EC Meeting Papers March 2018

 Ensure that our members have representation and ‘Voice’ in the workplace  Ensure and protect pay and conditions and health and safety in the workplace  Develop fresh ways to engage with members, through partnership, organising and learning opportunities

 Work collaboratively with other unions when and where we can  work to influence the contours of the future education landscape.

The expertise that unions can bring to resolving workplace disputes, and their willingness to seek and negotiate solutions during the recent recession and large scale industrial closures, all show that unions have an opportunity to play a constructive role in finding partnered solutions to labour market challenges in the future.

Voice recognises the benefit and value of affiliation with GFTU and the contribution affiliation can make to our strategy to proactively grow in size, strength and influence.

Value of Voice affiliation to the GFTU

As education union, Voice brings, by the nature of its work with other education and childcare stakeholders and government, a broader perspective of education and childcare. We can contribute a further layer of evidence of the impact of wider government policy at school, FE, HE and early education and childcare settings, and to the education and childcare workforce, to support other affiliate unions in negotiations with government and stakeholders. Affiliation of Voice to GFTU therefore provides further opportunity of affiliates to collaborate, in partnership, providing a further conduit to government and other relevant stakeholders, potentially widening the scope of influence for GFTU and its affiliate unions.

Voice would also be willing to consider further partnership opportunities to explore how unions can maximise resource through collaboration.

Curriculum change, its impact on career, occupation and employment aspirations of students all have a wider impact on the future workforce, industrial and commercial success of the country. All of which is of interest and importance to unions and their membership and therefore Voice, can add value to the work of other affiliates from the education and childcare perspective.

It is on this basis, and with this understanding, that we submit our application for affiliation. It is time for Voice to take its proper places within the wider trade union family.

Enclosures:

Voice Rules and Appendices (rules revisions are pending)

Voice accounts year 2016

Voice AR21 December 2016