Unions are too emasculated to represent teachers effectively

Trade unions understand the labour and professional challenges in the sectors they represent, and have practical solutions for overcoming them. In the teaching sub-sector, the core responsibility of teachers’ unions is to negotiate for enhanced salaries and allowances, an improved working environment, workplace safety and partnering with the employer – the Teachers Service Commission – in formulating policies governing hiring, firing, promotion of teachers, complaints and disciplinary procedures.

To be more specific, the main role for a teachers’ union is negotiation and representation. A union is only influential when it achieves the goals it sets.

Once a union is battered through mutilation of its Constitution and adulteration of Recognition Agreement, including forcing union leadership to sign Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with no monetary benefits, it loses its allure, effectiveness and reliability.

Teachers’ unions in July were tricked by State operatives to sign empty CBAs based on irrational argument that teachers and civil servants would not receive salary increments as a result of a bloated wage bill, and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission now says the pay package for judges, MPs, Senators and MCAs will be increased effective January 2022. Doesn’t this amount to duping and playing dirty tricks on teachers’ unions?

Similarly, unions were coerced to withdraw court cases which they (unions) rightfully used as a constitutional platform to agitate for teachers’ professional and labour rights.

Retirement age

Today, our unions are in a state of anxiety and uncertainty due to State intimidation and oppression. TSC, however, should be vindicated because it is only being used as a “fixer” to ensure that unions are destabilised as they are perceived to be a threat to the interests of the government.

For instance, Knut has been forced to reduce branches from 110 to 47; retirement age of union officials which was pegged on public service retirement age of 60 has been raised to 65; Knut and Kuppet have been forced to draw a demarcation where Knut strictly represents primary school teachers while Kuppet represents secondary school teachers.

By moving Standard 7 and 8 to Junior Secondary School, Knut will lose all of its members teaching at this level.

Our unions are now weak, disorderly and impotent to the point that they cannot effectively represent teachers. Knut and Kuppet must now be regretting signing CBAs with no monetary benefits, and entering into adulterated Recognition Agreements.

It is retrogressive for State organs to prevail upon unions to amend their constitutions to bar elected officials from holding parliamentary seats. If a union official is elected or nominated and happens to sit on departmental committees such as Education or Labour, they are in a vantage position to influence decisions in favour of teachers and their employer.

Mr Sossion is a member of parliamentary committees on Education and Labour