Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to the leadership of the JTA.

For years your support structure has always loyally followed your leadership as we believed that because you are our main bargaining union, we ought to walk with you. But for many, including myself, who chose to remain silent in the face of blatant self-interest of the leadership, I say, “No more.”

It is a fact that once many are elected to the top posts in the organisation, their interest in wholeheartedly representing the membership falls well below the effort they took to get elected. The interest of the membership often comes second when meetings with the Ministry of Education are convened. Barely enough effort is put out to make the leadership appear tough to the membership when dealing with the current or previous governments so as to appease us. We know why.

At the end of your tenure, there are three possibilities that more than likely will occur: (1) You will become a government senator. (2) You will become a consultant to the Ministry of Education. (3) You will become the principal of a popular traditional high school.

I challenge the leadership of the JTA to dispute this.

You cannot have the interest of your membership at heart if, like some politicians, your personal goals trump the larger interest of your members. Many have seen and have spoken in private about where our organisation is headed and what its purpose is. No matter your own personal or political interests, that should be secondary when you are a part of the executive of the JTA. The stalwarts who came before you were genuinely interested in their colleagues’ welfare. In the past 15 years, I don’t think the interest has gone beyond the benefit of the top brass.

Phillip Gallas

Pennsylvania

USA