TORONTO, ON – The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has presented Vickita Bhatt, a teacher with the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local (PETL), with its 2021 Political Activist Award for her union activism and public mobilization on education and other issues.  

The award is presented to a ETFO member to recognize outstanding commitment to and involvement in union activism, active contribution to the broader labour movement, and political activism that has positively impacted local and provincial ETFO members. 

As an activist, organizer and unionist, Bhatt’s commitment to, and leadership within, the labour movement is extensive. She has brought the passion for activism that she cultivated during her years of involvement in the Canadian Federation of Students at the University of Toronto at Mississauga directly to her work as a member and leader within PETL and ETFO.  

In the winter of 2016, Bhatt encouraged ETFO to express its support for a rally against Islamophobia. Since then, her work has included organizing campaign- and issues-based canvassing within PETL, and training members to participate in canvassing work. Bhatt also played an important role during the 2019-2020 round of collective bargaining and local strike action. She created a highly successful “Education Mythbuster” video series to dispel misinformation being shared by the government.  

Bhatt is the current chair of PETL’s Political Action Committee and was recently elected to the position of PETL vice-president for the 2021-2022 school year. She has facilitated a number of workshops and book studies, and is also a member of the Ontario NDP provincial Executive. Her sense of unionism is innate, and she understands the need for educators and education workers to stand in solidarity with other working people. 

“The impact of Vickita’s passion, activism and action is profound and far-reaching. Her commitment to improving public education and social justice has inspired members locally and provincially to get involved in the work of their ETFO local to build a more just society,” says ETFO President Sam Hammond. “As an educator, she is constantly looking for ways to bring others into the work, build a base for mobilization and coalitions.”  

ETFO represents 83,000 elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers and education professionals across the province. Its Building Better Schools education agenda can be viewed at BuildingBetterSchools.ca. 

Media Contact: Carla Pereira, ETFO Media Relations, 416-576-9074 or cpereira@etfo.org.