Background

The Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) formerly known as the Federation of Tanganyika Employers (FTE) is Tanzania’s apex Employers’ Organisation. It was formed in 1960 by number of companies, industries and association of employers.

Prior to 1967, the year of the Arusha Declaration, the FTE consisted of giant Employers’ Associations such as the Tea Growers Association, the Sisal Growers Association, the Tanganyika Farmers Association (TFA) and others. By 1972 most of these Associations were no more. A few survived such as the TFA, the Tanzania Tea Associations (TAT) and the Tanganyika Association of Agriculture Employers (TAAE). These Associations underwent considerable structural changes. Following these changes, in 1976, the Federation of Tanganyika Employers (FTE) changed its name into the current one i.e. The Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE). The change was necessary in order to accommodate the majority of individual affiliate members and the few Associations into a single strong Association of all the Employers in Mainland Tanzania.

ATE remains an apex national employers’ body representing employers in all sectors of the national economy excluding the civil service. Membership of the ATE is drawn from private business firms, companies and institutions and some parastatal organizations.

ATE is organised with a Secretariat, a Management Board, Executive Committee etc.

It aims at covering fully the whole of Tanzania - by the way of a number of zonal offices.