To ensure judgment by peers Through the ATA, teachers are appointed to help judge teacher qualifications and decide on cases involving professional ethics and standards. To help achieve just salaries and benefits By means of collective bargaining, teachers have achieved improved salaries, health care provisions, sick leave, paid inservice and sabbaticals. A lot has been accomplished, but future improvements depend on strong local and provincial associations. By means of legislation teachers have achieved basic tenure and adequate pensions. To give help when a strike becomes necessary Through the support of the strike fund, local teachers have funds available to them when collective bargaining fails and a strike takes place.
All teachers support their colleagues when they find it necessary to withdraw services.
To affect political decisions Education decisions are made by the provincial government and local school boards. Teachers can influence those decisions individually but are more effective by acting through local and provincial bodies which monitor government and present teachers' views. By working together, teachers have improved their students' learning conditions and their own working conditions. By remaining strong, they can achieve further progress.