A STRONG UNION  IS DRIVEN BY MEMBERS

Hillsborough CTA’s primary responsibility as an advocate for our members is to actively work to protect the rights of education professionals in Hillsborough County on a daily basis. We maintain a good professional relationship with the county school district, which enables us to effectively advocate on behalf of our members to create a supportive environment for both teachers and students.

Although collective bargaining is one of the key components of what we do, there are many other day-to-day activities we perform that provide support for our members, ranging from answering member questions to on-site meetings with administrators and providing representation in meetings with district personnel.

We also strongly encourage our members to be active advocates for the rights of educators, students and public schools in Hillsborough County and the State of Florida. We know each person has a different comfort level when it comes to being an advocate and varying levels of time they can commit to it. Fortunately, there are so many ways to be an active participant in the process that there is sure to be something that fits everyone.

WHAT IS ADVOCACY?

The literal definition of an advocate is “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy” or “a person who pleads a case on someone else’s behalf”. In a broader sense, advocacy covers a wide range of activities, from simply providing a community with information about a particular issue to litigation and lobbying efforts. Below is a list of advocacy activities that you can participate in, ranging from simply signing a petition to being an active organizer for educator’s rights in our county and state. If you are interested in participating in any of these activities, please contact your HCTA Staff Rep or your Building Rep.

UNION MEMBER'S RIGHTS TO REPRESENATION

PROTECTING AND IMPROVING EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS

PROTECTING OUR PROFESSION

Union Member's Rights to Union Representation

Protecting member rights on the job

Union members are entitled to have a union representative present in a meeting with management if they believe that some form of discipline may result from such meeting. However, you must clearly state your concern and clearly request union representation in advance of the meeting to ensure that the proper steps are taken.

If Trouble Strikes – Notify your Building Representative(s) and the HCTA office immediately!

Here is some practical advice, which you should use to protect your rights until help arrives:

    • If confronted with charges, remain calm and courteous.
    • Ask for your Union/Association Representative to be present. If your rep is not available, ask to reschedule the meeting.
    • Listen carefully to accusations. Then ask for time to think or to secure information.
    • Make detailed written notes of the events which occur in any confrontation or accusatory session, or of any other action which appears to be related. Take down every detail, including names of witnesses and others involved while the details are fresh in your mind. Print out and make copies of any relevant correspondence or documents.
    • In the event of a confrontation or threat to your job, do NOT resign or sign any papers or agreement.