Teachers urged to join union to voice concerns, safeguard rights
MIRI: Local educators are urged to join the Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) if they want their voice or concerns related to their teaching profession be heard.
STU Miri chairman Wendy Wilma Cher highlighted this in her address during STU’s seminar on the roles of the union which was held at Dynasty Hotel here yesterday, attended by some 80 STU’s members and representatives from Miri, Subis and Baram.
With its current 2,531 members throughout Sarawak, Wendy believed that the figure could have been much higher as there were teachers who have yet to be members of STU or who are not interested in joining a union.
“Our voice will only be heard through big organisations such as STU. We cannot make pleas alone, especially those concerning education and the welfare of teachers,” she pointed out.
Citing the safety of teachers who work at schools accessible only by boat in the interior of Baram, Wendy reckoned that these teachers serving in the remote area are indeed facing many challenges, and therefore, the insurance scheme provided by the union would be beneficial for them.
“I hope the representatives here will disseminate information on the roles of STU so that more teachers will join and enjoy the benefits and privileges of becoming a member, as well as making our voice and our plights be heard,” she said.
During the seminar, the participants were enlightened with a talk on insurance schemes made available for STU members by a representative from Tony Ng & Associates as well as a talk on the rights to a union by the Department of Trade Union Affairs under the Ministry of Human Resources.
STU chairman Adam Prakash Abdullah who was not able to be physically present at the seminar, in a speech read by his representative, had urged all those present to spread information on the roles of STU and the benefits of becoming its members.