US teachers union says JTC Bill ‘a major step backwards’
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Describing the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill as “a major step backwards”, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has expressed support for the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) in its opposition to the bill.
The AFT, one of two major teachers unions in the United States (US) with 1.8 million members, in a letter dated May 23, said: “we stand for worker fairness democracy and economic opportunity— we stand in solidarity with the leadership and members of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association in your strong opposition to the [bill].”
The AFT said the landmark bill, which had been in the works for over a decade, would do lasting damage to the teaching profession as it denies teachers autonomy and is punitive where it should be constructive.
JTA President Mark Smith highlighted that it was not the only organisation that had extended its support to the JTA in its struggle to get the government to make changes to the JTC Bill.
The Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) in a statement had also expressed its full solidarity with the JTA amid its call for changes to the bill.
READ: The Caribbean Union of Teachers supports JTA’s stance against JTC Bill
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has stressed that the bill is not to punish educators.
