Who We Are
The Caribbean Union of Teachers (C.U.T.) is an umbrella body for teachers in the Caribbean from Bermuda in the north to Suriname in the South.
Membership in this body includes twenty-six (26) teachers’ unions from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Suriname, Haiti, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
Birth of the C.U.T.
Out of these struggles by Caribbean working people of the region, one of the successes was the birth of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (C.U.T). The C.U.T came into being on August 21st, 1935. Its augural meeting was held in Trinidad and Tobago as the West Indies Teachers’ Association.
The C.U.T. was registered for the first time on October 12, 2015, in St. Lucia under the Labour Act of 2006. This allows the organization to operate as a full-fledged Trade Union and to exercise trade union rights and responsibilities under the law.
Structure of the C.U.T.
The organization is directed and administered by:
- The Biennial Conference which is the supreme authority of the organization.
- The Executive Committee
- Officer Corps (Elected Officers)
- The Secretariat
The Executive committee consist of:
- The elected officers (President, 1st VP, 2nd VP, 3rd VP and two trustees).
- One representative from each member unit
- The General Secretary and the Deputy General Secretary.
Activities of the C.U.T.
For the first time the C.U.T. adopted a Five Year Strategic Plan (2017-22) to guide its affairs. This was done at the Executive meeting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in December 2016. Among the activities undertaken by the C.U.T., the following are the most prominent:
- Biennial Conference
- Executive meetings twice yearly
- Trade Union workshops
- Biennial Education Conference
- Biennial Students Under 15 Track and Field Championships (referred to as C.U.T. Games) Biennial Les Harris Cricket Competition (For Teachers)
Relationship with Education International (E.I.)
As of August 11, 1999, C.U.T entered into an agreement with Education International (E.I) whereby C.U.T. became an autonomous body within E.I.
Education International accepts C.U.T as the recognized representative body within the Caribbean. C.U.T is governed by its own constitution and Bye Laws. However, under agreement it is subject only to the constitution and Bye Laws of E.I.