and management, I am talking about having the credibility to sit down with them, have a discussion, and come to a solution that satisfies teachers, without having to go through a legal grievance, or the media, until other options have been exhausted. When a union leader has the credibility to do this, it frees teachers from having to worry and stress about problems they need resolved, resolves the problems more quickly, and also costs members less money in legal fees.

In this sense, Mr. Green has very little experience directly confronting management. His advocacy consists of writing a blog and newspaper articles, and appearing on talk radio, all public forums. Right now, he has used his blog mostly to criticize the MTA and QPAT. If he were elected President, would he go to the media or write a blog post every time there was an issue that had to be dealt with in relation to school board? At MTA reps assemblies, he has advocated that the MTA use the media more frequently in its dealings with the school board.

I don't think that would be advisable, in the way that he would do it, for two reasons: First, it would cease to be effective in a very short time and second, it would certainly not help foster positive relationships between teachers, administrators and management. Using the media is a last step when all other options have been exhausted, not the first step in trying to resolve an issue.

I am certainly not spinning any accomplishments of mine as any gap in Mr. Green's character. I am merely pointing out that I've had experiences in dealing with and resolving difficult situations, and as I far as I know, he has not. If anything, that's what the job of MTA President is about. In the countless time I along with JFK teachers and the MTA confronted the school board to get the JFK building open, not once was there any negative press in regard to the school board about the situation. That fact gives me, and teachers in general, credibility. I am doubtful Mr. Green would have handled it in the same way.

Finally, I'd like to point out that both articles that Mr. Green has written and those written by others that he has posted on his blog make numerous separate untrue allegations about our current MTA President, QPAT, the school board and me. This certainly doesn't do much to foster positive relationships. Here's what he insinuates about me in relation to what he incorrectly believes is my position in relation to the recall/seniority process:

"It would be interesting to know if MTA Presidential hopeful Peter Sutherland also feels that the delicate sensitivities of the employer are of greater concern than the needs of the membership to have a seniority and recall process that is fair, transparent and impervious to undue manipulation by the employer." 

I will address this in my next post.