Following a May 27 election at the annual general meeting for the Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS), local instructor Cathy Pellizzaro became a member of their 2017–18 provincial executive.
“It was a very challenging race because all the candidates that ran were excellent,” said Pellizzaro, who is the only member of the new executive from Northern Manitoba. “Most of them run from Winnipeg because most of our teacher population is in Winnipeg.”
“In the north we have less teachers, but we still need representation.”
MTS is the largest teacher’s union in Manitoba and as a member of the new executive Pellizzaro will represent the interests of over 15,000 educators from across the province.
One of bigger issues that Manitoba teachers have to contend over the next couple years is Bill 28, a public sustainability bill that, according to Pellizzaro, affects their collective bargaining rights.
“In the next four years, after our agreement expires in 2018, it tells us how our increases will be. So it’s actually dictating to us how to bargain,” she said. “We need to address that because that’s not part of our union rights.”
But even though the scope of her new position is province-wide, Pellizzaro said that she will also serve as a MTS liaison to regions like Thompson, especially when it comes to issues that are unique to the north.
“I just want to make sure that we’re included in all decision-making across the province, because that needs to be ensured because costs might come up,” she said. “We have to make sure we have a budget to include teachers from the north as well.”
In terms of her experience as an educator, Pellizzaro has been involved with the School District of Mystery Lake for the past 24 years, both as a teacher and union leader. In addition to teaching kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 at institutions like Eastwood and Deerwood School, she became the president of the Thompson Teachers’ Association in 2016.
Pellizzaro is also no stranger to dealings with MTS, having served on bodies such as their Equity and Social Justice Standing Committee between 2010 and 2015.
Despite the fact that she is now entitled to up to 20 per cent release time from her current responsibilities at Mystery Lake, Pellizzaro believes that her new position with MTS will not interfere with her role as a teacher and union leader in Thompson.
“I’m a flexible and organized person, so I’m able to shift things around in order to make it work within a time frame,” she said. “Plus, I’m used to being busy."
In the end, even though she is dealing with added responsibilities, Pellizzaro is happy to speak for Thompson at the provincial level, especially since northern representation has been lacking in MTS for the last couple years.
”It’s been a while. It’s been maybe four to five years because our last rep was from Flin Flon. So yeah, it’s exciting and I look forward to working with all the teachers in the province.”
The first official meeting of the 2017–18 MTS provincial executive is set to take place on June 7 in Winnipeg.
