South African Teachers Union

South African Teachers Union
Name	South African Teachers Union
Founded	1997
Headquarters	Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Membership	approx. 230,000 (2018)
Key people	Botshelo Segoete (General Secretary), Mike Shingange (President)
Affiliation	Congress of South African Trade Unions, Education International

South African Teachers Union

The South African Teachers Union is a trade union representing educators across South Africa, formed amid post‑apartheid labour realignments and involved in national debates involving Department of Basic Education, Labour Court of South Africa, and provincial education departments such as Gauteng Department of Education and Western Cape Education Department. The union interacts with organisations including the Congress of South African Trade Unions, National Union of Mineworkers, South African Democratic Teachers Union, and international bodies like Education International while engaging with notable figures such as Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Fikile Mbalula.

History

The union was founded in the late 1990s during restructuring that included unions like National Union of Educators, South African Democratic Teachers Union, and National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa and during legislative changes such as the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Equity Act. Early campaigns referenced constitutional provisions in the Constitution of South Africa and involved railings against policies from administrations of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. The union participated in sectoral bargaining councils such as the Education Labour Relations Council and engaged in national disputes that were adjudicated by institutions including the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and the Labour Appeal Court.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises primary and secondary educators from provinces including Gauteng, KwaZulu‑Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, Northern Cape, and Western Cape and includes classroom teachers, school principals, and provincial officials. The union interacts with employer representatives like South African Teachers Service Commission and stakeholders such as South African Principals Association and unions like Combined Teachers' Forum and National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa. Membership structures include regional offices, provincial councils, and national congresses similar to models used by Congress of South African Trade Unions affiliates and global federations like Education International.

Leadership and Governance

Governance follows a constitutionally defined process featuring a National Congress, National Executive Committee, provincial leadership, and branch committees, paralleling governance frameworks of organisations such as Congress of South African Trade Unions and National Union of Mineworkers. Leaders have interacted with ministers including Panyaza Lesufi, Angie Motshekga, and members of Parliament from African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, and Economic Freedom Fighters. The union has produced prominent officeholders who have engaged in national forums alongside figures such as Zwelinzima Vavi, Numsa leadership, and civil society actors like Section27.

Activities and Campaigns

The union conducts collective bargaining in platforms like the Education Labour Relations Council and runs professional development initiatives similar to programmes from UNICEF and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization while campaigning on issues related to school infrastructure, educator remuneration, and curriculum policy debates involving the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. Campaigns have included coalitions with Right2Know Campaign, partnerships with organisations such as Black Sash, and participation in national days of action alongside South African Municipal Workers' Union and Health Sector Unions.

Labour Disputes and Strike Actions

The union has organized strike actions and protected industrial action using provisions from the Labour Relations Act and engaged in high‑profile disputes with provincial education departments like Gauteng Department of Education and Eastern Cape Department of Education that led to interventions by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and rulings from the Labour Court of South Africa. Strike actions often involved negotiations with national actors including the Department of Basic Education, treasury officials such as those from the National Treasury (South Africa), and resulted in public debates involving media outlets like the Mail & Guardian, City Press, and Sowetan.

Political Influence and Advocacy

The union lobbies elected officials across parties including African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, and Economic Freedom Fighters and has submitted policy positions to parliamentary committees like the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education. It has engaged in alliances and tensions with political movements led by figures such as Jacob Zuma and Julius Malema and contributed to national consultations conducted by entities like the National School Governing Body Foundation and the South African Council for Educators.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics have accused the union of adversarial tactics similar to controversies facing South African Democratic Teachers Union and of policy positions contested by organisations like Equal Education and Section27. Disputes have involved litigation at the Constitutional Court of South Africa and allegations raised in investigative reporting by outlets such as News24 and Daily Maverick. Internal controversies have included governance challenges mirrored in other unions such as National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and public disagreements with provincial education authorities and professional bodies including the South African Teachers’ Union (SATU) umbrella debates.

Category:Trade unions in South Africa Category:Education in South Africa Category:Organizations established in 1997