ABOUT TUICO

TUICO Background

Trade Union movement in Tanzania has experienced different political and economic environments. On the side of politics, it operated during the colonial time and after independence. There was a time when it operated freely and times when the ruling political party engulfed it to the extent that it lost most of its freedom and integrity. For example, between 1964 and 1978 NUTA (the former National Centre was an affiliate of Tanganyika African National Union (TANU). Between 1979 and 1991 JUWATA also a former (Trade Union was one of the mass organization of the ruling party (CCM). These different experiences affected not only the structure of trade union but also contributed to formation of entire trade union behavior and altitudes.

Trade Union have always been forced by circumstantial events to shape themselves to suit the socio-economic developments prevailing at that time. The wind of change that shook the country in the 1990’s also effected the trade union movement. In year 2000 eleven (11) free Trade Unions were formed, and they are all affiliated to the national center that is Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA). Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO being one of them.) TUICO as a new democratic workers union is currently operating in new environment dominated by the free market economy. The union organizes members form Industries, Commercial, Finance, Institutions, Services and Consultancy.

Furthermore, in Tanzania the office tenure for the Trade Union leadership is five years. TUICO3rd National Election was held in the year 2010, whereby the present leadership from the Branch to the National levels were elected.

TUICO Composition

TUICO is composed of four (4) main Sectors namely Industrial; Commercial; Financial Institutions; and Service and Consultancy. Also, it has four (4) departments namely Finance and Administration; Education and Organizing Women; Human Resource and Administration; Youth, Disable, Occupational, Health and Safety. The sections under such sectors and departments are Internal Audit; Legal Affairs; Organizing and Youth; and Research and Statistics. Its offices are as follows:

1. Head Office
2. 22 Regional Offices
3. 8 Zonal Offices
4. 865 Field Branches
5. TUICO has 180 fulltime employees

TUICO STRUCTURE

The structure of TUICO starts at the Branch level where there are rank and file members followed by the Regional, Zonal and National level. The elaboration of the Union structure with their respective seating’s in as follows:-

No	Level	Meetings	Duration of Meeting
1	Branch	Branch Executive Committee Members Meeting General Meeting	Quarterly (4 times a year) Twice a Year Once a Year
2	Regional	Regional Executive Committee Regional General Meeting	Twice a Year Once in five Years
3	Zonal	Zonal Executive Committee Zonal Annual Meeting	Once a Year Once a Year
4	National	National Executive Committee General Council National Congress	Twice a Year Once a Year Once in five years

TUICO National and International Relationship

In building and enhancing co-operation and solidarity among Unions, TUICO affiliated to the National Centre (TUCTA). It is also affiliated to Global Unions e.g., UNI, PSI, INDUTRIALL, BWI, IUF and Streetnet International.

TUICO Plans

In the previous year TUICO has made considerable progress in the field of Recruitment, Training, Collective Bargaining etc. In the years ahead, TUICO plan to strengthen and promote union activities and services to our members. The IT Project will play a very major role in strengthening our structures and making TUICO the best in terms of services delivery to the members.