BTU, BOSETU fight over teachers

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Monday May 14, 2012 00:00

Those in the know allege that the Bonnington teacher's resignation last week could just be a tip of the iceberg with more cases to follow.

Although for a long time a number of teachers have been dual members of the two unions, it's apparent that BOSETU will not take last week's development lying down. Malinga was elected the face of BOSETU at the Mmadinare elective congress last year. His term was supposed to run until the next elective congress in 2014.

BTU is reportedly going to use him to in their membership war against BOSETU.  'There will be nothing wrong with me poaching people from BOSETU that I feel are important and could help BTU going forward,' he said. He said that he played his part at BOSETU for the past eight years and feels he can now play a meaningful role at BTU.

He said that the BTU is showing a lot of potential. 'Now it's my chance to channel my energies towards BTU with a view to changing the fortunes of one of the oldest trade unions in the country,' he said, 'We are still negotiating as to what role I will play at BTU. The final details of my role will be made at a later stage'.

Malinga said a good number of BOSETU members have indicated that they would be following him to BTU.  He, however, acknowledged that with an estimated membership of about 12,800 teachers, BOSETU was fast growing.

BTU currently has a membership of about 13,000 teachers. Ironically, BTU has always cried foul that BOSETU was unfairly recruiting from its fold. BTU treasurer, Roger Solomon told The Monitor  in an interview that Malinga joined them of his own accord. 'He (Malinga) made his own choice and we have accepted him basing mainly on his capabilities and potential as a trade unionist. We are fitting him into our system,' he said.

Of the rivalry that exists between BTU and BOSETU over cross-recruitment, Solomon said: 'BTU has always recruited from across the sectors - primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.'He, however, conceded that during last year's eight-week public sector strike, BTU complained that BOSETU was unfairly recruiting its members.

He admitted that if the cross-recruitment of teachers from the two unions is not controlled, it has the potential of widening the rift between the two movements. He, however, maintained that BTU will fight to retain its loyal members. He could not clarify further. For his part, BOSETU secretary general, Tobokani Rari downplayed their differences with BTU.  'Even as Malinga departs from our fold to BTU, the issue is being managed and there are no hard feelings against Malinga or BTU itself,' he said. Rari is aware that some of their members have dual membership.

'We have members who are loyal and those who criss-cross between the two unions. At BOSETU we allow it because it's their democratic right,' he said. Rari is positive that out of 12,800 BOSETU members, 7,000 of them are well trained and very loyal.

'Malinga's case should be treated in a different context. In the way we understand his case, it is about his personal future as he was accepting an offer of employment,' he said. He stated that since the two unions are under one employer, they always tread carefully to avert explosive situations.

'Today (Wednesday) BOSETU and BTU planned together for a meeting with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education over teachers' welfare issues,' he claimed.