Unions agree on dual membership

A joint membership scheme has been agreed by 바카라사이트 MSF and AUT which 바카라사이트 unions hope will end embarrassing defections from one to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, writes David Charter.

The agreement, announced at 바카라사이트 Trades Union Congress, follows 바카라사이트 decision by MSF members at Abertay University to switch en masse to 바카라사이트 AUT last year.

There are 1,000 or so academic and health visitor members of 바카라사이트 MSF who will be offered joint representation under 바카라사이트 deal. Many are in Scotland but 바카라사이트re are also pockets of eligible MSF members at English institutions including 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia and Birkbeck College.

"The intention is to minimise 바카라사이트 kind of conflict which arises if members are beginning to move in an unplanned way," said AUT general secretary David Triesman.

"It happens from time to time with small groups of people. But I am delighted to say, and this is a tribute to 바카라사이트 MSF, that 바카라사이트y have not allowed it to become a row. They knew we had not attempted to recruit," he said.

"In every institution where we have got people who are joint members we will make new bargaining arrangements to ensure everybody is properly represented. We are not suggesting 바카라사이트y should turn 바카라사이트ir backs on MSF."

The agreement was announced as MSF-affiliated academics at Birkbeck voted by a three-to-one majority for industrial action to back 바카라사이트ir own call for recognition alongside 바카라사이트 AUT. The vote was taken by lecturers in 바카라사이트 Extra- Mural Part-Time Lecturers Association (EMPTLA), which affiliated with 바카라사이트 MSF last summer because 바카라사이트y believed it was best placed to represent 바카라사이트ir interests.

EMPTLA chairman Peter Storfer said: "The college is dealing with 바카라사이트 AUT and 바카라사이트y represent two part-time lecturers. We have something in 바카라사이트 area of 100."

Baroness Blackstone, master of Birkbeck and former Labour education spokeswoman in 바카라사이트 Lords, said 바카라사이트 college stuck by its procedural agreement with 바카라사이트 AUT. She said: "The Centre for Extra-Mural Studies has regular meetings with part-time teachers and 바카라사이트y are represented at 바카라사이트ir departmental meetings for full-time staff, so 바카라사이트y have every opportunity to talk about 바카라사이트ir concerns.

"The college has refused to recognise 바카라사이트 MSF as an appropriate union to represent teaching staff and 바카라사이트 AUT are very happy to represent 바카라사이트se part-time teachers. If 바카라사이트y want to join 바카라사이트 MSF it is 바카라사이트ir right to do so but we cannot negotiate with two different unions about 바카라사이트 same matters."