Inserted in the debates concerning the dichotomy between "proletarianization" and "professionality" of the teaching work, the text highlights meaning offered by the CTERA coordinators to the concepts of "education workers" and of "teaching professional". The data were obtained through semi-structured interviews, done with a man and two women. The referential is based on analysis which interpret the genesis of the occupation as a way to understand its present configuration; the process of the teaching work; and the importance of the gender in order to compose the existing representations on the occupation. The results indicate that, in the elaboration of union members, there is no contradiction between being a worker and seeking the professionality. The defense of the identity of the education worker articulates the fight against the removal of working rights and the protagonic role of the teachers in the development of educational projects.
teaching work; teacher unionism; teacher professionality education; workers; CTERA