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Home / About Us / For New Members

For New Members

We’re so glad to have you as a member. Below you’ll find information and links to help you get to know your union and how to get involved.


Download the Welcome to ETFO booklet for an overview of ETFO's structure and priorities, your benefits and insurance coverage, and how you can be an active, engaged member at the local and provincial level. A union’s strength is in its members, so get involved!


Be sure to register for the member secure site at members.etfo.ca, where you have access to member-only resources, including curriculum guides and collective bargaining information, advisories, and more. You will need your ETFO ID to register. For questions, email webadmin@etfo.org.


Welcome to ETFO Booklet            Register at members.etfo.ca




Your union


ETFO is the largest education union in Canada, representing more than 83,000 teachers, occasional teachers, designated early childhood educators (DECE), professional support personnel (PSP), and education support personnel (ESP) in 76 locals across the province. Find your local.


Your local steward is your on-the-ground union representative. Their job is to help you and all ETFO members in the workplace, enforce your collective agreement, and advocate on your behalf should a workplace issue arise. Stewards are also great sources of information. Reach out to your steward or your local to make sure you’re in the loop about local and provincial ETFO events, professional learning programs, committees, collective bargaining updates, and member services. 


Working for you


At the provincial level, ETFO is responsible for collective bargaining with the government and school boards, defending members’ rights under the collective agreements, and lobbying for improvements to public education. When you accepted your position with your school board, you became part of our collective strength, enthusiasm, and commitment to each other and our profession.


Our other main purpose is to provide programs and services to our members, with a focus on professional learning and leadership development, health and safety in the classroom, and fostering equity and anti-oppression in the workplace and beyond. Expand the dropdown items below to learn more.

As an equity-focused organization, our goal is to help create schools and communities that are inclusive and supportive of those who have traditionally faced discrimination, marginalization, and lack of opportunity. Click on Social Justice in the top navigation menu bar to learn more.
 
Educators are lifelong learners, and ETFO offers a range of professional learning opportunities through workshops, programs, mentorships, and our popular Additional Qualifications (AQ) courses.
With a focus on creating opportunities for designated groups, including women; 2SLGBTQ+ members; Black and racialized members; First Nations, Métis, and Indigenous members; and members with a disability, programs are delivered through an anti-oppressive lens and encourage union leadership development at the local and provincial level.
 
Developed by educators for educators, ETFO’s classroom resources for kindergarten to grade 8 cover all subject areas and help with deeper learning on issues including First Nations, Métis, and Indigenous education; Black Canadian history; showcasing racialized Canadians’ contributions to art, history, science, technology, and more; promoting the voices of women and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals; and incorporating equity and social justice in the classroom.
 
The Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning is an interactive blog written by ETFO members for beginning educators where you’ll find a community of peers who understand what’s on your mind. ETFO’s member magazine, Voice, is available in print and online. Featuring topical, relevant articles about issues affecting educators, excerpts from classroom resources, book reviews, and more, you won’t want to miss this quarterly publication.
 
Educators work in increasingly fraught environments. Our Professional Relations Services staff are always available to help you should issues arise, such as Children’s Aid Society or police investigations, Ontario College of Teacher or College of Early Childhood Educator complaints, or other disciplinary actions. Visit the Professional Advice page on the ETFO member secure site (registration required) for more information, and call PRS at 416-962-3836 / 1-888-838-3836 if you need help.
 
The most recent survey of members revealed that a staggering 77 per cent reported personally experiencing violence or witnessing violence against another staff member in their school. ETFO has committed to a multi-year strategy to address violence in schools. To learn more about the strategy and other health and safety concerns, visit etfohealthandsafety.ca.  
 
Over the past 25 years, our union has worked to ensure our members have access to excellent pensions and benefits. Make sure you understand your entitlements and requirements under the ETFO Employee Life and Health Trust benefits plan, long-term disability plan, and pensions through Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and OMERS.