The Bermuda Union of Teachers is leading the way when it comes to female involvement in trade unions.

This became evident during the Caribbean Union of Teachers' 28th Biennial Conference held recently in Bermuda.

The first resolution out of the conference was to set up a standing committee to help the CUT executive implement strategies to "promote the well being of women''.

And BUT organiser Milton Scott told The Royal Gazette the issue was so important because women were conspicuously absent from major roles in trade unions.

"Traditionally in Islamic countries and other places like the Caribbean and Central America, women do not assume an intricate role in the administration or workings of trade unions,'' Sen. Scott pointed out.

"Now the Caribbean is finally coming to grips with that issue. And there is a commitment by the CUT executive and most of the member unions to ensure that mechanisms are developed to encourage participation of females in the administration of trade unions.'' While noting that the third vice president of the CUT's last executive was a female, Sen. Scott said no females had put forward their names for office this year.

"So even before the resolutions were drafted, the delegates present (at the conference) took a stand that we have to bring about greater involvement of females in the running of trade unions,'' he added.

"We're also looking for reasons as to why they are not involved.'' However, Sen. Scott said the BUT were believed to have "one of the best track records in terms of female involvement''.

"Our executive has roughly been for the past ten years, 50/50 and through no quotas or mandates or anything like that,'' he noted. "In some organisations throughout the world like New Zealand, Australia, etc. they have mandated quotas that are only triggered by the fact that there are not X-percentage of females on the international executive.'' But while the BUT's executive had an equal ratio of male to female members, Sen. Scott admitted that the number of females in the union's membership did not equally represent the number of females in the teaching profession.

And he said the union was looking at how it could develop a greater involvement by females.

"Just this Spring, our recording secretary Angel Heyliger actually attended a seminar on women's issues held in the Caribbean,'' he noted. "And last year there was a seminar held in Jamaica where females who are involved in trade unions throughout the Caribbean were invited to a week-long seminar.

"And this May, our administrative assistant Eileen Brown attended a training session in Trinidad which was to train treasurers in the area of administering the funds of unions in the region.

"So we're looking to how we can assume our place in the global arena in terms of ensuring greater participation of women. So that all individuals within the teacher trade unions can be mobilised to assume an active role.'' Solutions could include providing child care and meals during meetings, Sen.

Scott pointed out.

"At one time we have had child care while meetings are going on,'' said Sen.

Scott himself a single-parent who remembers having to take his child to such meetings.

"We're looking to provide more services to cater to the traditional roles that women assume. That's not to say that men may not have to change the roles that they assume.'' But Sen. Scott said because there were many female-headed homes throughout the Caribbean, including Bermuda, the CUT was also looking to put an infrastructure in place to meet the needs of its members.

"For example, if you're in a senior administrative post in a trade union in the Caribbean it is not unreasonable to think that you would have some five to six international commitments outside of your country,'' he said.

"And if you're out for four days, you're looking at 20 days out of a year and maybe a total of 30 days by the time you take travelling time into consideration. So who's going to be there taking care of the children?'' The issue was one to be addressed by both the CUT and individual unions, he added.

Delegates at the conference also passed close to 20 other resolutions, including: Finding a "common region wide approach to teacher appraisal; Providing funds for volcanic-stricken Montserrat; Bringing to Caribbean governments' attention the need for counselling for teachers within schools; and Putting a mechanism in place to monitor and address education reform in the region.

During the five-day conference, held at Warwick Camp, Bermuda also beat out four contenders to become the home of the CUT secretariat.

And BUT president Michael Charles was re-elected as the CUT's first vice president while Sen. Scott became its general secretary/treasurer.

Milton Scott