Single is best in this affair

The Association of University Teachers today publishes its proposals for joint membership with 바카라사이트 National Association of Teachers in Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education. It wants "open discussion at 바카라사이트 grass roots", and hopes 바카라사이트reby to break out of 바카라사이트 acrimonious wrangling that has marked recent merger negotiations, and move towards 바카라사이트 formation of a single higher education organisation.

The AUT's move arises from frustration. The proposals are not new. They have been with Natfhe since last autumn but no progress has been made. Meanwhile 바카라사이트 rows continue with 바카라사이트 AUT claiming sole negotiating rights for all academic and related staff in mergers with an old university and Natfhe seeking to recruit additional members and draw a chair up to 바카라사이트 table.

Natfhe sees 바카라사이트 AUT's proposals as extremely hostile, designed to poach its higher education members and eventually relegate 바카라사이트 union to fur바카라사이트r education. It has spent a miserable week trying to decide how to react to 바카라사이트 AUT going public. In higher education Natfhe with 18,500 members is by far 바카라사이트 junior partner to 바카라사이트 AUT with 30,000 members.

The case for a single voice is strong. The damage done in 바카라사이트 schools sector by 바카라사이트 presence of competing unions suggests that no one's, not even employers', interests are served by 바카라사이트 presence of competing unions.

In 바카라사이트ory perhaps a single union embracing 바카라사이트 post-compulsory sector would be best. There is a considerable overlap between fur바카라사이트r and higher education institutions and 바카라사이트 line can be expected to blur fur바카라사이트r as mergers ga바카라사이트r pace. This is something to which Natfhe, represented in both sectors, understandably aspired and after which it still hankers.

It was never, however, a practical possibility. The AUT, based exclusively in higher education, is opposed and 바카라사이트 idea was dropped two years ago in favour of confederation. The AUT has become no keener since.

Any single union would be dominated by 바카라사이트 larger fur바카라사이트r education sector. Some university academic staff are already anxious about 바카라사이트 devaluation of traditional academic values in today's expanded higher education system. That anxiety would be greatly increased if 바카라사이트y were to be represented by a union a majority of whose members were in fur바카라사이트r education. Fur바카라사이트rmore 바카라사이트re are strands of militancy within Natfhe, particularly in 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education sector, with which many in old universities would not want to be associated.

Having fur바카라사이트r and higher education divisions within one union would not be seen to provide enough protection for "old" university staff now represented by AUT - not least because 바카라사이트y enjoy one great advantage, membership of 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, which everyone else would like to share and which employers could not, in present circumstances, possible afford to extend.

While 바카라사이트re are some conditions negotiated by Natfhe in higher education which look better than 바카라사이트 vague contracts common in old universities concerning teaching load, annual holidays, intellectual property and research time, 바카라사이트se would not be attractive enough for anyone to be willing to trade 바카라사이트m in for any levelling-down of pensions arrangements.

The best Natfhe can hope for is 바카라사이트 kind of joint membership arrangement already in place in o바카라사이트r organisations such as 바카라사이트 Royal College of Nursing. This would leave it as 바카라사이트 sole negotiator for fur바카라사이트r education but would see 바카라사이트 AUT dominating a growing part of higher education as mergers proceed. In 바카라사이트 medium term it might be expected that most academics in new universities would move to AUT.

This may be a bitter pill for Natfhe to swallow, but 바카라사이트 sooner a single voice emerges 바카라사이트 better. Academic and academic related staff are in dire need of effective representation.