In 1981, the CFT established its Women in Education Award to honor AFT/CFT locals and individual AFT/CFT members for promoting the rights of women and issues of gender equity within the educational workplace. This year the Women in Education Award has been renamed the Mary Bergan Women in Education Award.

The Mary Bergan Women in Education Award is presented to honor female AFT/CFT members or locals who exemplify the very essence of the integral and crucial role that women have played in all aspects of our union’s history and culture, the union movement in general, and specifically the union movement within an educational setting. The award is presented biennially at the CFT Convention, which will be held March 14-16, 2025 at The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter.

In bestowing this award, CFT will be recognizing and honoring the contributions of women in our union.

All locals are invited to submit nominations for this award on behalf of one or more of their deserving female unionists who have demonstrated leadership and made significant contributions in any or all of the following areas:
• serving and empowering students in ways that build-up the next generation of laborers and unionists;
• actively participating in campus, professional, community, and political activities that strengthen local union solidarity, capacity, and power;
• actively engaging efforts to improve societal understanding of the purpose and need of unions locally, state-wide, or nationally.

Local unions may submit nominations for the Mary Bergan Women in Education Award by completing the webform. Supporting materials are encouraged; you may upload up to three documents. 

Nominations are now closed.