Teacher lying about being a union rep for the school!

[Supermummy88]

Good evening all,

I started working at a new school as HOD around 15 months ago. It is not a professional working environment at all…probably the worst I’ve come across during my 10 years of teaching. It is an academy and not run the way it should be. The head teacher favours staff members and the assistant head teachers are his friends. Parents have also seen the head teacher with the STL in the pub drinking.

There is another HOD that the headteacher is particularly close with. She is also the union rep. However, members of staff have discovered that she has not been registered as the union rep for this school and that the school doesn’t have a union rep. I am baffled!!! Many staff members go to her for advice and confide in her! She is the type of person who is involved in everyone’s business and in general she is an attention seeker and creates a lot of drama. For example, if she has been confronted by her line manager, she threatens to leave and send the headteacher a letter of resignation. Can she get away with not being a registered union rep for the school?

Thank you x

I'm slightly worried you don't think teachers aren't allowed to go out the pub for a drink(assuming it's not during working hours) our departments been know to go out for a pint or two especially at the end of term. We are all human.

There is no rule saying there has to be a union rep at the school and I think academy chains are a bit of a law unto themselves.
I think the only crime here is that she's possibly passing herself off as the rep if she isn't actually registered. That's well doggy, I'd be contacting the union directly and asking what was going on.

Exactly as @MigGirl said. My concern would be that she is not bound by union regulations if not official and could be running to the head with everyone's concerns

I would contact the union, assuming it's your union.

@Supermummy88 does your school have a Trade Union Recognition Agreement? If so, then the Union rep(s) have to be nominated and seconded by other members of the same union. Should there be more candidates than positions, then there must be a secret ballot on a platform such as Survey Monkey. Unions are very strict about this.

However, if unions are not recognised in your school then I believe it's just a case of whoever wants to take on the role (and there won't be many volunteers) doing it informally. You are right to be wary of a person who likes drama, as confidentiality is essential as a rep.

My workplace (not a school) didn't have a recognised union, but I was a union member. My rep came from the union HQ, not my company.