Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/726969
The first year he was a site rep, his chapter went on strike. He discovered he was good at organizing rallies and communicating important issues to his fellow chapter members. It was an emotional time, he says, recalling the 2010 three-day walkout. When it ended, he helped with the healing process. He helped people see that for the sake of students, it was time to put differences aside and move forward. It became a stepping stone to higher union involvement. He is now on his chapter's bargaining team and executive board. But he's still a site rep, because he loves being involved in his local school community. It's important for site reps to differentiate between… constructive criticism by an adminis- trator and harassment. Site reps must also differentiate between reasonable requests and unreasonable ones. An effective site rep… has the respect of both colleagues and administrators. You need a good relationship with both sides so you can broker a peace deal. But you never forget that your job is advocating for your members. Gibson knows she is often the face of the union for those who are new to the profession or district. Her warm smile and welcoming spirit convey the message "You are not alone." Being a site rep is all about communication, she says, including sending email blasts and talking to members about important issues in the district, community and state. She raised awareness among colleagues of the plan to transport coal through Oakland, which could have endangered residents. Eventually the city vetoed the plan. Being a "people person," Gibson loves socializing with colleagues at monthly meetings, recruiting new members into the association, and encouraging members to become more active. Sometimes it takes a pizza party, but that's all part of the fun. A good site rep is... someone who's a good listener. Someone who knows what they're talking about. And someone — even if they don't know what they're talking about — who finds out the correct information. Being a site rep is… a l o t o f w o r k . B u t m e m b e r s a t o u r s c h o o l a re s u p p o r t i ve a n d a p p re c i a t i ve t h a t I t r y to a c c o m - m o d a te e ve r y b o d y . KATHERINE GIBSON Greenleaf Elementary School teacher OA K L A N D E D U C AT I O N A S S O C I AT I O N GREG YOUNG San Clemente High School physics/chemistry teacher C A P I ST R A N O U N I F I E D E D U C AT I O N A S S O C I AT I O N Photo credit: Kim Sanford 48 cta.org CTA & you