Teachers’ perspectives on trade unions and teacher welfare: a case study of Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) members in Masvingo province.

Abstract

The study focused on teachers’ perspectives on Trade unions and teacher welfare in Masvingo Province with Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) members in Masvingo Province as the case study. The main objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of teachers on Trade union and teacher welfare. Other objectives were to examine the achievements made by the Trade union and highlight challenges faced by Zimbabwean teachers in public schools despite having representation from the union. The study was influenced by two theoretical frameworks; the pluralist theory and the theory of Trade union as a social movement. The Pluralist theory claims that conflicts at the work place are inevitable and thus the duty of the Trade union is of arbitrating the conflicting groups while the theory of Trade union as a social movement asserts that Trade unions pursue other broader goals beyond that of improving the working conditions of workers. Drawing on qualitative analysis, the study sought an in-depth information hence it employed the use of case study. For research instruments, this study used Focus Group discussions as well as key informant interviews and semi-structured interviews. In selection of the participants, stratified purposive sampling technique was used. The sample comprised of male and female teachers of all age groups. Two separate focus group discussions were carried out; one consisting of primary school teachers and the other made up of secondary school teachers. The study revealed the perceptions of teachers on Trade union and teacher welfare as well as achievements made by PTUZ. Furthermore, it also discovered challenges and the struggles of teachers in public schools. The research had identified a knowledge gap on sociological theorising of Trade union and methodological gap, a gap which the study sought to fill. In the process of carrying out the study, it emerged that Trade union has reinvented itself and has ventured in other avenues that should be provided by specific institutions. An example being the offering of savings and credit facilities, the service that has to be offered by financial institutions.