Unions

[hels71]

Quick question, are head teachers allowed to insist you tell them if you belong to a union and if so which one??

I don't know... I don't think you would have to tell them, but wait for others who will know.

They can't ask you if you are going to strike and you don't need to tell them. This must be their way around it.

I'm sure the answer must be no, but I'm hesitant...

No and no. Speak to your workplace rep if your head is trying to bullying you into revealing this. They can have a word to explain it has been raised and they are not to insist on this information, just in case your head genuinely doesn't know better.

I am struggling to understand why you might want to hide it? Huge numbers of teachers are unionised - it's highly recommended from the day you start training. Is there a bigger issue?

Are you in primary?

Yes primary. I have no reason to hide which union I am in, but the e mail that I received from work today telling me I had to say if I was in a union and which one and to.reply asap just got my back up and I wondered if this was something I had to tell them....

The unions have to give headteachers only 7 days notice of their strike and the number, but not who is striking. So perhaps (I'm thinking charitably) your head teacher is trying to work out who is likely to be striking in the upcoming NUT strike so they decide what action they need to take.

When striking members of a union do not individually have to tell their head they intend to strike, instead members of the union who are not striking inform the head of this. Therefore I can only assume heads do need to know which Union you are in. Heads are not supposed to ask you if you are striking.

Your employer doesn't have any right to know and that is why some employees choose to pay by Direct Debit direct to their union, instead of having the payment come out of their salary.