Selected Perceptions of Anglophone Teachers Trade Union Members

The aim of this qualitative case study is to explore CATTU members’ perception about the servicesrendered by their union. To achieve this, we used the case study research design to interview unionmembers in the city of Buea and Douala. Our data collection method was face to face and telephoneinterviews for a sampling population of twenty union members. The result of the study revealed thatindustrial unions like CATTU in Cameroon though in existence, are not really effective on the field.Their role can be said to be weak in the field of labor relations. This can be partly explained by the facttheir autonomy as a bargaining institution is very limited. This limitation can be explained by the factthey find themselves stuck in between a laissez faire economy where those who own the means ofproduction determine everything and the post-colonial State which both narrow down their range ofaction. By so doing, they are limited them to the role of mediation- a mediation done within theframework of the government that perceives their actions as subversive and doing everything tocontrol them.