Is teaching an essential service and should professionals be unionised ?
At a recent media briefing National Youth Development Agency's Andile Lungisa caused a stir by suggesting that teachers and the teaching profession should be declared an "essential service". Well we all know that teachers are essential, so why is he making this suggestion, and what would be the effect of such a declaration?
Our national Constitution contains a right to strike. (S23(2)(c) However, rights can be limited and the Labour Relations Act effectively limits the right to strike and "any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance of a strike" if the person is engaged in an "essential service". Who decides on an essential service? The LRA requires the Minister of Labour (in consultation with NEDLAC and the Minister responsible for the Public Service) to set up an Essential Services Committee to decide what functions should be essential services.
The Cosatu affiliated union SADTU, which has the largest membership within the teaching profession, has completely rejected any such proposal. Why? Because they suggest that this won't solve the problems that exist within teaching. They regard the right to strike and the organisational rights of the LRA as hard-won, and so they won't easily give them away. SADTU are signatories to the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign which states: teachers should be on time, on task, prepared and conducting themselves professionally. "The code also compels the department of education to provide all the necessary resources for highly qualified and supported teachers and infrastructure that is essential to effective teaching and learning." (Cosatu Today 24 January 2012)
Is teaching a profession? If so, what does that imply, and should a profession be unionised? Would declaring teaching an essential service do anything to solve the problems that exist within Basic Education?
Tags: Act, Agency, Andile, Constitution, Cosatu, Development, LRA, Labour, Lungisa, National, More…
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Pieter on -
Sylvia,too many questions..... the problem as you know is far more complex than answering your last paragraph. Making teaching a profosseion is not going to rectify the problems within Basic Education. From a professional point of view - the employer (the Dept) must give the employee (the teacher) all the tools necessary to carry out his her task - clearly this is not happening....... and so problems will continue until someone does. Amazing that in schools where all the tools are provided, the Dept wants to minimise these to the point of mediocrity - no wonder things will not get better. Further debate will really make this pages long.
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Permalink Reply by Kereng Esther Ndlebe on -
Sylvia, this is a difficult topic however as a former teacher I have never believed in unionising teaching. Teaching is a profession what is key is that our government must ensure that is put at the pedestal it deserve. Teachers must not ask for better condition of services but the government must make sure that teachers are taken care of. It is important that people including government respect teachers who ate responsible for our future leaders. It's a debate that needs to be interrogated for the benefit of quality education....
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Permalink Reply by sharon snell on -
I am not inclined to expand the definition of "essential service" to fix a systemic problem in education. The right to strike is a basic right and teachers on a few days strike as part of the collective bargaining process are not going to cripple the education system. There are bigger problems and easy solutions.
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Permalink Reply by Emily Mahlodi Masilo on -
I agree with you Pieter, but making teaching a profession and an essential service will stop the unions form using our kids as bargaining cheeps for time to time or as and when they see fit to do so.
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Permalink Reply by David Screen on
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There is no doubt that teaching is a professional service, but before South African teachers can call
themselves 'professional' they would need to adhere to a number of professional requirements - personal conduct, punctuality, hard work, commitment, professional dress, mastery of their subjects,ongoing personal development, 'softer' skills such as regard and respect for young people - to name just a few. i taught for 14 years and learned professionalism through the mentoring and encouragement of an outstanding principal at one of the schools where I taught. I'll put it bluntly - if you are not prepared to work hard and love the kids in your care, stay out of the classroom!!
The unionisation and 'essential service' issue requires further debate.
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Permalink Reply by Henrietta Lucas on -
I agree with David.
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Permalink Reply by Joe van Wyk on -
I was in the teaching profession for over 26 years, and without union "assistance" we produced learners of generally high academic calibre. Sure, times and circumstances were difficult when considered against the backdrop of the system of apartheid, but we (despite our human weaknesses and mistakes) gave our all as educators, mentors and credible examples.
My suggestion to addressing the current sad state of our education is that teacher colleges should be re-introduced - at least one in each province. We (the old guard) were firstly tested for suitability and aptitude as a teacher (usually around August-September of a Matric year), and then a minimum of two years of intensive and dedicated teacher training occurred at the teacher/training college. The Coloured community, for example, was diligently served for many years by excellent teacher training colleges like Hewat (Athlone), Bechet (Durban), Perseverance (Kimberley), Southern Cape (Oudthoorn), Rand (Johannesburg), Dower (Port Elizabeth), and BOK (Bellville), to mention some.
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Permalink Reply by Funeka Mbewu on
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It's not about being "unionised", it is about discipline and leadership in the workplace. Whether they are unionised or not, if management and leadership skills are not instilled in them, forget it!
This is about them changing attitude and realising that they are creating leaders for tomorrow; then the question is, what kind of leaders we will have if their own "leaders" are not exemplary. We all experience tough time in our employment but we find ways of solving problems gracefully with dignity.
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ContributorPermalink Reply by Des Squire on -
My response here would be by means of a simple question - are the teachers who are currently striking , or on a go slow PROFESSIONALS????
My response would be no - because profssionals do not behave in this manner.
They are teachers who have lost the plot and who have failed to do anything to earn the right to demand what they are currently demanding. To be a professional one must behave professionally and unfortunately this is not the case.
Should they be allowed to strike - most definitely not !!!!!!!!!
Professionals put their students, patients, the public etc first and find other ways of dealing with their problems.
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Permalink Reply by Thoko Gqiba on
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Teaching is indeed an essential service..... and has not been seen as such by all of us.
It's true that declaring teaching an essential service will not make everything right, just like it won't take
away the right to strike. However, responsibility and discipline will have to be exercised when issues are addressed.
At the moment there is little consideration for the well-being of learners, matters can be engaged with at the bargaining councils and in other meetings; if agreements are not reached other options should be considered.
Teachers must remember that there are other stakeholders that they are accountable to, like parents.
I think if issues are presented to parents meetings or other forums before strikes take place even parents would be supportive and bring suggestions, but there is too little consultation and hasty decisions to go to the streets. SADTU should consult more will ALL stakeholders.
How do you go on strike on the first week of schooling?? What memories will a 1st grader have of their 1st year at school? Surely, there should be another way of dealing with this.
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Permalink Reply by Arina Percy on
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Teaching needs to be regarded as a profession. if a teacher does not comply with the code of conduct they should be reprimanded - often Unions endorse improper conduct and turn an issue into a gender/ racial/ age issue. It is simple - when you opt to become an educator you educate, NOT JUST TEACH. YOU HOLD THE NEXT GENERATION'S SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN YOUR HANDS
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Permalink Reply by Arina Percy on
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Arina Percy said:Teaching needs to be regarded as a profession. if a teacher does not comply with the code of conduct they should be reprimanded - often Unions endorse improper conduct and turn an issue into a gender/ racial/ age issue. It is simple - when you opt to become an educator you educate, NOT JUST TEACH. YOU HOLD THE NEXT GENERATION'S SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN YOUR HANDS. Our Education system is not our problem - the caliber of the teachers is.You cannot go on strike when parenting is difficult - it is your responsibility and you do the best you can.
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