Round table on women teachers participation in the trade union

The Round Table on women teachers participation in the trade unions, organised in Tirana on 28 and 29 March, was the conclusive phase of the inquiry organised by both FSASH and SPASH, in the framework of Project implementation, in order to get acquainted with, analyze the existing situation and set concrete tasks for the future.
The inquiry was organized in 65 primary and secondary schools of 9 districts, being focused mainly on biggest and most active districts in the trade union movement such as Tirana City and Tirana District, Durres, Elbasan, Vlore, Fier, Shkoder, Korce etc. There were organized 13 groups, mobilized 65 leaders and activists from both trade unions, which for a period of more than two months, contacted, interviewed and did a clarifying work with more than 650 member and non member women teachers of both trade unions.
A general and overall preliminary work preceded all of these activities. Consultations were held with both women's committees and presidencies of both trade unions on central level, and the inquiry was developed based on their conclusions; training was organized with the 13 heads of the groups, there were selected and instructed by the leading organs of both local and central trade unions 65 women acting as interviewer and their concrete work in establishing contacts with women at schools was closely attended.

In the presence of all the women local leaders, heads of 13 working groups, as well as some women local trade union  leaders from other important districts, in the Round Table were made known the conclusions from the inquiry.
Four were the most important issues included in the respective document:
- The position of women in trade unions, and in their leading bodies and role of women committees and trade unions themselves to improve the actual situation,
- The opinions of women teachers and trade union leaders with regard to issues related to labour relations,
- The opinions of women teachers and trade union leaders related to social problems and leisure time organisation,
- Women teachers expectations from trade unions and women committees and some evaluations about the inquiry and future use of the conclusions.

The active participation of AOb expert on women in the trade unions and inquiry as an useful method in trade union activities, Claire Oostvriesland, had a direct impact for an effective work during the two days of the Round Table, using working in groups, discussing the conclusions and identifying the priorities for each of the issues, making known also the AOb experience.
Both chairman, Dobrushi and Kruja, took part in most of the sessions of the Round Table and gave their contribution specially in concretizing the issues raised in the inquiry.
A working program, discussed in the conclusive session, will be further elaborated by the working group in central level and will be followed up by both women committees and presidencies of FSASH and SPASH, involving also other districts, not present in the round table.

The inquiry was considered as a new experience for women teachers, creating a good opinion among the teachers, by showing that trade unions not only protect social-economic interests of the members of this important sector, but at the same time, they, in close cooperation with other education stakeholders, play an important role in the reformation and modernization of the education system in our country.

SOME CONCLUSIONS FROM THE INQUIRY ABOUT FSASH & SPASH ACTIVITIES WITH WOMEN IN THE TRADE UNIONS.

Work with women teachers, the increase of their participation in trade unions, improvement of their position in the education system and the treatment and solution of specific problems related to job relations, social life and leisure time, is one of the important directions of FSASH and SPASH activity, particularly within the frame of the project that is being implemented with the support of Dutch trade unions, FNV and Aob. 

It is due to the fact that:

1. On national level, women occupy a very important place in the education system of our country:
- In preschool education, 96 % of the staff is women,
-In primary education, women amount to about 67 % of the staff (out of 37 340 teachers working in this system, 25 340 are women),
- In secondary education, women constitute 57 % of teachers.
-  In urban areas, women constitute 71% of teachers, while in rural areas they constitute 59% of teachers.

2. Women constitute a very important element for education trade unions’ activity:
- About 48% of the members of both trade unions are women, and 40% of them pay the membership fee,
But this membership representation is not reflected to their representation in leading bodies:
- On central level, women make up only about 18% of the members of these organs,
- On district section level, they make up 23% of the members,
- While in the leading bodies on school trade union level, women make up about 32% of the members.

Both trade unions are working based on very clear objectives about:

- Consolidation of women structures, (Women’s Committees) in the districts where they already exist, and their establishment in the other districts, up to the end of the project,
- Increasing the percentage of women membership in trade unions, at least up to 52%,
- Increasing women percentage in the leading bodies of trade unions, up to non less than 30%,
- Improving the relations of women teachers with pupils at risk of school dropping out, working and trafficking, in order to fulfill the objectives related to the elimination of child labour.
In order to get acquainted with, analyze the existing situation and set concrete tasks for the fulfillment of these objectives, both trade unions organized the inquiry, whose conclusions will be discussed in this Round Table.

The inquiry  was organized in  65 primary and secondary schools of 9 districts, being focussed mainly on biggest and most active districts in the trade union movement such as Tirana City and Tirana District, Durres, Elbasan, Vlora, Fier, Shkoder, Korca etc. There were organized 13 groups, mobilized 65 leaders and activists from both trade unions, which for a period of more than two months, contacted, interviwed, and did a clarifying work with more than 650 member and non member teacher women of both trade unions.
A general and overall preliminary work preceded all these activities. Consultations were held with the two women’s committees and presidencies of both trade unions on central level, and the inquiry was developed based on their conclusions; training was organized with the 13 heads of the groups, there were selected and instructed by the leading organs of both local and central trade unions 65 women acting as interviewer and their concrete work in establishing contacts with women at schools was closely attended.

The inquiry was a new experience for women teachers, but meanwile, it created a good opinion at all school teachers, by showing that trade unions not only protect social-economic interests of the memebrs of this important sector, but at the same time,  they in close cooperation with other education stakeholders, play an important role in the reformation and modernization of the education system in our country.

I. SOME DATA AND CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WOMEN’S POSITION IN THE TRADE UNIONS AND THEIR LEADING ORGANS, AND AT SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL.

If we refer to the respective tables related to this issue, we come up with the following data and conclusions:

- 2463 teachers, out of which 1965 women teachers, are actually working at 65schools where the survey was done. Hence, women constitute about 80% ot the total number of teachers at these schools,  a fact which bares evidence of the importance of the engagement of both trade unions with specific problems that women encounter in and out the school life.

- About 35% of women teachers, or 688 of them, are young teachers, up to 34-35 years old, which creates the premises for a further development of trade union activities in these schools.

- Trade union membership indicators are very significative. Out of 1965 women teachers employed in these schools, 1373 or 70% of them, are members of the education trade unions, which shows that a good job has been done by them to increase the membership of syndicalist women. But a better engagement by our side in dealing with various issues and by laying down alternatives for solution, undoubtly would affect the attractivness of women in the trade union.

The big differences that exist from school to school and from district to district, show the reserves that we have available. The best example among the interviewed schools and districts is Kucova, where all women teachers, 91 women, are members of our trade unions. Satisfactory indicators are found in Korca, where 145 women out of 153 women teachers, or 95% of them are members of trade unions, Tirana City, where 435 out of 598 women teachers, or 73 % are trade union members, Elbasan with the same level, where 195 out of 267 women teachers are members of trade unions.

More is expected by the women’s committees and sections of Tirana District, Durres, Fier etc., where this indicator varies from 45 to 55%.

Very positive is the fact that we have an increase in the membership of young women, but there is still much to be done, starting from the teachers’ departments at universities, where we might use different forms of contact and engagement particularly about topics related to labor market and employment procedures, which are of great interest especially for the students, who will be our future members.

- Many problems have come out by the analysis of the indicators related to the represantion of women at trade union leading bodies. Out of 455 members of trade union councils at the interviewed shools, only 158, or about 34% are women, even though women compose more than 48% of the total membership. This represantion is even lower at distict trade union sections, there are only 15 women.

-  Despite their great intelectual potential and committment, women still compose a small percentage even at leading bodies of school administration, considering the highest positions: in 65 schools only 22 are headmasters and 56 vice headmasters, of at least 130 that might be the total number in these positions.

In order to improve this situation, trade unions should carry out very important tasks related to the improvement of the legal frame for equal chances at the education sector, but it also requires that women teachers should get involved themselves and make efforts to improve their position at the leading organs not only at trade unions but also at school administrations and social life, as well.

We need not go into a detailed analysis of these indicators, since the main directions where our future work should focus, are very evident:
- Develop better startegies to improve the image of education trade unions and increase women mebership,
- Organize sensibilizing activities about the benefits and services offered by trade unions, in order that all women become members of trade unions,
- Leaders of trade union councils and women committees develop concrete plans to meet women’s requests and interests,
- Provide broader support in and out school, through various attractive forms for women teachers.

II. SOME DATA AND CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE OPINIONS OF WOMEN SYNDICALIST LEADERS AND WOMEN TEACHERS WITH REGARD TO ISSUES RELATED TO JOB RELATIONS AND THE BEHAVIOUR OF WOMEN COMMITTEES AND TRADE UNIONS TOWARDS THEM.

Labour relations are the most important element in the life and activity of women teachers. They are related not only to their personal family life, but also to the development of the education system and the future of the country. It is for this reason, that these relations consitute the main place in the survey we are discussing about at this Table.

Regarding this issue, the aim was to collect separately the opinions of local women leaders and women teachers, members or non members of trade unions.

119 trade union women leaders and 440 women teachers, members or non members of trade unions being interviewed, have reported that problems related to labour relations have been raised by women teachers in the respective trade unions.
There are four groups of problems discussed and related to this issue:

1- Improvement of  working conditions, including the situation of classes and material basis at school cabinets, provision of heating during winter time, improvement of teachers’and students transportation, creation of special rooms for women teachers, bringing to normality the number of students per classroom, which continues to be very high, and revising the teaching load, which is considered to be still very heavy. All these issues were raised by most of the interviewed women, especially at the schools of Tirana, Durres, Korca, and Elbasan,

2- Problems related to wage increase and better motivation of teachers for the job they do, a better evaluation of teacher’s performance, which, have also been raised by women teachers at the schools of Tirana, Shkoder and Kucova districts,

3- Feeling secure and avoidance of being fired or transfered because of political or other reasons not related to legal or professional criteria, issues raised by some interviewed women in Fieri district schools,

4- Reducing the retirement age for teachers, which is considered to be high and almost impossible to be met, because of very high requirements and needs for a qualitative education system,  this issue was raised by most of interviewed schools.

It is very important to analyse which is the opinion of women interviewed with regard to trade union reaction versus the problems raised.
Out of 119 problems raised by women leaders, trade unions have reacted only in 47 cases, and they also reacted for 200 out of 439 cases, where such problems were raised by women teachers in the trade unions.

Hence, it is evident for all of us that more efforts in this direction should be made by all leading organs of trade unions, and by women’s committees for a more direct approach of  labour relations. We should keep in mind that we have refered only to trade union  reaction, while the most direct indicator is its impact for the solution of these problems, a topic about which we can talk and discuss further at this Table.
Based on the survey answers it is observed that in the districts of Tirana, Fier and Shkoder, the trade union has reacted better for the solution of problems encountered by women teachers, while more efforts should be done by schools of other districts.

III/ SOME DATA AND CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE OPINION OF TRADE UNION WOMEN  LEADERS AND WOMEN TEACHERS RELATED TO SOCIAL ISSUES OF WOMEN TEACHERS’ LEISURE TIME AND THE WORK AND ATTITUDE  OF WOMEN COMMITTEES AND TRADE UNIONS TOWARDS THEM

Social issues and those related to leisure time are very important in every day activities of women teachers in and out of the school, hence that is why they draw a great attention in the inquiry.
Some of the problems raised by the women about social issues are;

The data show that women teachers encounter many social problems and they have expressed their concern several times, but trade unions reaction has not been to the desired level. Hence, many women teachers have answered in the inquiry that they require that trade union councils and women’s committees should be well-organized and have clear objectives in their mission, organize an effective work for the solution in due time of the problems and create opportunities for increasing trade union membership.

Many answers highlight that regarding the issue of school dropping out and elimination of child labour, trade unions have done a very good job, by achieving concrete results especially in bringing many pupils back to school and improving their results  at school.  The women teachers monitored and did a very good work with these students, based on the individual characteristics of each of them. In addittion, many women teachers have greatly helped in the progress of confined children, by doing private teaching classes at their homes.
It is important that out of 332 women who have raised social issues in the survey, 260 of them have admitted that they are confident that  trade unions can solve many of these problems, but more concrete and sucessful committment is needed by considering these problems as a very important trade union issue related to the attraction of more women to trade unions, as well.

Issues related to the organization of women teachers’ leisure time were of great importance in the inquiry.  It is considered as a very sensitive issue also due to the fact that women, alongside with their problems at work, have many family obligations, which especially within the frame of Albanian context and in many cases create problems within family relations.

To the demand of the inquiry ” Do you discuss in trade unions about women’s leisure time”, out of 119 interviewed women trade union leaders, answered positively 57 of them, and only 39 of these admit the trade union reaction.

While, with regard to the organization of leisure time activities by trade unions, out of 119 interviewed women trade union leaders, answered positively only 95 of them, focusing mostly on various holidays such as 7-8 of March, (Teachers’ and Women”s Day), retirement of their collegues, holidays of the end of the year, 5 October, International Teachers’ Day, birthdays etc.
It comes out from the survey that the most distinguished sections and women’s committees are those of Tirana, Fier, Vlore, Korce, Durres etc.
 
Considering the ratio between the activities related to professional training and entertainment in leisure time, answers to questions show that about 20 %  refers to the activities related to  professional training and about 15 % to those of entertainment.
Hence, it comes out that considering both activities, women teachers should concretely follow the range of these activities.

It also comes out that women teachers have different points of view with regard to the organization of leisure time activities at various schools and districts. In Tirana, Korce, Shkoder and Vlore, women teachers are able to find ways of establishing better communication links with women community. While in smaller districts and rural areas, there are less opportunities. It is precisely here that we should pay more attention and try our best to do something more for these women teachers to enjoy their leisure time.

The survey also shows that more efforts should be made in order that trade union Councils in cooperation with Women’s Committees at district level, develop plans of activities which foresee, besides others, meetings, discussions with phsicologists, physicians etc., since women show a particular interest for them.

IV. SOME CONCLUSIONS ABOUT SYNDICALIST WOMEN LEADERS AND WOMEN TEACHERS REGARDING WOMEN’S COMMITTEE AND TRADE UNIONS

FSASH and  SPASH within the frame of the Project AOb/FNV have established, alongside with trade union sections, special strucures such as women commissions or women’s committees to deal with the problems related to the work with women.
The Statutes are provided with specific articles which foresee the establishment and functioning of these structures as components of trade union sections. They have eligible Statutory rights to make official proposals and influence the decision making of sections and leading bodies of each of the trade unions.

It also comes out from the inquiry that in the nine interviewed districts, these committees  have been established and are functioning and many women teachers are very active in their activity.
The survey also shows that trade union women are not very well acquainted with these committees. Some 485 women, out of 650 interviewed, have admitted their knowledge about the existence, functioning and role of these structures, while some 405 of women, who have information about them, admit to have a positive opinion about the performance, activity and role of these committees.
 Almost the same is the opinion expressed by interviewed, women trade union leaders. Out of 105 of them who have expressed their opinion this issue, 22 have evaluated them as very good, 46 as good, and 37 have said that they do not function properly.

From the afore mentioned data we draw the conclusion that women committees are not yet playing very well their role as leaders of women teachers. Consequently, it remains a very important task, the further improvement  of work and the strengthening of these organs  for the solution of problems raised by teachers trade union members.

A great part of interviewed women have appreciated the specific work that trade unions have done with women teachers especially with regard to the training and qualification
of most of them, by organizing seminars on national level, focused mainly on the work with women teachers, and the establishment and strengthening  of women committees which has had a positive impact on the consolidation of these committees in certain districts as Tirana, Vlora, Kucova, Elbasani,etc. The Survey also appreciates the special support given by the Duch specialists Claire Oostvriesland and Truy Kerperien, through their practical advices about the necessity of women engagement in these committees for the achievement of their objectives.

V. WHICH ARE WOMEN TEACHERS EXPECTATIONS FROM TRADE UNIONS AND WOMEN COMMITTEES

By answering the question about women teachers expectations from trade unions and women committees, the interviewed women teachers have expressed concrete and very interesting opinions. The following are some of them:

VI. SOME EVALUATIONS ABOUT THE INQUIRY AND FUTURE USE OF CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO WOMEN’S COMMITTEES AND SYNDICALIST WOMEN

The inquiry signed an important step forward in the performance of both trade unions of education. We have now available a real picture of the situation in these districts, and based on them, we can also draw conclusions about the other districts, as well.

By meeting and consulting a big number of women, leaders of our trade unions at schools and sections, as well as many women teachers, member or non member, we got acquainted not only with the real situation but also draw opinions about the committees and trade unions committment with women teachers, and we also made a great propaganda with the trade union members and further with women teachers for the engagement of trade unions in the training and solution of women teachers problems.

The conclusions and tasks that came out from the inquiry are various and inumeral. We thought to deal with only some of them at this Table, but the data that came out, the proposals made and conclusions that will be drawn by this Table, will undoubtly be the object of a continous work in the future for both trade unions, by focusing on specific issues according to the objectives and requirements that will be laid down in the future. .

Tirana,  March 20, 2008