This resulted in the presentation of conflicting arguments to the CPO and his advisor's by the different unions, a situation which acted to the disadvantage of teachers.
The relationship between the three unions was thus described as one involving a great deal of “inter-union rivalry and fragmentation” which was seen as “the biggest disadvantage when negotiating a collective agreement,”.
The unions were paying little attention to issues, for example, like in-service training for teachers and refresher courses.
This failure to adequately address teachers’ issues resulted in irrational promotions and transfers, non-recognition of extra qualifications, and the absence of a clear policy on study leave, staff shortages and late staffing.
As the decade came to a close, dissatisfaction came to a head in 1979 and on March 31, 1979 approximately 150 teachers gathered at the Mt.
Hope Junior Secondary School, headed by Frank B Seepersad, who was a teacher there, to discuss the unsatisfactory state of the teaching profession, and the meeting adopted a resolution seeking to ensure one autonomous body for teachers.
A decision was also arrived at to establish a steering Committee of 22 to oversee the formation of one union for all teachers.
Volunteers were sought to serve on this committee - the Committee for the Unification of Teachers (COMFUT) Another mass meeting of May 5, 1979 at the Mucurapo Senior Secondary School, adopted a resolution to have COMFUT seek legal advice as to how it should proceed towards its goal of establishing a “…single autonomous professional organisation of teachers, where every individual teacher has a say in policy-determining decisions of the organisation through proper representation in the management of the organisation.” The Unification Committee drew up an action plan which included: Included in the campaign was the demand for an amendment of the Education Act to ensure that one union, the majority union would be recognised as the bargaining body for teachers.
Ten thousand (10,000) teachers’ signatures were needed to ensure recognition as the majority union The period from March 1979 to December 1981, when TTUTA was finally recognised by the Registration, Recognition and Certification Board, was one of relentless struggle with the authorities in support of the cause for one union for all teachers.