Is anybody else not part of a union?

[Badgerandhedgehog]

Hello,

Not intended contentiously but having needed my Union in the last and having found the level of support very poor, I have decided (not completely but certainly leaning this way) not to continue my membership.

I am aware of alternative ways one can have legal protection without actually being part of a union and am tempted to go with this.

Any thoughts or views?

I don't think noble has been aggressive at all

Totally agree with Noble and others.

I'm sorry you feel your union wasn't supportive - I have to say not been my experience over the years, but sorry if that's what you feel, but then, why not join a different union ?

Even more so as you are unfortunate enough to now be employed by an academy, the support of a union could be invaluable to you even if you niavely think that your employees will give you pay increases and improved T&C without unions challenging them.

I'm with Voice now www.voicetheunion.org.uk having had rubbish support from a more traditional/popular Union when I really, really needed it. Personally, I wouldn't consider not being in a Union due to the ongoing challenges of working in the sector. However, I wanted to find one whose philosophy and beliefs aligned with mine (Voice members don't strike). I hope you find a solution that works for you OP.

I didn't object to the views being expressed but in the way they were expressed.

In fairness, you all know if there was a strike called for tomorrow and I was a member of a union and did not strike, you would feel the honourable course of action would be to resign my membership.

I am afraid I don't feel I have been the one intolerant to different views. The unions are all much of a muchness: have not read anything notably different between them apart from Voice not striking, so I feel the course of action with most integrity and that still offers me legal protection is not being a member of a union at all but the organisation I mentioned above.

I posted by and large to see if there was anything I had not thought of in not being a union member and to see if others felt/had done the same. I did not post to be told I am a bad person for not doing the same as noblegiraffe does :)

ATL don't strike either...

I don't think noblegiraffe was agressive in the way she stated her views either.

In fact, although your thread title and initial messages say that you are not continuing with yur membership, you are still going to be a member of a union, just not a traditional teaching Union.

I still maintain that if you intend to take advantage of the benefits the unions have fought for and won over the years, then you should be part of one of those unions.

They do. Not often but they did in 2011, I think.

I am not a member of a union - it is purely legal protection but thank you.

I have witnessed, among other issues :

• my excellent HOD, accused of 'inappropriate emailing' with a Year 11 student, being completely unsupported by her union (ATL in 2003). Police & Social Services said 'no case to answer' within 7 days. She went through hell for the 18 months it took the GTC to clear her name

• a mature NQT being completely unsupported by her Union when (grossly unfairly) threatened with failure of NQT year (NASUWT 2004)

• a colleague with 27 years' experience being demoted from highly successful HOD in favour of a flake being dropped from SLT. Union did not return her phone call (NASUWT 2013)

Anyone who believes that being a member of a teaching union gives them support & protection is seriously deluding themselves in my county.

I am no longer in a union after they were no help to me when I needed them. I felt as though I may as well have been throwing my subscription money out of the window for all those years! I will consult an employment lawyer if needed. I always felt like everyone had to be in a union but no longer do.