Unions

[eldar]

Hello all and Happy new year!

 

With the impending doom of returning to work tomorrow, I am looking for some advice on unions -specifically do any of you belong to unions and what benefit's do you gain from being a member?

 

To give a bit of back ground, my problem is this...

I am currently employed as a Performing Arts Technician. However the college I work for has a new arts centre as it's base for the drama side of my job. This arts centre is used in the day times as a college venue and has slowly been increasing bookings for evening and weekends for a variety of shows. Due to there only being a manager who runs the centre and myself, I am being called upon to do alot of work that is outside of my job description. This is where my problem is... I am at the point of extreme frustration with the set up and I want my job role to be re-evaluated. I am aware that there is nothing 'binding' me to working outside of my job description, except I feel a responsibility to the H+S issues and other aspects that have been created through external companies wanting/using the centre. There is a need for someone to be doing the extra work and considering I have spent the last year doing alot of hard work towards things outside of the original job (it has evolved during the set up of non-college use of the building) I would like it to obviously be me. I am at the point where I am going to formally raise these issues with my management body and employer -This is where I would like a union possibly backing me. It's currently me on my own fighting battles and it's a bit scary and lonely.

 

Can anybody please offer any advice or how a union can help me. I have looked at various websites including Bectu and ABTT but I am new to the idea of being in a union and I am unsure of if or how they could help me. Especially when I am in an educational setting, although my job now crosses into both education and an entertainments venue.

 

Any advice would be appreciated,

 

eldar

[andy jackson]

Hi,

 

I would strongly advise a union, I use mine once or twice a year not just for my personal work problems but ones that affect the whole college, it just gives you a bit more clout and a say in things which affect you. if it wasnt for the union I would not have got the statutory 3% cost of living incrament and various other bits and bobs like that, I have also found that management seem to be quite intimidated by then and back down whenever their name is mentioned!

Your probably aware that ABTT isnt a union but bectu is, im currently in UNISON because my place of work recognises it as an official union and there are a hundred or so members of it at my site, it might be different for where you are.

 

www.unison.org.uk

 

Andy

[eldar]

Hi and thanks for the reply.

 

I've had a look at the Unison website and it appears that it's a choice between them and Bectu. But I'm still a little unsure of how you 'use' a union? Do I contact them and say 'Im having a problem with this or that' and then how do they back you up? On what sort of issues do they help you with and how do they do it?

 

again any advice is appreciated

 

eldar

[paulears]

I suspect you will find that Bectu can't really help.Most colleges have a policy of ONLY recognising a limited number of unions, with which they have regular contact. Unison is pretty well the only option, I'm afraid. First port of call will be the union rep. Your college will have somebody who can advise you, private and confidential. Any awkward dealing is then done via this person and should be painless to you.

 

their expansion has altered your terms and conditions of employment, and I don't think it unreasonable that they put them right. Just be aware that their interpretation of putting them right may not be what you want - as in emplying somebody else, and putting them in charge, leaving you with a worse position, but unchanged rate of pay. They may even really believe this is what you want - so you need to tell them. If you like the idea of the new role, then why not even offer yourself, with whatever hours and pay you want. If they want you, they'll negotiate. Normal practice - you just won't always be aware it goes on.

best of luck

paul

[eldar]

Just a bit of an update to this topic, in case anyone else is following it because they were also wondering the same questions as I had.

 

After some searching Unison appear to be the best union for me to try for. Bectu unfortunately would probably be not recognised by my employer because I work in education. Bectu however would have been my main choice if I worked solely for an arts venue or the like.

 

However -Unison can't help me with the problem/issues that I have simply because I'm already in the situation of needing their help/backing. I needed to be a member before encountering issues at work. (I think they quoted 13 weeks of paid up membership before I could call on them.) I'm still going to join though as I'm sure this won't be the last time that I have things that I would like their support on.

 

They did however point me towards ACAS which are a body that can help you in a similar manner to a union, but for people who don't belong to a union. And that's the point I'm at... I'm looking into how ACAS can possibly support me. I did however become rather empowered/confident and have had a meeting with a director/ assistant principle to discuss the issues that I have. So I have started the ball rolling towards getting the problems looked at. If they get sorted to my satisfaction remains to be seen but I have at least brought issues up and have asked to be part of the process to sort them.

 

I hope this may help others who are in similar positions

 

eldar

[TeeJay]

Eldar,

 

good to hear that you are taking charge. Keep letting us know what happens.

 

I must admit, I thought ACAS was a facilitator for union talks - I was not aware that they had non-union ties as it well