Workplace representatives as the human face of the union in Lithuania
The interview with the Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union (LESTU) strongly emphasises the symbolic and practical importance of workplace representatives for teachers. According to a senior union official, these representatives play a decisive role in shaping how teachers experience the union:
“I always say to the workplace representatives – I can’t do what they do – I can’t… they are the people who really show to our members what this organisation is. They are like a face of the organisation.”
The case study shows that workplace representatives are often the main point of contact for teachers, especially in challenging contexts. Their proximity, credibility, and relationships of trust are seen as essential to strengthening union identity and engagement.
This experience highlights how union renewal depends not only on national strategies, but on empowering teachers who act as trusted leaders within their own schools.
