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The Development of teacher trade
unionism in Jamaica
THE
NEED for a union to promote and defend the interest
of teachers was made evident in the latter 19th Century.
Several factors combined to influence this. In the first
place, by the 1890s, education in Jamaica was already
organised on a national scale. However, there was no
national forum through which the collective voice of
the teachers could be heard except through newspaper
or in the Legislative Council to which teachers, like
D. T. Wint were elected. The absence of a national body
also robbed teachers of an effective lobby and a means
of making their grievances known, as well as seek redress
for these grievances as they arose.
A
number of local educational (or teachers`) Associations
existed, however. The Kingston Teachers` Association
founded in 1882 is one such example,. However, these
Association did not fill the role of unions or professional
organisations.
These
educational (teachers`) associations were often dominated
by churchmen who often advanced the denominational concerns
of the affiliated schools rather than issues of a professional
or industrial relations nature. Despite this, however,
these educational associations served the purpose of
bringing together teachers throughout Jamaica in centers
at regular intervals. The frequency of these meetings,
coupled with the opportunity to air common concerns
helped to foster occupational awareness.
Another
factor for the creation of a national teachers` organisation
in the latter part of the 19th Century was the publication
in 1886 of the Report of the Education Commission Crossman).
In its aftermath, a vigorous debate followed. All the
local associations participated fully in these debates.
By 1892, the Legislative Council passed into law the
Elementary and Secondary Education Laws
The
passing of these laws brought into sharp focus the weakness
of the teachers as an occupational group short - of
effective representation. The laws themselves did not
seek to protect the welfare of teachers even though
the Report of 1886 recommended, among other things:
i)
The subsidising of teachers` housing.
ii)
The institution of a scheme of superannuation.
iii)
Assumption by the state of full financial responsibility
for elementary education.
iv)
Compulsory attendance.
v)
Imposition of an education tax to offset the cost of
these reforms.
The
1892 law did not seek to address many of the concerns
of the teachers. The relationship between the teacher
and the school manager remained unchanged. The teacher
had no job protection and whose salary continued to
be dependent upon the results achieved at the end of
the year as determined by the Inspector of Schools who
was the final examiner of the pupils.
There
was no pension plan for teachers. Teachers also expressed
fears that if
free education (as recommended by the Crossman Commission)
was not backed up
by compulsory attendance, this would mean a fall in
attendance and thus affect their income. The 1892 laws
further strengthened the position of the church in the
educational system. The state paid for the education
of the children but the church continued to own and
administer the schools. Furthermore, these law established
a central Board of Education on which the denomination
enjoyed adequate representation with no representation
for the teaching fraternity.
The
1892 law by strengthening the position of the church,
weakened the position of the teachers. The church, no
longer able to fund their schools adequately, gained
access to public funding and still retained control
of their respective schools. Further, their position
on the Board of Education gave them influence over educational
policies.
Another
factor making for the coalescence of existing teachers
groups was the attacks (both official and unofficial)
upon the competence of teachers. Governor, Sir Henry
Arthur Blake, in the February 1892 debate on the Education
Law, attacked teachers as being `incompetent` and in
his 1891 report, the Superintending Inspector of Schools,
indicated that of the 850 head teachers (principals)
in the country receiving grant-in-aid, only 115 were
in the first of the five grades into which teachers
were classified. The Governor and the Privy Council
advanced the `poor performance` of the teachers as the
basis for refusing to levy the recommended education
tax.
The
teachers struck back. At their meeting in Rock River,
Clarendon, a number of teachers expressed their disgust
with the Governor`s remarks. (Daily Gleaner, March 23,
1892). The Gleaner was now employed as the main forum
of attacks by teachers against Governor Blake`s allegations.
Policy
issues on education did not receive input by teachers
as a group. Only indirectly were teachers` views channelled
in influencing education policy and this is when teacher
and churchmen merged into one (as was the case when
the priest was headmaster). Otherwise, it was the church
and government which decided educational issues.
The
teachers in their separate local associations were not
usually in touch on a regular basis with other associations
to discuss shared concerns. It was instructive, therefore,
when on March 3, 1892, in a letter to The Gleaner, he
Gleaner, one teacher wrote calling on all teachers to
unite Što ventilate our opinions on the educational
questions of the day. If we do not speak now then it
may be justly said of us that we are a body of incompetent
men.`
He
went on to urge teachers to take to `pen` and `paper`
and to follow the example of their English and Welsh
counterparts who were now being listened to by the British
authorities because they were well organised. On the
pronouncements of the Superintending Inspector, he did
not conceal his ire: 'In plain language,' he continued,
'Mr. Thomas Capper is not at all in sympathy with the
Jamaican school teacher.'
The
Elementary Education Laws of 1892 did more than just
hurt the teachers professional pride, it now began to
serve as a rallying call. Major W. H. Plant, a prominent
member of the Kingston Educational Association, placed
an advertisement in the Daily Gleaner (April 15, 1892)
inviting teachers to send their views to the Kingston
Association so that they could be more coherently and
systematically expressed and channelled to the appropriate
authorities.
That
the Kingston Association seized the initiative in seeking
to galvanise teachers` views into defending the cause
of teachers is not to be interpreted as a bid for national
leadership by the Association.
Kingston,
in the latter part of the century, was the seat of a
wide variety of political and social activities in which
many teachers were involved. Indeed, it was in Kingston
that the great exhibition was held in 1881 and at which
educators from all across Jamaica met at the Teachers`
Institute that was a part of the exhibition.
TOWARDS
UNIFICATION
It
was the North Manchester Teachers`
Association, however, which took the initiative towards
unification. W. F. Bailey was President of the North
Manchester Teachers` Association
and Headmaster at Mt. Olivet School. He was in constant
contact with Dr. William Gillies, Principal, Mico College.
Through Dr. Gilles he was kept abreast of unfolding
events with teachers in England and Wales. He also obtained
a copy of the Constitution of the National Union of
Teachers. It was during one of his many meetings with
Dr. Gillies that the idea of the creation of a union
was sown.
It
was at the close of a subsequent meeting of the North
Manchester Teachers` Association
that Bailey put the issue of the creation of a union
to members of the Association and further issued an
invitation to those remaining and who favoured the idea,
to meet at his house in Walderston at 7:00 p.m. that
evening.
This
was to be the first meeting of what was to become the
Jamaica Union of Teachers (JUT).
Seven
persons attended the meeting, they were:
*
J. A. Mason, Unity School
*
E. E. Lawson, Mizpah
*
A. T. Salmore, Bentick
*
E. N. Peart, Bethany
*
H. T. Cambridge, Ritchies
*
W. F. Bailey, Mt. Olivet
*
A. L. Bailey, (Mrs)
Mr.
J. A. Mason, the oldest in attendance, was asked to
preside. W. F. Bailey was appointed Secretary, with
Edwin Lawson, as assistant.
The
meeting drafted a circular calling for a teachers` convention
in Spanish Town on Friday, March 30, 1894. One Hundred
copies were printed and circulated.
On
March 30, 1894, just over 100 persons attended the Convention
which saw the election of Colonel L. G. Gruchy, co-principal
of Mico College as the first President of the union,
which after a lengthy deliberation, was unanimously
called the `The Jamaica Union of Teachers.`
The Convention also unanimously agreed to model the
nascent union on that of the National Union of Teachers.
Indeed, the Constitution was wholly adopted by the Convention
with the new executive given the power to make such
alterations as would reflect the local realities.
The
union elected its first executive, which read thus:
*
Colonel L. G. Gruchy, President
*
Mr. J. A. Mason, Secretary
*
Mr. Robert Lindsay, Treasurer
Other
foundation members present were:
*
Rev. James Balfour
*
Rev. William Gillies
*
T. B. Stephenson
*
A. L. Walcott
*
A. J. Smith
*
W. B. Smith
*
W. F. Bailey
*
E. N. Peart
*
A. N. Thompson
*
W. H. Plant
*
Robert Bailey
*
J. C. Taylor
*
C. R. Taylor
*
W. E. Watson
*
W. W. Williams
*
C. A. Rennals
*
H. J. Cambridge
*
W. C. Leslie
*
Anna Logle (Ms)
From
as early as 1926, the union sought and gained affiliation
with the National Union of Teachers` in Britain, and
later, with the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT), founded
in 1935.
With
the widening of educational opportunities and the resultant
increment in the cadre of teachers, other organisations
were formed, some modelled on British unions. Hence,
the Association of Assistant Masters and Assistant Mistresses
(AAMM) and the Association of Teacher Training Staffs
(ATTS) were formed in the 1940s.
The
AAMM represented secondary or grammar school teachers
and was formed in 1940. On January 10, 1946, Lecturers
of Training Colleges formed the ATTS. Headmaster and
Headmistresses (H2M2) also had their own representative
group and so too did teachers in technical institutions
who formed the Association of Teachers of Technical
Institutions ((ATTI).
Teachers
were also members of cross-sector organisations, like
the Jamaica Catholic Educators Association created in
January, 1958, at the instigation of the Rt. Rev. John
J. McElenery, S.J., D.D., Bishop of Kingston. Other
religious denominations promoted associations of teachers.
The
Catholic Educational Association was led in its first
year by a veteran JUT member, Gervase W. Little. Other
teachers maintained joint membership. Indeed, officers
of the sectoral groups were listed as members of the
JUT and in 1944, the Annual Report of the JUT, listed
52 affiliated associations, including Women Teachers`,
Domestic Science Teachers`, AAMM Secondary Schools and
Manual Training Teachers.
There
was already a high level of interaction between the
groups but all still looked to the JUT for leadership,
especially in salary negotiations.
Because of its history and its numbers, the JUT had
the power. In any case, settlement with the elementary
school teachers` salary was a benchmark for the rest
of the sector. The JUT also had the bulk of the membership
and a considerably greater asset base.
As
early as 1934, the union purchased a dwelling house
at 97 Church Street and an adjoining lot at 97A Church
Street for 1,500 pounds sterling. It was during the
incumbency of A. A. Robinson, President, that this feat
was achieved and the women teachers deserve the plaudits
for the island-wide mobilisation of contributions from
teachers to effect the purchase.
Highest
plaudits are recorded to Edith Dalton-James, Amy Bailey,
Belle Thompson, Mary Keene, Gerty Richards, Ethlyn Rhodd,
the Wright sisters and others who have remained innominate.
In
1949, a building was erected at the 97A lot and was
called the JUT Hall. This was destroyed by fire in 1971.
In
the field of human endeavour, there comes a time when
an idea becomes reality. 1964 was thus the high water
mark for the teaching profession in Jamaica, as the
first of the seven slated objectives of the JUT was
realised.
As
in 1892 when the perceived threat from outside forced
the existing educational associations to coalesce into
the JUT, so it was that in 1964 the sectoral organisation
found common cause around which to forge a unity which
has been preserved to the present.
The
teacher by his training and occupation is a social being.
Given their crucial role in society, they also exercise
political influence. In the heady days of federalism,
and, later, nationalism, teachers had played a part
in political representation and transformation. The
federation question had the backing and co-operation
of teachers, and both political parties since 1944 have
benefited from the teachers` input. Fired by the ideals
of a West Indies Federation and the emergence of regional
institutions (the University of the West Indies), teachers
saw that their common and separate interests could be
best served by a singular organisation.
As
early as 1948, the leadership of the ATTS had set its
eyes on unity. In 1951, the President of the JUT called
an all-island Conference of Teachers. This attracted
only four members outside the primary group. In 1954,
yet another attempt was made. The leadership of the
JUT, supported by the AAMM and a few members of the
ATTS and HHMM met and deliberated. The result was the
establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)
presided over by Edith Dalton-James, then President
of the JUT. Unity was still a far way off.
The
JCC was never a strong group. However, common ground
was established on many issues such as salary, education
policy and issues relative to professional development.
The JCC continued its precarious existence until 1961,
when it gave way to a more purposeful Joint Executive
of Teachers` Association (JETA).
The
JETA, comprising of the executives of the four main
unions was invested with greater political will than
its predecessor. It met more frequently and was endowed
with a greater sense of purpose. The creation of the
JETA had the full backing of the membership of the respective
associations through resolutions passed at their annual
meetings.
Between
January, 1961 and December, 1963, all the barriers to
unity were cleared and if the groups needed any further
stimulus to unity, it was soon provided by the celebrated
case of A.G. R. Byfield vs. Ministry of Education.
The right of the Minister to confirm the appointment
of a Principal was established in the Code of Regulations.
However, many teachers at the time imputed political
motives on the part of the Ministry for failure to confirm
the appointment. In the end, the courts confirmed the
power of the Minister in not sanctioning the appointment.
Notwithstanding the outcome, the teachers were now galvanised,
and recognised that their interest would be best served
in unity. In November 1963, the recommendation of the
JETA was adopted and the new association was forged.
On April 3, 1964, the Jamaica Teachers` Association
(JTA) held its first Annual Conference. The last President
of the JUT, Desmond Charles Gascoigne, gave way to the
first President of the JTA, Wesley A. Powell. The new
Association, with motto, "unite and serve,"
a
flaming torch dispelling darkness and divisiveness,
emerged triumphant. This was a fitting tribute to teacher
trade unionism 70 years after the founding of the JUT.
In
the 40 years since its formation, the Association has
survived attempts at internal fractures with emergence
within its ranks of the Teachers for a Democratic Jamaica
Teachers` Association (TDJTA) and attempted schism in
the National Union of Democratic Teachers (NUDT).
The
continued existence of a strong and unified organisation
will depend on strong and visionary leadership and a
motivated and professional teaching force.
In
the 110 years of teacher trade unionism (1894 to 2004),
we have sought to put teachers and education as the
central focus of our endeavour. This generation of teachers,
inheritors of a great tradition must now heed the message
of Goethe: 'what you have inherited from your fathers,
earn over again for yourselves or it will not be yours.'
'Long live the JTA.'
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