In order to stimulate discussion on LIS-CILIP, CILIP Councillor Tony McSean explains why he supports the subscriptions reform proposals.  (In a parallel posting, J Eric Davies opposes them.)

Why CILIP must move to a flat-rate subscription

Why change?

Under the present system, calculating and collecting our annual subscriptions is a cumbersome, labour-intensive business.  Every year we accidentally shed several thousand members and lose thousands in income.  CILIP's membership department works flat out to reconnect with members who have lapsed through accident or inertia and are unable to run the proper recruitment campaigns needed to boost our membership within the traditional library world and beyond.

The proposal

What you are being asked to vote on is a recommendation that we adopt a flat rate subscription system, with reduced rates for low-paid members to ensure no-one faces a substantial increase because of this change.  

The evidence

Almost every other professional association manages its subscriptions in this way, with members and staff enjoying a hugely reduced administrative burden and the benefits of automatic renewal.  Since the BMA abandoned salary-related subscriptions 20 years ago the reduced costs and steady growth in income have transformed its finances and the same is true of other comparable bodies. 

The alternative

If we persist with the present procedures, we will see the continuing year-on-year decline of member numbers and membership income.  As is made clear on the ballot, a NO vote is a vote for higher subscriptions for everyone because of the bureaucracy and lower numbers that will follow from rejecting this proposal.

Practicalities

CILIP's renewal round is a convoluted process, made all the worse for being imposed on the pre-Christmas whirl.  Complex forms, multiple checking, errors and queries to be chased up, all overlaid with data protection and cash handling problems. Under the proposed arrangements, flat rate payments will allow direct debit payments to become the norm and will provide automatic renewal for the great majority of us. We would not put up with this level of avoidable complexity in our own working lives, and we should not put up with it in CILIP.

Low pay

Many CILIP members are low-paid, and the new system takes account of this.  The proposal retains low subscriptions for members earning less than £17,000.  Why £17,000?   Because this is the level that gives the fairest outcome.  The 44% of members who earn between £17,001 and £22,000 and pay £144-£156 (at the undiscounted rate) under the present system will pay £150 at the full rate or £138 at the discounted rate (at 2004 prices) under the new system when fully implemented in 2008.  Increasing the threshold above £17,000 would exclude so many from the flat rate that the whole scheme would lose viability because there would be no savings.

To conclude

This proposal has been carefully worked through.  It is financially and operationally sound - prudent, even - and as the comparative tables show it will not result in our lowest-paid colleagues having to face big rises in their subscriptions.  It has been endorsed unanimously by CILIP's Board and overwhelmingly by Council and is important.  Please return your ballot paper as soon as you receive it, and vote YES for lower subscription rates and more money for CILIP to spend on useful things.

Tony McSeán
CILIP Councillor and member of the Membership Recruitment & Retention Panel, which developed the flat rate subscription proposal.