Indeed. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy affords one example of a body
that has functioned as a trade union AND as a professional organisation with
royal charter etc. etc. without undue neurosis.
Keith M C O'Sullivan
Canterbury Cathedral Library
-----Original Message-----
From: jones, geraint [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 16 January 2004 11:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: LIS gazette: Watson
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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