GOAL: ZATU struggles to:-
"Effectively function as an Efficient, Democratic and Accountable Teachers’ Trade Union capable to Lobby, Advocate and Influence for better salaries, working conditions, Quality education and provision of Adequate services to her members"
Membership
The current membership is about 4,500 comprises teachers actively teaching in the education sub-sectors; Preprimary, Primary, Secondary, Teachers Colleges & Universities, National Teachers Colleges & Business, Technical, Vocational Education &Training institutions.
Negotiation: ZATU negotiates on behalf of her members/ teachers for salary enhancement, better conditions of service and other labor related rights and obligations for teachers.
Representation: ZATU represents her members on a number of National and International fora to ensure that the teachers’ interests are protected.
Individual Cases: All fully subscribing members of ZATU benefit from its one-on –one services where the Union handles ‘personal cases’ relating to one’s conditions of service at no cost. For example deletions from payroll, missing/ half pay, unfair dismissals, harassment at the workplace among others
Processing of Gratuity payments: ZATU assists members about to retire in processing their retirement and other benefits at no extra cost.
Personal claims: ZATU helps members in processing compensation in case of an accident while on official work.
Legal advice and assistance: Members of ZATU receive free legal advice and assistance on matters directly related to their employment and conditions of service.
Overtime, ZATU has settled several cases concerning teachers and Credit institutions as well as insurance companies. As school representatives, we must educate our colleagues about how to avoid falling into the ‘traps’ of these institutions when accessing loans and insurance schemes.
What we must know about loans and insurance scheme.
Before acquiring any loan or insurance scheme, endeavor to read and all the contents of the Agreement and sign only after you have understood them.
After signing, you must keep for yourself a copy of the loan or insurance scheme agreement for future reference.
Members’ economic empowerment: ZATU started a SACCOS for its members to be able to access affordable financial services.
The Union has observed that 90% of the teachers who borrow from Micro-finance institutions are cheated through over- deductions, failure to remove codes upon completion of the loan. We advise and request our membership to desist from borrowing from such institutions. You can borrow from the respective teachers’ SACCOS in your area or at worst commercial banks but not micro-finance institutions.
Teacher development- (Professionalism): ZATU supports teachers to cope with the contemporary issues in education and to improve on their classroom delivery. This is done through In service-training, STIR training for Secondary as well as on rights and obligations. ZATU also links its members to scholarship opportunities
Gender and women empowerment: female members and other male leaders in the union are also exposed to key legal instruments, international and national legislations and other issues concerning their rights and risks pertaining to them. They also benefit from our mentorship programmes in leadership and entrepreneurship.
Leadership positions: All active members of the Union have an opportunity to be elected in various positions of leadership within the union and other affiliate organizations.
Note: While all teachers can benefit from ZATU’s negotiations for better welfare, other benefits are closed and only apply to active and subscribing members.
ZATU membership is open to all teachers in Government schools in Zanzibar regardless of race or the level of teaching.
- Joining the Union is Voluntary.
- Identify yourself as a teacher at your Branch or regional office nearest to you
- Fill in a membership commitment form
- The teacher’s full name shall then be entered in the Union membership register
- Pay membership and subscription dues which amounts to 2% of one’s monthly salary. These deductions are done at source by the Ministries of Public Service and Finance.
- On checking off, the teachers shall then be provided with a membership card bearing her/his full name, address and other particulars
