Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT)

The Changing Role of the Teacher and
Teacher Trade Unions in the Technological Age

The Barbados Union of Teachers wishes to express deep gratitude to Mr.Husbands for the resourceful stewardship which he brought to the Unionduring his tenure, the new horizons which he explored and the way in whichhe motivated other members of the executive to develop their potential within the organisation.

We have already missed Harry. Our interaction though, will continue. I’m sure that his knowledge and skills of industrial relations as well as the new technology will be shared with us at BUT, whenever the opportunity arises. Mr. Chairman, this year, we have chosen as our theme "Multimedia In the Classroom - The Changing Role of the Teacher and Teacher Trade Union -in the Technological Age". Against this background, I will take the opportunity to refute any suggestion that the Barbados Union of Teachers has not beensupportive of the introduction of technology in schools. Our public statements have been influenced by the need to develop a policy position on the new technology in the classroom, as it relates to discussion and negotiation with the Union on pay, training, health and safety - issues which must be negotiated when introducing technology in the workplace. We have probably reached saturation point with the statement that the job of the school is to prepare children for life. This era is called the technology era, and therefore society expects that schools will provide the students with technological skills, in order to adapt more easily to the profound changes taking place in the labour market, specifically when globalisation and trade liberalisation have expanded the labour market. Information technology will continue to modify the learning process, the role of the teacher and it will also generate a whole new interaction between the teacher and the student.  Some people are of the view teachers will disappear as a result of new teaching opportunities. Trade Unions therefore have a critical role to play in ensuring that the workers’ rights are safeguarded, in terms of jobs, training, pay and health standards.

These benefits can only be won through the collective bargaining process with employers. A crucial role for the teachers will be to guide and monitor the learning process, since society still expects the basic knowledge and skills to be acquired in the classroom. Teachers therefore will provide the guarantee that the curriculum is followed. The 1997 edition of Educational International magazine, noted in one of its articles entitled "What Impact do Computers have on Education" that "even if computers will, to some extent, be able to organize the pace of the learning process, the teacher must be there to monitor the process and to accompany the students. The teacher has to see that the programmes and the work fit the students real needs". Both the teacher and the students together must discuss the selection of subject matter, critically appraise the said subject matter, and then determine how they will interact with such information.  A Trade Union Council educational journal call "The Chip at Work"- A discussion book on New Technology stated that "Union and government must control the pace and type of the standards that occurs. If they don’t, new technology will be used to serve only the narrow interests of employers - cutting costs and raising productivity. The benefits to be gained from new technology must be fairly distributed across the whole work force and wider society".

This brings us to policy decisions in respect of the issues which are critical to the new technology as teachers interact with it. We are well aware of the fact that technology not only affect the way in which work is carried out, but the way organizational structures are managed. In our school system, changes will occur from assessment based on test performances to assessment based on progress and effort of the individual. This change over will inculcate the values of cooperation, building of self esteem and other interpersonal skills which have to be underscored. Thus Government has a critical role to play in making sure that adequate training is available for workers to adapt to technological change. The Trade Union has recognized the challenges which will be faced because of changing work methods, and the changes of terms and conditions of work. Former President Harry Husbands was resolute in his call for the recognition that new work methods mean new payment schemes,
since entry requirements into the teaching service may be upgraded to take into consideration the qualification of information technology as a requisite for entry into the service.

The Service Commissions regulations will take care of this aspect. In 1997, a number of stakeholders spent many fruitful hours compiling a document entitled "terms and Conditions of Service for Teachers and Principals". The BUT is calling on the relevant Ministry to commence negotiations of some of the matters pertaining to the terms and conditions of teachers and Principals.

Among them are:

1) Re-examination of the arrangement made for the payment of part- time teachers in the period of school vacation with regards to parity between the primary and secondary school teachers.

2) Amendment to the pension legislation so that part-time service can be aggregated and count as pensionable service, as well as aggregation of the part-time service for incremental credit, where persons subsequently are permanently appointed to the Teaching Service.

3) Provision to be made for teachers who are paid on the Special Grade scale to cross the qualification bar, provided that training does not exist locally.

4) Provision of the Primary school into two departments - Infants and Juniors, with a teacher being assigned to be in charge of each department, and paid as a Senior Teacher.

Furthermore, the Committee examined the issue of transfer, which it noted, "has always been a vexed question. It noted that when comparisons are made between the Primary and Secondary Schools, one readily recognized that transfers are not affected at the secondary schools without the knowledge and agreement - tacit or otherwise - of the two Boards of Management. As we are aware, there is no such convention practised in the Primary school.

The Barbados Union of Teachers has successfully negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with the Ministry of Education, arising from the unprecedented transfer of twelve (12) Primary School Principals across the system in 1997. Recognizing that there remains a perception that the transfer of a teacher is a disciplinary action, this bargaining agreement should dispel this perception. This committee was firmly of the view that the transfer of a teacher - including a principal should be developmental and aimed at improving either the person’s competence or the efficiency of the system. The BUT has gone even further in its recommendations in that, it has proposed that a time frame be written into the agreement. In the case of principals, one term’s notice be given to them for and for the teacher, they should be informed during the summer holiday. This should take care of the near mid night calls which teachers receive on the Sunday before school begins - a practice which has always been deplored by the Union.

Quite naturally, this brings us to the recently launched Association of Public Primary School principals. Whereas the Trade Union Act informs in the document Laws of Barbados - Trade Union act, Chapter 361, Article 12, that it takes only seven (7) persons to form a Trade Union, the issue of fragmentation in the fraternity has come to the fore, with the daunting perception that other categories within the fraternity may form their own associations, thus chipping away at the foundations of unity and solidarity.

The Barbados Union of Teachers has understood that the membership of the Association believes that it can best represent itself on issues which relate directly to itself and this belief has motivated the Principals to establish a Trade Union. Let me assure all Principals who still remain members of the Barbados Union of Teachers that we will continue to represent them, thus ensuring that their rights and privileges remain sacrosanct.

Furthermore, the Barbados Union of Teachers has pledged at a General Meeting of February 23, 1999 to continue work within a cordial and sharing relationship with the Association, as had been, when the organisation was the Conference of Primary School Principals, in other words, the very important skills and knowledge base of industrial relations which underpin trade unions will be shared with the Association, so as to redound to their growth and development in the Trade Union movement.

The Barbados Union of Teachers takes this opportunity to announce that arising from the an-going negotiations held between the CTUSAB and the Ministry of Civil Service, an agreement has been reached which states that as from April 1", 1999, there will be one grade of Principal in the Primary school - a proposal which dates to the 80’s when there were three or so grades of Principals in the Primary schools. The BUT has successfully concluded this agreement.

As we approach the much vaunted new ’millennium’, the Barbados Union of Teachers is reviewing a number of critical issues which will advance and enhance the fraternity. Issues which relate to training and re-training, special needs education including adapting technology to assist challenged students, enhanced terms and conditions of service for teachers of all categories. The removal of what may appear to be discriminatory practices in the system will be brought to the fore for discussion and negotiation.

The Union will continue to condemn physical conditions which are not conducive to teaching and learning. Several visits to the St. Giles Senior School exemplify the unsatisfactory conditions under which teachers and students are functioning. The BUT, along with the staff and the school have made recommendations which can provide some relief to the stress which is being experienced at the work place. The Union places great emphasis on the importance of providing optimum conditions in the context of teacher and institutional appraisal.

On the issue of training - the Union welcomes the seventy-one (71) teachers who are completing the two (2) year Teacher Training Programme at Erdiston College into the fraternity as trained teachers. Our next step is to provide them with Security of Tenure, by having them appointed to the Service.

As the next batch of teachers are being selected to enter Erdiston, BUT reminds those involved in the selection process, that those teachers whose service may have been broken through no fault of theirs, but have been providing satisfactory service in some cases for as long as ten years, should also qualify for selection.

This brings me to the situation where, in the Primary schools, teachers who have successfully completed University studies - 1" degree - are awaiting an opportunity to be professionally trained through the Diploma in Education.

Having been informed that the Dip Ed is designed specifically for secondary school teachers, the BUT is calling on the relevant agencies to design a programme which will provide training for teachers in the primary schools, so that they too can become equipped with the requisite skills in order to enhance their delivery of education.

Furthermore, the games teachers in the Primary Schools are seeking recognition for the role which they play in promoting sports in the primary school system. The BUT supports their call for compensation of a similar nature to their counterparts in the Secondary schools.

With regards to special needs education, a priority in the Ministry, the BUT looks forward to negotiating a set of conditions which will recognize the nature and scope of the interaction which takes place between the teacher and the challenged student. Smaller class ratios, more frequent training programmes, including specialised training in occupational therapy and counseling, shorter periods by which long leave is granted are but some of the conditions which BUT will be seeking for this category of teacher.

Promotional opportunities are limited, and recognition of this factor, as it relates to training, appointments and study leave must be also negotiated in the best interest of the Special education Teacher.

Over the past few months, reports have been submitted to the Union on too frequent a basis about injuries which have been sustained on the job. The BUT has confirmed the procedure which should enacted when injuries on the job or damage to property in the line of duty occurs Documentation should be forwarded to the Ministry of Education which turn ill be forwarded to the Solicitor General’s Office. This officer will make a determination on the matter. Compensation will be paid through the Board of Management or the Ministry of Education. It is imperative that Boards of Management become aware that they cannot determine liability and must therefore forward all correspondence to the Ministry of Education.

Of even further significance, teachers, as well as the Boards of Management must become aware that any damage which occu5 in the line of duty after 3:00 p.m, will be treated similarly to that which occurs between 9:00 a.m - 3:00 p.m. on that school’s compound.

For the most part, the BUT and the Boards of Management have been inter- facing in a cordial relationship. BUT understands their role as determined by the Education Act. We only ask that a more human face is shown to teachers and specifically students when they face problems which disrupt their education. The Social Services Committee which has been established by the Ministry of Education is attempting to put in place a system which would draw on the collective skills and strengths of the social agencies in order to assist these distressed students. The BUT welcomes the opportunity to share its findings with this Committee.

As we approach the 21" Century, But looks forward to its challenges and the implications for teaching as a profession. We pledge to you, our members, quality representation, commitment to sound management of our resources, exploration of educational opportunities which will enhance the growth and development of the fraternity. To fulfil these pledges, the officers of the Barbados Union of Teachers are often required to attend meetings outside of the negotiated period of ’time-off’ which some union officers enjoy. Although, it is imperative that the Union attend the meetings, our absence from the classrooms must affect our students.

We are therefore calling on the Ministry of Education to provide class teachers so that adequate teaching and supervision are maintained.

On behalf of the Barbados Union of Teachers, I thank you for your support and goodwill during the year.

I look forward to our continued cordial relationship which will redound to the growth and development of the Barbados Union of Teachers.

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