Rep profile: Christa Christie, St Brendan Shaw College, Devonport
‘I always wanted to be involved, but early in my career I didn’t feel like I had the experience or knowledge. As the years went on and I gained more experience, my confidence grew – and so did my desire to have a voice and make sure others were heard. Eventually, it just felt too important to ignore.’
Crista is in her first year as a Rep and felt it was too early for her to offer advice on the role. However, she shared the ‘reassuring and encouraging’ words of advice she received from a respected colleague who supported her when she was feeling overwhelmed about everything she needed to learn.
‘No-one knows all the answers, and no one expects you to. It’s perfectly acceptable to take time and ask other people for help, don’t let the fear of what you don’t know prevent you from trying – you care about these things and the knowledge will come in time.’
Crista says the main issues she’s hearing from members are about the fairness, frequency, and necessity of change, along with staff taking on increasing responsibilities and workloads.
‘In addition, roles and responsibilities in education and education support vary greatly – from faculty to department to individual positions – so having an intermediary to monitor and assess the impact across all levels is essential.’
Crista enjoys talking about the union to non-members.
‘Oh, I couldn’t recommend joining enough! It has become one of the first things I say to new colleagues in any position. I recommend it because the educational environment has become complex and dynamic, so there are additional risks, rewards and challenges that require collaboration to solve – or at least manage – them.
‘Collective, unionised environments promote safety and mutual understanding for both sides of the employment relationship.
‘The old saying there’s safety in numbers rings true – I see union membership as a way of pursuing workplace fairness and safety, like a form of insurance that grows stronger with active involvement.’