UTTER DISRESPECT!
THE Barbados Secondary School Teachers’ Union (BSTU) feels disrespected that the Ministry of Education barred the Union from attending meetings between education officials and teachers at the Grantley Adams Memorial School, on Thursday and Friday.
A press release issued by BSTU’s President Mary Redman stated that to deny access to the Union who initiated such an event, and in so doing deny the right of members there to the type of representation and support that they wanted and requested at this difficult time, was unconscionable.
Redman is contending that the move is demonstrative of a continued lack of understanding of basic industrial relations by the Ministry of Education, and a reflection of the quality of uniformed and disconnected leadership at all levels in the Ministry of Education.
The President even went as far as to say that the Ministry’s move is certainly a demonstration of a general lack of empathy and caring for the teachers who work in the most serious and dangerous circumstances for the Ministry.
“Yesterday [Thursday], when the meeting ended, many of our members indicated that they were disturbed by the fact that we were not included and we promised them that we would be there today. Overnight we received further requests for our attendance at the meeting.
“Today [Friday] when our Assistant General Secretary entered the meeting, he was summoned outside and told that the Union was not invited and, further, that they did not want the Union’s presence on the school compound. He was ushered to the gates.
“When I arrived I saw him and the Public Relations Officer outside the school gates and was told the same by the security guard. We waited outside the school gates and our first Vice President, who is a teacher there, indicated to the Ministry’s panel that the union officers, including the president, were at the gates and that the staff wanted them to join the meeting,” Redman recalled.
“This was denied and so she left the meeting along with the other shop stewards and some other members of the BSTU. Some other teachers, who are not our members, and some members of the BUT also left the meeting prematurely and left the school compound. So did one or two of our members who stated that they were too emotionally distraught to stay,” she continued.
The President also stated in the release that the general feeling from teachers, who spoke to the Union after the meeting, was one of dissatisfaction at the conduct of the meetings. She said the teachers felt that Ministry officials were not truly interested in what they were saying, that they were dismissive and disrespectful.
She said some teachers also lamented that some Ministry officials seemed more intent on recording names, subjects taught and the positions they held, rather than listening to what they had to say.
According to Redman, some teachers complained that they felt insulted by the fact that one of the most senior Ministry officials was very busy on the cell phone for the duration of the meeting, and her facial expressions and body language indicated a total lack of concern in the proceedings.
In fact, the President said the staff indicated that they were not satisfied with what has transpired the conduct of the meeting and the denial of the presence of the BSTU.
“They felt that their Union had been disrespected. They have stated a lack of optimism in relation to any major improvements in the circumstances at the school in the immediate future.
“The staff also expressed concern that, whereas the BSTU was not allowed to be present, the Government Information Service was represented there for two days. Teachers said that the personal nature of many of the issues they attempted to report on should not have been made available in that way to the GIS.
“The general dissatisfaction and reservation expressed at the proceedings means that the Union will have to meet with them in short order to address these relevant matters,” she said. (AH)