MUT and UHM in tussle over child carers

The MUT has filed a judicial protest against the Ministry for work and education, the UHM and the Foundation for Educational Services (FSE), claiming that the foundation is passing personal information relating to newly employed Child Carers in order to recruit new members.

In the protest, which is signed by lawyers Michael and Rebekah Tanti-Dougall, the teachers’ union says that it should have been included in negotiations between government and the UHM regarding the conditions of work of Child Carers who work in childcare centres run by the FSE.

The protest asserts that the UHM had indeed represented Child Carers for a time, but that “due to disappointments and no improvements of their conditions of work, the majority of these persons had decided to join the MUT.”

In spite of formally requesting the FSE recognise the MUT as the union representing the majority of Child Carers in its employ –a request which was correctly referred to the Director of employment and industrial relations - the UHM is still in talks with the department and FSE on behalf of the Child Carers, claims the teacher’s union.

The protest goes on to allege that the FSE has done nothing to stop UHM representatives from their practice of calling at Childcare Centres administered by the FSE during working hours to speak with the carers – a practice which it described as “utterly irresponsible” and which leaves the MUT with no choice but to do the same in the interest of the majority of its members, whose rights it claims are being prejudiced.MUT and UHM in tussle over child carersMUT and UHM in tussle over child carers