Starting this Friday, September 7, ETFO will resume the #RedforEd actions. All presidents are encouraged to communicate with members about the Friday actions and to participate in this weekly effort.

Why Red for Ed?

By collectively wearing red and participating in the weekly action teachers, education workers, parents, and community allies are uniting to visibly express solidarity to defend public education and stand up for students.

The weekly action is something that everyone can participate in to help build support for our public campaign and the current round of bargaining. To make this action successful and to increase support in communities across the province, we need your help to encourage members and allies to wear red.

Ways to share the message and extend ETFO’s visibility

To increase our #RedforEd profile, ETFO encourages members and locals to share their participation on social media with posts, group photos, or selfies. Be sure to include the #RedforEd hashtag in your tweets or Facebook posts and email any photos you wish to share to [email protected].

For your quick reference, a shareable image to advertise #RedforEd on social media is available on the website at http://etfo.ca/link/etfostrong. Please be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page.

Do you need red ETFO clothing?

ETFO Waterloo has t-shirt available for all members! Please contact Jeff Pelich if you need a shirt (and did not receive one last year). 

Background on selecting Fridays

The Provincial Executive received a report to determine if the Friday#RedforEd actions should be held on an alternative day due to concerns about other awareness activities to wear red clothing on Fridays. ETFO staff spoke with the Deputy Director of Corporate Services at the National Office of the Royal Canadian Legion who indicated that wearing red to support the military was an awareness campaign for supporting Canadian troops and veterans, who were engaged in combat in the Afghanistan conflict. The Friday campaign began in 2005, and it has petered out since the end of the conflict in 2014. The National Office of the Royal Canadian Legion stated that it does not object to educators wearing red on Fridays and it further stated it does not see this action as co-opting the issue.