There may be very good reasons why 'we' are confined to just wingeing about our lot. I believe I'm right in saying that that most of us look on Cilip as our main representative. Given this, is it not strange that most of us are probably also represented either by some union or other or by a staff association. I believe that, for the following reasons, most of are reluctant to put our heads above the parapet in case we get it shot off
The problem as I see it that Cilip seems to use the fact that we are mostly unionised as an excuse not to get directly involved in the workplace. They could claim some justification for this IF we were all in the same union and had some collective weight. This is unfortunately not the case. There is the further problem that in most unions we are, especially if we have the word 'manager', 'director' etc., tagged on to our job description, looked upon with deep suspicion. In short, as a white collar workers and manager, I would not be holding my breath expecting my - non-librarian - fellow union members to turn up at the picket should I ever need them
It is my contention that we as a profession are largely unionised because Cilip (and the LA before it) refuses to get directly involved in direct workplace negotiations on pay and conditions. Personally, I'm not in a union from choice and I certainly don't want to pay what is effectively a double subscription for the dubious privilege of belonging to one, but I feel I have no choice as I don't want to be left entirely hanging in the breeze should I ever be in conflict with my employers.
I believe that we need to decide what we are . Are we professionals. If the answer to this is yes, then we should automatically assume that we have the RIGHT to remuneration at similar levels to other professionals, especially if we have gone to the trouble of Chartering. If we really are Cilip, - if WE the membership own Cilip, THIS belief in ourselves as professionals is what we need to get clear in our collective minds as a first step. I'm afraid that while our policy making body appears not to believe this and whilst it continues to behave as if direct workplace negotiations is somehow 'getting it's hands dirty' or 'behaving like a Trade Union', it will make little difference whether we 'prove' ourselves to our employers or not. On this point of 'proving' ourselves and of 'demonstrating our effectiveness in the workplace', - I do wish that Cilip members who provide tight fisted employers with ammunition by constanly harping on it would just stop!
Other professional associations seem not to have any problems with direct workplace negotiations, - why should ours?
Geraint Jones,
Islay, Scotland
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