A fixture in School District No. 46 (SD46) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said adieu recently to focus on her role as a District of Sechelt councillor.
Alice Lutes, a 22-year employee of SD46 and president for CUPE 801 the last seven years, retired so she can give full attention to her newest elected posting.
"The union keeps opening doors for you. In order to keep making a difference this is the leaping off point," said Lutes about taking on the challenge of municipal politics.
Lutes learned early on to advocate for herself as an employee. At age 14, she worked as summer domestic help from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. five days a week for a well-to-do family where she earned $20 a week.
One summer in the early '60s, Lutes' mother told her to tell the family she would accept no less than minimum wage, a new concept to Lutes. The negotiation resulted in four hours a day with the family making the same amount of money with an additional four hours a day with another family meaning Lutes doubled her earnings each week.
"It was good experience. I learned time management," Lutes said.
Lutes is not new to unions as her millwright father was involved through his work as she grew up in Port Mellon, but she did not become actively involved in the union until she was hired by the school district's continuing education department part-time.
"While I was there, the union arranged for a four-hour minimum," Lutes recalled. "I went from three hours, three days a week to four hours a day, three days a week."
At that point, she became secretary for union meetings and started attending workshops offered through the union. She was amazed to see how much bigger the union was than the local she belonged to.
"Locally, provincially, federally, internationally, we gave $500 to a women's centre in Nicaragua," Lutes added, surprised by the far-reaching support unions had in the world.
Lutes moved on to reception duties at Elphinstone and more recently, Chatelech secondary schools.
"There have been some incredible students. They've done some pretty incredible things with their lives," Lutes said with a touch of awe in her voice.
Lutes spent the last seven years as president of CUPE 801 representing all public employees working in the school district from crossing guards to receptionists and maintenance workers.
"Some of our grievances have been difficult over the years, but fortunately, because they've been dealt with in a contained manner everybody was able to carry on," Lutes said, adding that privacy in a small community can be important. "All in all it's been incredible," she laughed shaking her head, "the kids excuses "
Lutes is eager to be able to dedicate her time to the District of Sechelt council where she sits on the ferry advisory commission and youth action committee. She will also remain active in the Sunshine Coast Labour Council.
