Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association
Encyclopedia
The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association is a trade union
in Trinidad and Tobago
and is the representative organisation for teachers who are employed in the public education sector. Its membership approximates 10,800 teachers in active service and 1,200 retiree members. TTUTA's Head Office is in Curepe
and it has other offices in San Fernando
and Tobago
with a further six District Offices.
(PSA), led by James Manswell
, the Trinidad and Tobago Teachers’ Union, (TTTU), whose leader was St. Elmo Gopaul; and the Secondary School Teachers Association (SSTA) headed by Osmond Downer and which represented teachers in the so-called “prestige” schools in the country. These three unions were all recognized by the Education Act No. 1 of 1966 as the representative unions for teachers.
Teacher dissatisfaction with representation by the three unions had grown in the seventies. There was the view that adversarial relations between the three units had severely hampered Industrial Relations in the Teaching Service. As early as 1966 there was a struggle between two of the three unions to be the sole representative for any class of, or classes of teachers. The Special Tribunal No. 10 of 1974, which stated that any one of the three unions could represent any class or classes of teachers decided this issue. This resulted in rapid changes of membership among teachers. However, not one of these unions emerged as the majority union.
The implications of teacher representation by three unions had several serious consequences. Any issue raised by one union with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) had to be discussed with each union separately. This resulted in the presentation of conflicting arguments to the CPO and his advisor's by the different unions, a situation which acted to the disadvantage of teachers. Additionally, negotiations were often lengthy with a consequently longer period for settlement. The relationship between the three unions was thus described as one involving a great deal of “inter-union rivalry and fragmentation” which was seen as “the biggest disadvantage when negotiating a collective agreement,”.
This failure to adequately address teachers’ issues resulted in irrational promotions and transfers, non-recognition of extra qualifications, and the absence of a clear policy on study leave, staff shortages and late staffing. Seepersad observed that the unions were using teachers as “pawns in a power play”, and not seriously addressing those issues which were vital to teachers professional development and to education.
In 1974, the Special Tribunal called for joint negotiations through a joint negotiations committee but again the PSA refused to join in the process. There was an additional problem in that, in 1971, the PSA, which usually went in first in negotiations, signed a four-contract contrary to the usual procedure as three-year contracts. This contributed to an exodus of teachers from the PSA.
Another mass meeting of May 5, 1979 at the Mucurapo Senior Secondary School, adopted a resolution to have COMFUT seek legal advice as to how it should proceed towards its goal of establishing a “…single autonomous professional organisation of teachers, where every individual teacher has a say in policy-determining decisions of the organisation through proper representation in the management of the organisation.”
The Unification Committee drew up an action plan which included:
Included in the campaign was the demand for an amendment of the Education Act to ensure that one union, the majority union would be recognised as the bargaining body for teachers. Ten thousand (10,000) teachers’ signatures were needed to ensure recognition as the majority union
On April 24, 1980 TTUTA was registered as a Trade Union. In March 1981, the state presented a draft revision of the Education Act 1966, which allowed TTUTA to be recognised as a union for teachers, alongside the three other teachers unions in the country.
This proposal was strongly rejected at a mass meeting of members of the Association in March 1981. Under continued pressure from the mass of teachers the government conceded and the Education Act 1966 was amended to give TTUTA full recognition as the majority union for teachers. The Registration, Recognition and Certification Board accorded official recognition of the Association in December 1981.
(CUT) and the Education International
(EI), the International federation of teacher associations and trade unions. The Union was affiliated to NATUC until the split which resulted in the formation of FITUN. It is not currently affiliated to any national trade union centre.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
and is the representative organisation for teachers who are employed in the public education sector. Its membership approximates 10,800 teachers in active service and 1,200 retiree members. TTUTA's Head Office is in Curepe
Curepe
Curepe is a town in the East-West Corridor of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located west of St Augustine and east of St Joseph. Curepe abuts the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies. Many of the students attending the university live in Curepe.Curepe began as a crossroads, where...
and it has other offices in San Fernando
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
and Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
with a further six District Offices.
History
In 1978 teachers were represented by three unions: the Public Services AssociationPublic Services Association
The Public Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago is a trade union in Trinidad and Tobago. It was originally known as the Civil Service Association but changed its name in 1971....
(PSA), led by James Manswell
James Manswell
James Isaac Alexander Manswell , was born in Brighton La Brea, Trinidad and Tobago. He briefly entered the teaching profession in 1945 before joining the Civil Service on 14 July 1946 as a 2nd Class Clerk at the Port of Spain Magistracy...
, the Trinidad and Tobago Teachers’ Union, (TTTU), whose leader was St. Elmo Gopaul; and the Secondary School Teachers Association (SSTA) headed by Osmond Downer and which represented teachers in the so-called “prestige” schools in the country. These three unions were all recognized by the Education Act No. 1 of 1966 as the representative unions for teachers.
Teacher dissatisfaction with representation by the three unions had grown in the seventies. There was the view that adversarial relations between the three units had severely hampered Industrial Relations in the Teaching Service. As early as 1966 there was a struggle between two of the three unions to be the sole representative for any class of, or classes of teachers. The Special Tribunal No. 10 of 1974, which stated that any one of the three unions could represent any class or classes of teachers decided this issue. This resulted in rapid changes of membership among teachers. However, not one of these unions emerged as the majority union.
The implications of teacher representation by three unions had several serious consequences. Any issue raised by one union with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) had to be discussed with each union separately. This resulted in the presentation of conflicting arguments to the CPO and his advisor's by the different unions, a situation which acted to the disadvantage of teachers. Additionally, negotiations were often lengthy with a consequently longer period for settlement. The relationship between the three unions was thus described as one involving a great deal of “inter-union rivalry and fragmentation” which was seen as “the biggest disadvantage when negotiating a collective agreement,”.
Teacher Professionalism
Mr. Frank B. Seepersad, the first General Secretary of TTUTA, noted that fragmentation of the unions had caused them to pay little attention to advancing the cause of teacher professionalism. Two existing committees, the Appeals Committee and the Assessment of Qualifications Committee were not being closely monitored. The unions were paying little attention to issues, for example, like in-service training for teachers and refresher courses. Also, the unions were not pressing for much needed changes to the syllabuses of both the primary and secondary schools.This failure to adequately address teachers’ issues resulted in irrational promotions and transfers, non-recognition of extra qualifications, and the absence of a clear policy on study leave, staff shortages and late staffing. Seepersad observed that the unions were using teachers as “pawns in a power play”, and not seriously addressing those issues which were vital to teachers professional development and to education.
Negotiating problems
In 1971 the problems over negotiations continued with the PSA refusing to sit in joint negotiations with what they described as "minority unions". As a result, the salaries issue was referred to the Special Tribunal and teachers had to wait almost nine years for a settlement of this issue.In 1974, the Special Tribunal called for joint negotiations through a joint negotiations committee but again the PSA refused to join in the process. There was an additional problem in that, in 1971, the PSA, which usually went in first in negotiations, signed a four-contract contrary to the usual procedure as three-year contracts. This contributed to an exodus of teachers from the PSA.
Committee for the Unification of Teachers
As the decade came to a close, dissatisfaction came to a head in 1979 and on March 31, 1979 approximately 150 teachers gathered at the Mt. Hope Junior Secondary School to discuss the unsatisfactory state of the teaching profession, and the meeting adopted a resolution seeking to ensure one autonomous body for teachers. A decision was also arrived at to establish a steering Committee of 22 to oversee the formation of one union for all teachers. Volunteers were sought to serve on this committee - the Committee for the Unification of Teachers (COMFUT)Another mass meeting of May 5, 1979 at the Mucurapo Senior Secondary School, adopted a resolution to have COMFUT seek legal advice as to how it should proceed towards its goal of establishing a “…single autonomous professional organisation of teachers, where every individual teacher has a say in policy-determining decisions of the organisation through proper representation in the management of the organisation.”
The Unification Committee drew up an action plan which included:
- Stirring up teacher participation by using several publicity techniques, bumper stickers, buttons, rallies and public meetings;
- Seeking and obtaining about 9,000 signatures to the call for a single union for teachers, and an amendment of the Education Act (Act 1 of 1966) to facilitate teacher representation by a single majority union;
- Seeking the resignation of the Officers of the existing unions so as to make room for a single union;
- Fund raising activities.
Included in the campaign was the demand for an amendment of the Education Act to ensure that one union, the majority union would be recognised as the bargaining body for teachers. Ten thousand (10,000) teachers’ signatures were needed to ensure recognition as the majority union
Unity and recognition
The period from March 1979 to December 1981, when TTUTA was finally recognised by the Registration, Recognition and Certification Board, was one of relentless struggle with the authorities in support of the cause for one union for all teachers. Thousands of teachers marched around the Red House and through the streets demanding that there be one umbrella body for all teachers.On April 24, 1980 TTUTA was registered as a Trade Union. In March 1981, the state presented a draft revision of the Education Act 1966, which allowed TTUTA to be recognised as a union for teachers, alongside the three other teachers unions in the country.
This proposal was strongly rejected at a mass meeting of members of the Association in March 1981. Under continued pressure from the mass of teachers the government conceded and the Education Act 1966 was amended to give TTUTA full recognition as the majority union for teachers. The Registration, Recognition and Certification Board accorded official recognition of the Association in December 1981.
Affiliations
TTUTA is affiliated to Caribbean Union of TeachersCaribbean Union of Teachers
The Caribbean Union of Teachers is a federation of teaching trade unions in the Caribbean. Its affiliated unions are:* Anguilla Teachers Union* Antigua & Barbuda Union of Teachers* Bahamas Union of Teachers* Barbados Secondary Teachers Union...
(CUT) and the Education International
Education International
Education International is a global union federation of teachers' trade unions. Currently, it has 401 member organizations in 172 countries and territories, representing over 30 million education personnel from pre-school to university...
(EI), the International federation of teacher associations and trade unions. The Union was affiliated to NATUC until the split which resulted in the formation of FITUN. It is not currently affiliated to any national trade union centre.
Associate Members
Members of the following organisations are associate members of TTUTA:- National Primary Schools’ Principals Association (NPSPA)
- Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools (APPSS)
- Agriculture Science Teachers’ Association (AGRISTA)
- Geography Association of Trinidad and Tobago.