BARBADOS SECONDARY TEACHERS’ UNION
   REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009

The year under review saw the continuation of an ever-increasing work load as the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) endeavoured to ensure that our members were offered timely advice, valuable assistance and effective representation as required. The BSTU offered its service and representation both at the professional level and the wider national level as this relates to our commitments and responsibilities to the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) and the Social Partnership. The Executive is ever mindful of its role in defending the rights of its members and has endeavoured to remain abreast of the changing industrial relations landscape; to be actively involved in the labour process and to be knowledgeable of and have positive input into all spheres of labour and industrial relations. We continue to use every occasion and opportunity to provide trusted leadership and representation for our constituents. The Executive presents this report of its stewardship for the year under review and takes this opportunity to thank all the members of BSTU for the support shown during the past year.
As at 31st March 2009 membership in the Union stood at 432. The breakdown is as follows:
Life Members - 2
Retired Members - 66
Ordinary Members in schools/educational institutions - 363
Ordinary Members- on no pay leave/secondment - 1
TOTAL 432
The Executive has been concerned about the membership at some schools and is concerned that some shop stewards may not doing enough to boost the membership levels even within our own traditional schools. We take this opportunity to emphasise that our union is open to membership of any and all persons working in an educational institution, regardless of the level, and we have membership at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of not only teachers but anyone working in an educational institution. 

MEETINGS
Executive Council Meetings 
During the period under review there were five meetings of the Executive Council. The Council again reports that far too many shop stewards fail to attend these meetings. The work of the union cannot be effectively managed without the assistance of the shop stewards who have always to be au fait with the issues and help to push the union’s agenda. Their role is vital in informing the Union of our members’ matters and by so doing facilitating a swift and effective response in addressing these. Many complaints were also received that members were not being made aware of union events and meetings or outcomes of the same. It must be remembered and emphasized that the shop steward is the most important arm of the Executive in achieving the union’s goals of providing strong,  responsible and respected representation of our members’ interests.

Extraordinary General Meetings 
There were 3 extraordinary meetings during the year. These were called with the following aims: 

•	To study and offer feedback on the proposal for the new school year 
•	To discuss plans for Teachers’ Professional Day 
•	 To review the proposed Teacher Appraisal Roll-out process.

Officers Meetings
The union had never before been in the habit of having scheduled Officers’ meetings since the work of the union had generally been done at the level of the Executive Council which includes all our shop stewards. There has always been the practice as well of having “open” meetings whereby the Executive could encourage any ordinary member to attend our meetings. Some members of the Executive however felt that the scheduling of regular officers’ meetings should be done in an effort to make officers aware of important issues and events. To satisfy this concern some 3 meetings were held at which there was never a full complement of officers.

New Executive
A new Executive was elected at our Annual General Meeting on April 1st 2008 at Queens College. In relation to changes, Sis. Lelia Lorde replaced Sis. Mona Robinson as 2nd Vice President; Sis. Mona Robinson replaced Bro. Andrew Brathwaite as Deputy General Secretary and Sis. Denise Weekes replaced Bro. Whitnall Jarvis as Public Relations Officer.  The new Executive was as follows:
President:			Sis. Mary Anne Redman (The Lodge School)
1st Vice President:                  	Bro. Melza Archibald (Queens College)
2nd Vice President:                 	Sis. Lelia Lorde (Harrison College)
3rd Vice President:                  Sis. Linda Bowen (The St. Michael School)
General Secretary:                 Bro. Erskine Padmore (The Lodge School)
Deputy General Secretary:    	Sis. Mona Robinson (Ch. Ch. Foundation)
Treasurer: 			Sis. Mary Burnett (Coleridge & Parry)
Public Relations Officer:         Sis. Denise Weekes (Lodge School)
During the year under review some changes were made. The 2nd and 3rd Vice Presidents resigned their positions citing personal commitments. Sis. Denise Weekes (PRO) relocated and was replaced by Sis. Cheryl Brathwaite (St. Michael’s). Given the timing of the resignations in relation to the proximity of the Christmas vacation and as a result of the busy schedules of the remaining Officers the open posts were not filled. Furthermore, the Constitution did not speak to the procedures relating to resignations.  

TRUSTEES
The trustees for the period were Bro. John Blackman and Sis. Dame Patricia Symmonds

AUDITORS
W.F.D Maxwell & Co. Ltd had been retained as auditors for the Union.

BANKERS
CIBC remains as the official bankers of the Union.

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES 
No legal services were retained during the period however attempts were made to reactivate the case of Mary-Anne Redman against Mr. Gordon Seale.

UNION HEADQUARTERS 
The Executive has decided to repair the verandah section of the building as the first step towards renovations. We are moving forward swiftly on this to in order to set the plans in motion for the re-dedication of the building and conferment of its new name.

WEBSITE
The Executive continues to function with Bro. James Carmichael as webmaster. Plans are in train to upgrade and make this site more interactive and relevant to members.

STAFFING
Sis. Marcia Cheltenham remains as the Union’s part-time clerk and is thanked for her continued work on behalf of members. The Union is now researching and seeking clarification on the issue of the two pension plans in her name to rationalize these in the best interest of all concerned.

CREDIT UNION
The established good relationship between The Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union Cooperative Credit Union Society Ltd and the BSTU continued during the year. The two organisations continue to share space and resources. On joining the Union, prospective members must be encouraged to join the Credit Union as well. The Credit Union has also encouraged the Executive to inform its members of the training courses put on by BCCULL.

GROUP MEDICAL SCHEME 
The Union is fervently working with Sagicor to promote and persuade members to join this scheme which we consider to be very good one offering both Group Life and Medical coverage. We are seeking to broaden our base of insured persons by including for membership those persons in our Credit Union. Efforts are also being made to include at least one other small union that has expressed an interest to be included in the scheme. The end effect of this is to make the scheme more viable and less expensive for us all. A synopsis of the scheme is as follows:
GROUP LIFE COMPONENT
•	GROUP LIFE
•	ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT
Each eligible member $50,000.00 {Death by accident is $100 000}
Coverage for group life reduces by 50% at age 65 and terminates at 70.
Accidental Death & Dismemberment cover terminates at age 65
GROUP HEALTH COMPONENT
•	MEDICAL
•	DENTAL
•	VISION
Comprehensive Major Medical Structure
•	Lifetime maximum $500,000 (under age 65)
•	Lifetime maximum $150,000 (over age 65 & retirees) 
•	Deductible $250.00
•	Co-insurance 80% of first $25,000
SUMMARY PLAN BENEFITS
•	Hospitalization including Daily Room and
•	Board
•	Other Hospital Services
•	Surgical Expense Benefit
•	Doctors & Specialist Visits
•	Diagnostic Expense Benefit
•	Other Health Care Professionals
•	Preventative Care Benefits
•	Airfare Benefit/Air Ambulance Benefit
•	Dental Care
•	Vision Care
The Union is urging its members to visit our website to see the full plan and its benefits at www.bstu.org

UNION ACTIVITIES
1.	Teachers’ Professional Day 
Another successful activity was held with some 90 persons in attendance despite the continued attempts to threaten and thwart our activity. The topics dealt with were
a.	Medical Scheme for BSTU
There was a presentation by Consuela Lynch (Senior Sagicor Advisor), Karson Bovell (Manager Employee Benefits) and Jeannette Barrow (Executive-Employee Benefits) on the structure and the benefits of a scheme for the union. 
b.	Teacher Evaluation
The BSTU recognised the need to educate its members on the issue of teacher evaluation since we determined that there was a need for more broad-based sensitization on the process.
The President and General Secretary presented on the MOE’s Teacher Evaluation roll-out process. The presentation also looked at the Act, the evaluation/appraisal documents and the proposed cycle of evaluation. 
Questions were fielded by members on this issue.
3. Update on Salary Negotiations
Mrs. Veronica Griffith (Deputy General Secretary/Director-Research BWU) gave an update on the state of salary negations by explaining the framework used for preparing and putting forward the salary proposal to government. She made members aware of how the economic situation of the country was taken into account in formulating CTUSAB’s proposed increases and the revised proposal of 15% at the bottom and 10.5% at the top. The issue of a sliding scale as opposed to an across-the-board increase was explained and justified.

TPD has remained a contentious issue for those who would rather not recognize the fact that this activity was an initiative of the BSTU and attempts were made again this year to undermine the event. 
Efforts to hinder the right of freedom of association of some members of the BSTU did not prevent the day from being its usual success. 
2.	Teachers’ Week Social
This was not well supported this year. Again reports indicated that some shop stewards failed to pass on information and encourage members relative to the various union activities. This level of complacency continues to hamper the work and effectiveness of the union. The union has placed this day as part of its calendar of events and will continue to persuade members to socialize on this level.

GOVERNMENTAL AND OTHER AGENCIES
Ministry of Education (MOE)
Quarterly Meetings
During the reporting period there have been two quarterly meetings with the MOE, the most recent being the 19th March, 2009. The following issues represent only some of those discussed at the meetings: 

•	Home & Family Life Education
The Chief Education Officer (CEO) expressed a recognition of the President’s submission that many teachers assigned to teach the subject, being untrained in the content, are having great difficulty in so doing. She initially proposed to use nurses to deal with specific topics in the subject but had been having difficulty securing that assistance. The President volunteered to communicate with the President of the Barbados Nurses’ Association (BNA) towards getting some assistance in identifying individuals that could assist the cause and has already acted in that regard. Further communication with both the BNA and the MOE to expedite the matter is forthcoming.  

•	Violence in schools
The Union insisted on having reports on violent students passed on with such students at their transfer to new schools both with a view to alerting the staff as well as to facilitating the provision for counseling/continued counselling for the student. The CEO agreed that all students on transfer should take their record of academic performance but she was concerned about the confidentiality reports and the possible legal ramifications of submitting such reports. The Permanent Secretary has committed to seeking a legal opinion on the matter. 
The location of a day institution for deviant students is being determined and plans for a residential one are also being actively considered.  
The Union also got the guarantee that the Committee to look at violence in schools will be re-constituted after the National Advisory Committee on Education (NACE) submits their final report.

•	Conditions at Edutech schools
The President drew attention to the condition and maintenance of some Edutech schools. This was in response to the cave in of the soaked roof of the Foundation school hall.

•	     Injury and other Compensation Matters
The BSTU expressed frustration at the inability of the MOE to have the matters related to compensation for our members injured in the workplace addressed, some having spanned a period of over ten years. The MOE itself expressed frustration at the inability of the Solicitor General’s office to address the matter, they having stated that they are having difficulty in locating the files since having moved office as a result of environmental concerns. At our last meeting the Permanent Secretary suggested that it may be easier to reconstruct the files and start the process anew to ensure progress. The BSTU has agreed to locate the members’ records and present to the MOE to be forwarded to the Solicitor General’s office. This long outstanding matter was also brought up at the consultation meeting with the Prime Minister.

Another member was being paid incorrectly at two of the three schools at which she has worked, this stemming from the failure of the first Secretary-Treasurer to recognise the member’s level of qualification and to place her in the correct pay scale. The union has been able to address that matter for her. 
Further progress has been made in the matter of a new member whose academic qualifications have not been recognised for some nineteen years. This has left him without access to his correct remuneration and has caused him to be disadvantaged both in relation to his seniority status and access to promotional opportunities. The Union has been able to persuade the MOE to undertake, at their own cost, the accreditation and verification process of the member’s qualifications. The Union was adamant that the burden of proof is on the MOE and not the individual. It was also made clear to the MOE that at least four others in the system have similar qualifications from the same university and have taught without penalty.
•	Erdiston College
The Union has provided a course outline for an Industrial Relations component, prepared by Bro. Patrick Frost, for consideration and inclusion as part of the Diploma and Certificate in Education courses. The Union also raised the matter of the on-going complaints concerning the tutor/student relationship at the college and the reportedly unsupportive ways in which some tutors engage students. Complaints were also registered in relation to the late notification of results and of a lack of feedback and/or timely feedback from some tutors with their inherent implications on both the progress and success of the students. The union also suggested that the college will have to actively address the provision of new and relevant professional development courses for teachers as well as those targeted to address identified areas of weakness coming out of the Teacher Evaluation exercise. 
•	Disclosure of reports
With the continued refusal of some Principals to follow best practice the Union provided a copy of the letter written by the General Secretary of CTUSAB to the Chief Personnel Officer and the CEO on the subject of disclosure of reports to confirm the understanding intended in the General Orders. The President explained that disclosure in the form of the provision of a personal copy of any report to the person on whom the report was written was essential to allow for the principles of natural justice to be applied as necessary. The President insisted that, to this end, there would have to be the inclusion of this provision in the new teacher appraisal legislation, a provision which the BSTU had recommended and to which the MOE had previously agreed since February, 2008, but which had not been included in said legislation to date. The CEO has indicated that our recommendation, as an addendum, would be sent to drafters to have a statement inserted that speaks to giving a personal copy of any report to the teacher at Section 9.7 (c) of the legislation. The BSTU has also recommended that such a provision be included also in the proposed new Education Act so that there is a harmonised approach across the legislation. 
Principals will also be informed by the MOE to provide personal copies of reports and appraisals to individual teachers. In the meantime THE BSTU IS INFORMING ALL MEMBERS NOT TO SIGN ANY COPY OF ANY REPORT UNLESS TWO ARE PROVIDED SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR SIGNATURE, BOTH TO BE SIGNED IN FRONT OF THE PRINCIPAL, ANY NECESSARY COMMENTS ADDED TO 
BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY--- ONE TO BE RETURNED TO THE PRINCIPAL AND THE OTHER TO BE KEPT BY THE MEMBER.  

The Principal Personnel Officer (PPO) will also send a circular to the effect that individuals have access to their personal files once they seek permission but that they must be supervised during perusal of the file. She has reinforced that this is provided for in the General Orders.
•	Compensation for marking SBAs
The Union has used every opportunity to state its position that the supervision, correction and, most recently, data entry demands made of teachers by the Caribbean Examinations Council in relation to their School-Based Assessment requirements constitute a burden that falls outside of the scope of the normal responsibilities of the teacher in the delivery of the particular subject area. To this end, teachers should be compensated for this added imposition for a component that constitutes the most important and authentic part of the students’ final examination. The BSTU is determined that this issue be seriously addressed and has been discussing it at every opportunity with the MOE, Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) and also with the Prime Minister at our consultation with him. At the most recent meeting with the MOE the new PS promised to raise the issue for discussion at the level of the next CXC Council meeting.  
•	Safety and Health Committees
The BSTU is committed to the setting up of these committees in all schools. At the encouragement of the union the CEO will write to all schools to advise Principals to set up committees and have emergency plans in place.
•	Seniority in schools
The BSTU has emphasized the need for the harmonised and rationalised approach to the determination of “seniority” across the system. Presently there is too much varied and individual interpretation and application of the concept. This is leading to much frustration and increasing instances of supersession in our schools. The President used her most recent personal case of supersession to show how individuals are disadvantaged by the interpretation and manipulation of the application of seniority in the system. The BSTU has requested that the PPO write Secretary Treasurers to remind them of the process citing examples and specific scenarios to deal with potential complicated cases. Further we have asked that seniority lists be drawn up for all schools and for these to be made available at the beginning of each school year so that persons know how temporary vacancies are to be filled. The President insisted that the date of first assignment should be the primary determining factor since the many bureaucratic variables that affect the speed of appointment to the service normally fall outside of the scope and control of most teachers.  She indicated that the past PPO Mr. M Luke in his publication also cited this criterion as the first to be considered in application of the principle. The PPO indicated that Secretary-Treasurers had been asked to forward CVs and service records of all eligible applicants for pending vacancies. The President’s particular case will be forwarded to the Chief Personnel Officer.
•	Contracts 
The BSTU represented a matter and raised the concern of the quality of some contracts offered to our members. The President objected to the wording of contracts where the ‘until further notice’ clause was used to terminate the period of employment before the official end of a school term, when the vacancy advertised indicated a position for the term. In these circumstances the teacher is denied his/her full pay until the end of the official term. The MOE agreed that this was not best practice and agreed to write Secretary – Treasurers to this effect outlining how contracts should be drawn up so as to re-establish the status-quo.

•	Appointments
The Union collected and collated information on all eligible members who would qualify for appointment under the new Public Service Act. We thank Bro. Patrick Frost for conceptualizing and designing the data-gathering form used in the exercise and which was complimented for its thoroughness by senior education officials at the MOE. The information was forwarded to the Principal and Secretary- Treasurer of each relevant school with a cover letter explaining that the persons should be recommended for appointment as priority. A copy of that correspondence as well as a master list of all eligible persons was sent to the CEO and the PPO at the MOE as well as to the Chief Personnel Officer. The union has made its position clear that we are expecting that those persons will be among the first to be considered for appointment at their schools. The PPO indicated that to date she has received information re recommendations for appointments from Lodge School, Garrison, St. George, Lester Vaughan, Ellerslie, Combermere, St. Leonard’s, Alleyne and Harrison College. Correspondence will be forwarded to the remaining schools to have them speed up the process. She also indicated that the MOE is checking carefully on the information sent by the schools to ensure that persons are not disadvantaged and that there is transparency in the process
•	ABUSTAR
The MOE was informed of the myriad of problems facing the electronic reporting on students’ work as well as student attendance record keeping. The union has also objected to the increasing amounts of clerical work that is required of teachers much of which has to be duplicated through data entry exercises. The MOE has advised that Principals should put in a request to the MOE for clerical assistants at the schools to assist in this regard.  Principals are supposed to report on the functioning of the system at their schools.

•	Teachers’ Professional Day
The BSTU will write to Ministry in relation to how the Union will move forward in this regard. The issue surrounding the marking of teachers absent since 2007 will also form part of the Union’s correspondence to the MOE.
•	New School Year 
The Union objected to the proposed calendar dates for the start of the new school years for the next three years which saw teachers having to report for duty by attending planning meetings before the 1st September – the legislated start of the school year.  The MOE has reversed this decision and will write to inform schools of the adjustment of the date to reflect the start of the year as 1st Sept when teachers will report for any scheduled planning meetings. This was one of the potential problems flagged by the BSTU during the initial “discussion” of the re-organisation of the school year of which the MOE failed to take notice. 
•	Correspondence on Diploma in Education
Some members were concerned that they were sent correspondence relating to their acceptance to do the Dip. Ed. programme although they had never applied. The MOE has clarified the situation. Keeping with the Ministry’s thrust to have all persons in education trained within the next four years there is an attempt to provide training for individuals in those areas that were not traditionally catered for. Erdiston is now mandated to create modules in those areas and those persons selected will be contacted in due course.

Other meetings with Ministry of Education
•	Teacher Evaluation
Two meetings were held during the period under review. The meetings looked at:
a.	The evaluation legislation 
Assurances were given that Section 9, 7 (C) would be amended as proposed by the BSTU to include that teachers must be given a copy of their report. This allows for the principles of natural justice to be invoked whereby teachers can effectively respond to any matter contained in a report. 
b.	Evaluation of temporary teachers
The Union felt strongly that it was burdensome for evaluators and unfair at best to untrained, temporary teachers to be evaluated in the same way as trained and appointed teachers. The MOE agreed that there will be ‘reporting’ for this class of teachers and reports will be sent to the MOE at the end of each term. This “Report”, containing the functions of a teacher as outlined in the Education Act, would replace the official evaluation documents and process used for appointed teachers.

c.	Challenges to Evaluation
The BSTU has maintained that evaluation will become burdensome on HODs especially when there are many temporary teachers in a department and that the HOD’s should be granted larger numbers of non-contact period to facilitate the work required of them. The Union has been asked to submit a proposal for a decreased work-load for both HODs and Year Heads in schools and is in the data-gathering stage of this exercise. 
Roll out of Implementation
It was agreed that the evaluation process would start from October 2008 with administrators being the first to be evaluated. Some prior training would have taken place to facilitate the process. A basic roll out process is as follows:
YEAR 1	Principal: has been randomly selected by the MOE                                                                              Deputy Principal: will not be evaluated in Year 1
There are sixteen (16) administrators remaining in this Year 1, eight (8) will be evaluated. The HOD who may be retiring in three (3) years may be included here whilst a HOD may be evaluated in Year 2 if his year was interrupted by leave.
To be evaluated- 	Snr Teachers	1st, 3rd, 5th 					(3)                                                                                        Heads of Dept.	English, Science, Industrial Arts, Business 	(4)                              Guidance Counsellor						(1) 
This means that in Year 2, the following administrators will have to be evaluated:
YEAR 2	Deputy Principal                          			            (1)                                                                                                Snr Teachers	4th, 2nd						(2) 		     Heads of Dept	Maths, G. Studies, Arts, For. Languages, 			                 H. Econ.							            (5)                                                 IT Coordinator							(1)
It was noted that at least one (1) appointed teacher from each department be appraised so as to set the process in motion.
•	Meeting to review CSEC/CAPE
The Deputy CEO (P&R) led the meeting and revealed that despite the efforts the MOE to place an 
equivalent number of males and females in each school, at the CSEC level there are more females than males taking examinations. There was an overall increase in student entries but despite the disparate entries of females to males the percentage pass rate of gender by subject entries was quite close showing no huge difference between male and female performance of those sitting the exams. However, there is a generally low percentage of students receiving grade 1. The Curriculum Department is planning to have meetings with HODs across the system to assess and seek strategies to improve general performance. Dr. Denny cited improper registration as a major problem in schools and declared that the schools will have to pay the financial costs of rectifying such errors. She further reported on  the difficulty that schools were having in meeting the SBAs deadlines to the MOE.
The President took the opportunity to reiterate the Union’s position on compensation of teachers for the supervision, marking and data entry of SBA’s. The BUT representatives at the meeting did not share our views and saw the tasks as part and parcel of the teachers’ duties.
Dr.  Denny asked that the union send its argument and justification to her in writing and that she would bring the topic up at an upcoming CXC meeting. The correspondence was forwarded.

•	Teachers Professional Day (TPD)
For three years the BSTU had called for a meeting to deal with the issue of this day. Two meetings were held; one just prior to our Teachers’ Professional Day 2008 on 10th October and the other on 13th November, 2008. All teachers unions, namely BAPPSS, APPSP AND BUT attended both meetings.
At the initial meeting the President gave a background to the origin of the day and produced written evidence to show how the day started. It was made clear that in 1986 the first TPD was held at the Combermere School and the then Permanent Secretary advised all Principals of Secondary and Primary Schools, that as part of its 40th anniversary, the BSTU would be holding a Professional Day and that the MOE had granted permission for all schools to be closed to allow members of the BSTU and BUT to participate. The then Minister of Education, Mr. Erskine Sandiford, accepted the invitation to deliver the feature address.
Victor Hutchinson disputed the origin and declared that the BUT had made specific recommendation to Mr. Sandiford prior to 1986 to have a TPD similar to what it is today. He argued the day as it is today is consistent with the specific request by the BUT.
It was made clear that regardless of any meetings which the BUT might have had with the then Minister, the day had been granted to the BSTU. The President further clarified that the union only stopped planning union-based activities in an effort to assist the MOE with its education month activities and therefore allowed the schools to manage the day. The union by 2002 was dissatisfied with how the day was organized at many schools and in recognition of this and in acknowledgement of the requests of its membership started to again organize successful union-based activities every year (except for 2004 when we hosted the CUT educational Conference) until the present. 
The other teachers’ organisations  felt, along with the MOE, that the day should be one for school-based activities and the BUT, BAPPSS and APPSS made it clear that they were in agreement with such a BSTU activity being held another day. Ms Redman was asked by the CEO to state her views on this. Before a response she called for a caucus where members present could discuss the matter.
The BSTU Officers present agreed that the Union would be willing to consider the matter on the following conditions
a.	That there is a clear statement that BSTU did nothing wrong in organizing and holding its Professional Day activities
b.	That the BSTU reserves the right to continue to hold a teacher’s professional day activity, outside of the TPD, on a date convenient to us, that date being on or the Friday closest to 5th October - World Teacher’s Day
c.	That a protocol be established to enjoin all teachers’ organisations and to bring all similar activities into context.
The BSTU will submit in writing to the MOE our proposal for a Professional activity.
A meeting scheduled to establish the protocol as referred to in (c.) above as mandated by the MOE and chaired by Bro. Frost was set for 11th December 2008. The BSTU was not surprised when we were the only ones in attendance.

Consultation with the Prime Minister

At the request of the Prime Minister the BSTU forwarded proposals at a meeting on 27th June 2008 at Ilaro Court. The PM indicated that the new government intended to pay special attention to teachers and although our voice was heard through the Social Partnership he felt it was still important to hear from us before proceeding with his budget proposals. The President indicated that our submissions would revolve mainly around those of a non-financial nature since our financial recommendations were made through our umbrella organization of CTUSAB. Our proposals sought to impress on the PM:
1.	that the fraternity needs to be treated as a special group with unique needs. We reinforced the need for a Teaching Service Commission to be established and argued that our numbers were large enough and our tasks specific and important enough for our concerns and interests to be addressed separately under such a Commission. 
 
2.	that there should be the paid full release of one executive member in teacher Trade Unions

3.	that teachers be remunerated for the preparation and correction of CSEC and CAPE school-based assessments

4.	that new posts be established in the Teaching Service to expedite the permanent appointment of teachers

5.	that there be a revision of the criteria for entitlement to long leave

6.	that provisions be made to grant the entitlement of personal leave to teachers
7.	that provision be made for assistance to teachers with the purchase of motor vehicles
8.	that outstanding matters involving compensation for BSTU members injured in the performance of their duties be expeditiously addressed
9.	that there be a recognition of the right of all teachers to attend the Teachers’ Professional Day activities of their respective unions and that these valid and legitimate organised activities constitute “duty” for that day and further, that there be no threat of victimisation or recrimination of teachers for exercising that right. 
10.	that the employer shall indemnify all teachers or other school employees who are requested to take pupils on field trips
11.	that there be a rationalisation and harmonization of the concept of seniority and its application in the teaching service
12.	that a seniority list be drawn up for each school and made accessible to staff at the beginning of each academic year setting out the agreed order in which the casual vacancies may be filled
13.	that provisions be put in place to facilitate mandatory training for specific persons/groups within the system
14.	that teachers be provided with compensation and benefits in keeping with their obligations and responsibilities
15.	that provisions be made to facilitate the equipping of teachers with the necessary tools for the performance of their duties
16.	that the gender considerations that impact on the teaching profession must be recognised and addressed. These were presented as follows:

a] The feminisation of the teaching profession has perhaps concentrated an emerging societal phenomenon in the teaching service whereby many females, especially as the head of single–parent households, now find themselves as the “sandwiched generation” actively responsible for the economic and social welfare of both aging parents and children. This is placing tremendous economic and other burdens on this group and therefore some necessary support systems and safety nets must be offered to teachers as a special group, given too the inherently stressful nature of their work.

b] The feminisation of teaching has also been linked to its loss of status and the resultant increase in salary differentials and deteriorating working conditions in the profession as compared to other groups of similarly qualified professionals across both public and private sectors. This compounds the problem of the dearth of male teachers presently being experienced in the system. The generally low salaries and lack of promotional opportunities make the profession unattractive to males and this exacerbates the problem of attracting and retaining good male role models within the system. There is a need to address this problem with approaches that retain equitable treatment of females.
c] There must be transparency and equity in the service as these specifically relate to promotional opportunity and gender. At the secondary level especially the composition of the “administration” in schools does not proportionately reflect the existing sex composition in schools or in the service generally, especially as this relates to the posts of principal and deputy–principal.
17.	That there must be the recognition of retired teachers as valuable resources in relation to training, mentorship and substitution within the system.

Meeting with the Department of Education (UWI)
The Union was invited by Dr. Maureen Lucas to give input on the revision of the Diploma in Education programme. Members were invited to submit their concerns to the General Secretary to be aired at the meeting. The general concerns were:
a.	Lack of feedback to students despite tutors who expound the virtues of timely feedback to students.
b.	Delay in results being issued
c.	Very intensive course load
d.	Need for opportunities to visit schools and observe best practices
e.	Special Needs training should not be relegated to a few sessions but be a course in itself
f.	Lack of training for teachers in music, Physical Education and Art & Craft
g.	Training before entering classroom
The new programme to be rolled out would see Sociology replaced with testing and measurement. The programme has always been a post-graduate course but would now be graded in the same way as other post-graduate courses at UWI.

There will be three components to the program:-
Embedded practicum [during first term/linked to methods course] 20%                                                                                                            Teaching portfolio	30%	                                                                                                                              Assessment of instructional competence [school visits]	50%
Subsequent to the meeting the BSTU provided Dr. Lucas with a draft course outline and implementation proposal for an Industrial Relations course as part of both the Dip. Ed and Cert. Ed. programmes.

National Advisory Committee on Education (NACE)
The President continues to sit on and play an active role in this committee which is still in the information gathering stage of its mandate. The Union has however decided not to participate in the focus group discussions as organized by NACE. This is as a result of the Committee’s failure to live up to its promise to use the Union’s Teachers’ Professional Day activity as an opportunity to meet and discuss with it’s members as it had been invited and agreed to do. 
Appointments to Public Service
The Union made the formal request to the MOE that the matter of the recommendations for appointment to the Public Service of Barbados be treated as one of urgency by the Boards of Management of schools. Schools were also furnished with the names of the relevant members. Some fifty names of people to be appointed were made available. To date only three schools have given responses acknowledging our letter and outlining the names of those who have already been considered. The MOE has however assured the Union that they are carefully analyzing recommendations coming from schools and are approaching the matter to ensure equity and transparency in the process.
Workers’ Organisations in Barbados

Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados [CTUSAB]
The Executive is committed to maintaining its current relationship with CTUSAB and its role in representing the interests of workers. We continue to attend meetings and support the work of this organization, to this end the BSTU maintains its representation at CTUSAB led meetings and discussions. During the period these discussions with Government included: 
 
1.	Draft Employment Rights Bill
2.	Salary Negotiations:
At a CTUSAB meeting to deal with salary negotiations the BSTU insisted that CTUSAB should not accept Government’s compensation package to the National Union of Public Workers but should continue to negotiate and apply pressure as necessary to secure the demands made by CTUSAB both for higher levels of remuneration and for a graduated scale. This recommendation was supported by all affiliates present but Government effectively legislated salaries, after only one set of talks with CTUSAB, in keeping with the offers made to the NUPW of 6% in the first year followed by 4.5% in the second.
     3. Social Partnership
The Union recognizes the importance of the Partnership and, in keeping with its philosophical commitment to it, consistently attends all Social Partnership meetings as part of the CTUSAB delegation. During the period under review the BSTU attended the Private/Public Sector Consultation on the Economy held 29th October, 2008.
Support was also given to CTUSAB, at the level of the Social Partnership, on the issue surrounding the proposed retrenchment of workers at Cable and Wireless. 

Biennial Delegates Conference:
During the CTUSAB Biennial Delegates Conference on 25th-26th September, 2008 the BSTU proposed 5 resolutions all of which were adopted:
•	Resolution 5: CTUSAB Statement of Policies
•	Resolution 6: Ratification of ILO Conventions
•	Resolution 7: Release of Public Officers from Duty
•	Resolution 8: Acquisition of Lands for Public Use by the Government of Barbados
•	Resolution 9: Safeguarding Continued Employment at Cable and Wireless (Barbados) Ltd.

The Union is pleased to announce that the President, Sis. Mary Redman, has been elected to serve on the Executive of CTUSAB in the capacity of 3rd Vice President. The Union wishes her well in her new role.

The Executive wishes to remind members that the following persons have been named CTUSAB representatives on the Boards of Management of the following schools:
Alleyne:                 Bro. Eric Arthur                                                                                                                                              Alexandra:                 Bro. David Giles                                                                                                                      Christ Church Foundation:                                                     Sis. Marguerite Cummins-Williams                                                                                      Coleridge and Parry:                             Bro. Morris Blenman                                                                                               Combermere:                           Bro. Roger Marville                                                                                                        Deighton Griffith:                            Bro. Sydwyn Bayne                                                                                                         Harrison College:               Bro. Hal Gollop                                                                                                                  Queens College:                Sis. Joan Kunar                                                                                                                       The Lodge School:                    Bro. Colin Norville                                                                                                                           The St. Michael School:                                                                                           Bro.    John Blackman
The following members sit on these CTUSAB standing committees for the period 2008-2009:
Special Events:                   Erskine Padmore                                                                                                                                Education & Training:	                                                               Mary Redman (Chairperson), Patrick Frost                                                                                                                Members Relations: 	                                                                                                   Patrick Frost                                                                                                                                     Research Committee:	                                                                                                   Lloyd           Austin
Barbados Union of Teachers 
The Executive has to report that we are still seeking a meeting with the BUT at the level of CTUSAB to address some areas of concern to BSTU as they affect members relations within CTUSAB. 
Other organisations in Barbados

Barbados Workers Union

The BSTU continues to maintain a good relationship with this organization. We wish to thank them for allowing us their continued use of their auditorium for our Teachers’ Professional Day seminars. We also benefitted from some of their training courses at the Labour College.

Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity
This year one member, Sis. Lelia Lorde was trained in Industrial Relations. The Union will continue to find members who are interested in this course with a view to having them work closely with or being on the Executive. Succession planning is always at the forefront of our minds.

ORGANISATIONS OUTSIDE OF BARBADOS

Caribbean Union of Teachers
The Union has been represented by the President and General Secretary at the meetings of the CUT. The most recent was held in Barbados 2nd -3rd December 2008.
At that meeting the President expressed grave concern at the manner in which the CUT proceeded to organise its Executive Meeting and Educational Conference, 2008 in Barbados to the exclusion of the BSTU. The BSTU objected on the grounds the CUT had never sought to enquire from us as to our inclination to be included in either or both activities especially since the BSTU was not present at the Executive Meeting in Bermuda in November, 2007 when, we assumed that, Barbados would have agreed to host these events.

The BSTU enquired whether the CUT had at any point enquired of the BUT if they had informed us of the fact that Barbados had volunteered to host the events and whether they had sought to ascertain if the BSTU was made privy to, or in any other way involved in, the planning of either or both activities.

The BSTU expressed further objection to a third party, and one external to the CUT, being actively involved in the planning and execution of the two activities. We asked if, given the very nature and existence of an organisation such as UNICEF, it had been informed of the existence of two Unions in the island and the fact that best practice and custom and practice would dictate that both unions be offered the right to host any or both events. We also asked whether the CUT is aware that if it had not properly informed UNICEF it could have compromised the organization by making them complicit in an attempt to sideline an autonomous, legitimate, registered Trade Union in Barbados?

The BSTU received a response from the CUT which has not addressed all the questions that we have asked them to answer and will follow through on this in short order.
Failing a satisfactory response to ALL our questions we shall be raising the matter at the level of Education International to report these activities which can definitely be viewed as attempts to undermine its existence and role within the CUT …. an organisation that should actively be promoting co-operation, collaboration and industrial relations best practice among and between its member units. 

The BSTU has alerted CUT that given their handling of this situation we may be forced to re-examine our continued relationship with the CUT.
Saint Lucia Teachers’ Union
The President was invited to attend the St. Lucia Teachers’ Union week of activities from the 1st- 3rd October, 2008 as their specially invited guest. Whilst there she addressed and participated in the Teachers’ Educational Conference; addressed students and Teachers of the St. Joseph’s Convent and the Gros Islet Secondary School and held a discussion session with the staff of the Marigot Secondary School. She attended the Teachers’ Concert and also assisted with the distribution of awards at the SLTU’s Retirement Function. She also addressed their World Teachers’ Day Rally on 5th October. The President reported an enjoyable and edifying experience and was particularly impressed by the level of 

organization and execution of the week of activities and the very high level of response and support that the SLTU attracted from its general membership. KUDOS to the SLTU and also to their attempts at inter-affiliate collaboration and co-operation at the level of the CUT!

Education International
 
The BSTU continues to be a member of Education International and to maintain close ties and a reciprocal relationship of co-operation and support both regionally and internationally.  
The President and General Secretary participated in a Human and Trade Union Rights training workshop for union leaders held in St. Lucia on 26th-28th November, 2008. The seminar was relevant and topical and provided opportunities for the acquisition of knowledge and the sharing of best practices to better reposition unions to assert their rights and those of their members.
The Executive records its thanks to EI for having paid the passage and accommodation of the participants.
School Reports
The Executive reports on the issues relative to schools. 
•	Outstanding matters at Alexandra
The second meeting of the MOE team and the staff at the school did not materialise because of scheduling difficulties according to Ministry officials. The President has urged the MOE to pursue this matter of the staff’s concerns surrounding the management of the school with urgency. The Union has communicated that it will be forced to take a stronger position if the meeting does not occur soon as the issue is now over two years old and suggested mandating the Principal to schedule the meeting. The CEO has promised to convene a meeting early next term. She has proposed an early afternoon meeting where all relevant staff would be available to attend.  The Union is watching the developments closely and expects this meeting with the Heads of Department to be realised with or without the Principal present.
The union has also had to deal with the refusal of the Principal to provide personal copies of reports on members as well as serious health issues suffered by one member as a result of the working conditions in the school.  
•	Harrison College
The Union was able to ensure the retroactive pay for a member from Harrison College who had not been paid correctly for one of two acting assignments. A similar situation regarding another member there is currently being addressed and the Union also made a case for two others at the same institution who both lost a day’s pay each as a result of accompanying their children to the Common Entrance Examination. The Union has successfully argued for the re-instatement of that day’s pay. 
There is also the outstanding problem of the recommendation for appointment by administration of some persons who have been working in the service for far shorter periods over others known to have been acting satisfactorily for a far longer time. This has been drawn to the attention of the MOE at our last Quarterly Meeting and is actively being investigated by the PPO.  
•	Deighton Griffith School
The Union has had to meet with its members at the school as a result of the placement of building materials and a cement mixer outside the Art and Industrial Arts Block. The resulting noise, diesel fumes and dust have had negative effects on the health and professional performance of the staff in that location. Initial attempts to have the matter resolved at the level of the headmaster proved unsuccessful and a meeting with the MOE offered the assurance that the Chairman of the Board would be contacted to effect the relocation of the mixer and materials, the hosing down of the external area and the  industrial cleaning of all class-rooms in the block. 
•	The Lodge School
Members are concerned about the spate of bomb threats that the school has had to endure most of the first term and on at least one occasion in the second term. It is felt that in some cases the school was not evacuated immediately on receipt of the threat. The Union cannot condone a situation where the health and safety of members are comprised. The school has no evacuation or emergency plan and there seems to be no move by management to implement one.
Further, in relation to the refurbishment of the school under the Edutech programme the Principal has not conformed with the wishes of either the Board of Management or the Ministry of Education in relation to having ALL staff at the school exposed to the plans for the re-development of the school. This was to have been facilitated through a meeting with the architects so that input and recommendations from ALL staff could be offered.
The PS and CEO have since directed that the architects will meet with staff at the school to walk them through the plans and re-development process. 

GENERAL
1.	Retirement 
The Executive recognises the services of those who have retired and offers its best wishes to them for a long and happy retirement. Those members who retired in the period under review were as follows: Sis. Ruby Lloyd (Alexandra), Bro. Dalton Boyce (Alleyne), Sis. Janice Mayers (Combermere), Sis. June Howard (Springer)  
2. Congratulations
The Executive records with pleasure that Sis. Wendy Griffith-Watson has been awarded a PhD. in Education; Bro. James Carmichael has been awarded a PhD. in Computer Programming (Speech Recognition) and Bro. John Blackman has been awarded the Errol Barrow Award for Distinguished Service to Education; in 2007 he also received the Silver Crown of Merit for his contribution in that area. The BSTU offers hearty congratulations to our members who continue to do us proud.
We also offer congratulations to all “new members” of the BSTU family by way of births to existing members. All newly married members are also offered our congratulations and best wishes.
3. Sympathy
The executive extends its deepest sympathy to those members and their families who have suffered bereavement during the last year.
4. Thanks
The Executive acknowledges the special efforts of its retired members during the last year and wishes to thank all those who willingly facilitated the success of the Teachers’ Professional Day, 2008. Our retired members also formed an energetic and enthusiastic segment of the audience. They continue to support 
AGMs and all our activities. The Executive is grateful to them for the continued interest in the development of the union. Thanks are extended to the Sagicor representatives for their presentation on that day. 
The Executive records its thanks to all those persons who serve on Boards of Management as CTUSAB’s representatives. 
Thanks are also extended to members of the Executive, ordinary members and other persons and organisations that have assisted in any way with the programmes and work of the Union during the year. 
The Executive acknowledges with thanks receipt of the following publications during the period under review:
Tutor (Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association), Monthly Monitor and other publications (EI), Today (NEA) , The Courier (Commission of the European Communities), Statistical Reports of the Central Bank of Barbados, Digest of Statistics and other publications (Ministry of Labour), the publications of the Office of Public Sector Reform, several UNICEF publications, L’US (SNES), Pour (FSU), publications forwarded by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, the National Tertiary Education Union (Australia), and some miscellaneous reports and periodicals from other agencies and organisations.
3.	The Media
The Executive thanks those who work for the various sections of the media for their enquiries and continuous interest in the period under review. 
CONCLUSION
 In conclusion I shall quote from last year’s Executive Report as the situation within the profession and the union remain unchanged: 
“Again the period under review has been characterised by a serious level of complacency and a lack of overt support for the activities of the Union, by much of the larger membership. Constantly the same persons from the same schools are the members bearing the brunt of the responsibility for keeping this Union afloat. Kudos to those persons that assist and to the quality of that assistance for it is their level and type of involvement and commitment that continue to keep this organisation functioning at the level at which it does … but this happens at a cost. The members of the Executive, those that function,  all have their  professional responsibilities like other ordinary members and the increasing demands placed on the BSTU, within our tri-partite structure, to have a voice and input in areas previously viewed as outside our normal purview, adds increased pressure. While we intend to actively pursue the granting of full time leave for one Officer so as to be able to effectively handle these increasing responsibilities,  that is a wish to be fulfilled in the future. There is therefore the need for recognition that any officer of this Union must have a clear understanding of the effort, dedication and commitment to cause that must underpin the assumption of that office 
There is the need for ALL shop stewards to attend the executive meetings and to keep the Union informed of our member’s difficulties as well as keeping the members informed of the activities of the Union. A strong, united Executive lies as much at the core of an effective union as does an active, large   rank– and –file. There is a dire need for the rank-and-file members to support the activities of their Union and to assist in the recruitment of new members so as to strengthen it.  This organisation is entirely voluntaristic in its philosophy, structure and operations … we are here to help each other and promote our best interests and the teaching profession through UNITY, TOGETHERNESS and STEADFASTNESS OF PURPOSE. 
It is clear that the issues surrounding Labour in general and teachers in particular are not changing in nature. The problems of poor working in conditions, far worse than those experienced by persons of equal academic qualifications, skills and training in other areas, both private and public sector, are exacerbated by the increasing expectations and demands from administrators, students, the Ministry of Education and the public at large. Teachers continue to work in a progressively hostile environment where both student-on student- and student -on- teacher violence are ever increasing. They are subjected to verbal and physical aggression and assault and in seeking redress have often to deal with inappropriate and insensitive management practices from many, not all, administrators. In some instances administrators are hostile to unions generally and the BSTU in particular and its attempts to represent the interests, and myriad issues, of its members. Our jobs are becoming more and more difficult as the profession itself continues to lose status. The imperative to change the course both of our profession and our professional lives lies within, and therefore must originate from, us and through no better medium than our union. 
It is also important that as a union we continue to seek to train both our executive and wider membership. We must make persons knowledgeable of their rights and responsibilities and, in so doing, increase their sense of confidence and conviction in the exercise of those same rights and responsibilities. We must also insist on and become actively involved in the training of administrators within the schools system to create a more informed and harmonious industrial relations climate and culture in schools. 
To this end too there must be a greater attempt by the Union to emphasise our role and increase our action in relation to our professional development function.  We cannot restrict our activities to purely industrial relations matters, neither can we attempt to allow others outside of our organisation to either, because of some narrow concept or vision of the functioning of trade unions, dictate our modus operandi or limit our effectiveness or responsibilities to our members. Members must come out and massively support our Teachers’ Professional Day activity whichever day we decide to hold it.  This day should truly be but one of a whole series of planned activities aimed at addressing the macro-elements of the professionalisation of our work. 
It is imperative that, in safe-guarding our personal and professional well-being, we support our union and sustain each other in the increasingly anti-union environment in which we operate. There are some unscrupulous persons among us and many who are, at the same time, vulnerable. Trade Unions exist because workers have always needed representation and protection; combined and united efforts at achieving such have always been more efficient than individual efforts. The effectiveness of collective disapproval and collective action cannot be denied. 
If we are to retain and defend the rights and privileges for which we have already fought, many of which are constantly under threat, that we must be wiling to strengthen our Union by encouraging our colleagues to join as members, by attending meetings, by readily identifying and associating with our union as the opportunities present themselves, by helping and volunteering of our time and talents and, very importantly, by acting within the highest professional standards at all times.”