At our AGM in December 2008 we had an excellent discussion on the way forward and took the decision that our work for Professional Unity needed to reflect the fact that we are now campaigning for one education union which would aim to include all those who work in education, not just teachers. So ‘Professional Unity 2000′ has become:
UNIFY – One Education Union (Incorporating Professional Unity 2000)
One organisation would enable us to judge the mood of the whole membership i.e. virtually all the profession and act when all or nearly all are up for it. There is immense strength within this unity.
Hank Roberts, founder member of Professional Unity 2000 and member of ATL, NASUWT and NUT has campaigned tirelessly to unite the teaching unions. He has been involved in unified action against academies which has been successful. Through the coordinating work of the Anti Academies Alliance this has spread around the country. He says:
“As we face the biggest crisis those of us teaching in Britain have ever faced we need to be ever clearer on our main strategic priority. It must be to increase the unity of workers in education.”
Continue reading “Progressing Unity – the Urgent Priority” →
Alan Carr, re-elected as UCU Treasurer, is also Honorary Vice President (UCU) of UNIFY. He writes about his experiences of unity in a personal capacity.
“At the turn of the century, relations between AUT and NATFHE were so bad that I could see no possibility of significant unity – still less merger – this side of the next millennium! That’s why I was attracted to Professional Unity 2000. I hoped that we would be dragged together by what then looked like the inevitable coming together of the main school teaching unions.”
Continue reading “The Time For Unity Has Arrived” →
Bill Greenshields, Past NUT President, and founder member of PU 2000 gives a personal view on the necessity to unite to save our state education system. UNIFY is very pleased that Bill has taken on the role of Honorary NUT Vice President of UNIFY.
“The urgent need for a single education union must be clear to all. Only those who do not choose to see its importance could deny it. Unity, a single voice, acting together, solidarity – these are the very bases of trade unionism, the very foundations of success.”
Continue reading “Disunity Weakens Us” →
A view from Brian Williams, Honorary President (NASUWT) of UNIFY, and founder member of Professional Unity 2000.
“Trade Unions exist to protect and promote the rights and welfare of workers. Quite naturally workers join a union that represents employees in that particular sector. Post Office workers join CWU, Rail workers join RMT, Construction workers join UCATT – and so on. There is one union to represent workers in that sector – one voice to negotiate with employers.”
Continue reading “A Brave Step Forward” →
