About Us

HISTORY
To combat adversities of working conditions, the Fiji Teachers Union was formed in march 1930. Prior to this, Methodist Teachers Association (Suva) and the Lautoka Teachers Association existed to protect the rights of the teachers working as  private, grant aided, scheme of cooperation and missionary teachers. Noting the value of education and to keep you  focus on the child importance of delivery. The founders chose ''The Child Our Hope'' as the unions motto.
Since inception,the Fiji Teachers union has played a pivotal role in developing educational goals of the country and has been the force behind the 1973,1982,1993 and 2003 Job Review Exercises. In 1985 the Union in collaboration with Fijian Teachers Association took an unprecedented strike action to oppose the infamous Volunteer Teachers Scheme of the Education Ministry. In so doing the union has helped avoid the casualising of the profession.
 
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The Objectives of the Union are to :

• Organise all the workers in the teaching profession
• To protect labour exploitation
• To improve working conditions including appropriate remuneration, hours of work ad health and safety measures
• To redress members' grievances
• To promote professional development of members
• To secure and establish sound industrial atmosphere
• To set up and provide mutual benefit schemes for members social and personal needs.

THE NEED FOR A UNION

Workers sell their labour and skills. As individuals they cannot negotiate with the employers and the government. As individuals they are always in a very weak position.

This is very obvious when individual workers deal with the Office of the Ministry. Therefore, workers including teachers, need union to speak for them.

The workers work as a group. They elect leaders to represent them. The International Labour Organisation and United Nations recognise the right of the workers to form Unions.The ILO has adopted, among several, two key conventions. These are Conventions 87 and 98. Under these Conventions workers are granted the right to form and join Unions

Then through their unions, collection bargaining is carried out. This means the Union negotiates for its members.
Therefore, if teachers want to improve their conditions of work then they MUST strengthen the Union by joining the Fiji Teachers Union.
 
MEMBERSHIP
The Union membership is open to all persons employed in the teaching profession. The Union has members from all the communities.

Teachers wishing to join the union need to fill in the Membership Application Form and and Authority Form.

All civil servant/ Temporary civil servants and GIA teachers must give their authority to MOE.
The teachers at Fiji Institute of Technology give their authority to the Director.
A lapse of 13 weeks or more nullifies membership.
Any teacher needing more details is welcome to write to the Union.
 
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION
The authority governing the Union is with the members.
 
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Each year the Union is required to hold the AGM where all the members are entitled to attend. The AGM approves the Annual Report and the accounts and approves policy changes.
 
 
 
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE
The National Executives with 11 elected National Officers and 15 branch reps administers the business of the Union in between the AGM.
 
WORKING COMMITTEE
The working committee consisting of the president, General Secretary, Assist. Gen. Secretary, General Treasurer, Personnel Officer and the Publicity Officer meets at least once a month to oversee the business of the Union.
 
SECRETARIAT
The secretariat consists of the Full time General Secretary, and Industrial relations officer, Finance/Administration Officer, Secretary and support staff. Members and potential members are welcome to contact the Secretariat on any matter.
 
BRANCHES
The Union currently has sixteen branches - Suva, Nasinu, Rewa, Tailevu, Rakiraki, Tavua, Ba, Lautoka, Nadi, Sigatoka, Navua, Lasbasa, Bua, Taveuni, Savusavu and Levuka.
The Branch is the focal point of union activities and members are encouraged to participate in then
 
WHAT HAS THE UNION DONE FOR ME?
This is a common question that some frustrated members and non-members ask. Experience shows that this question is asked to demonstrate that the person has not gained personally from the Union.

As we have said earlier that the Union works for common good. It does this through collective bargaining; it negotiates to improve terms and conditions of work for all the members.
 
THE UNION HAS DONE ALOT FOR YOU. YOU NEED THE WISDOM TO SEE IT.