1.Many years ago I was an isolated union member (ie had to put in for
my own pay rises when they were agreed for the national scale to which
I was appointed).When I needed the information to obtain the rise the
particular union was very slow. In the end I obtained the information
very promptly from the LA and, as a result, the rise.
2.I believe that it is the membership - all of us individually - who
will "make the charter respected" or not - by how professionally we
work. I would certainly like to see work being done to raise the
overall salary levels in line objectively with equivalent levels of
stress, responsibility and education/training in other occupations.
Once we have a ladder linking NVQs and ALAs it may be easier to map
across to other, say, level 4 NVQ occupations.
3.I have always found LA membership invaluable from the point of view
of networking and obtaining information. I believe these have added
value to my work.In these respects non members simply don't know what
they are missing! However, as with membership of anything else, what
you put in (investment of time as well as money) tends to be reflected
in what you get out (usefulness). About three years ago I thought it
worthwhile after a long membership as an ALA to put a portfolio
together and be assessed to become an FLA.
Note: these are my personal views and not necessarily those of the
institution for which I currently work.
Hazel Dakers
Developer, Redeployment Strategy
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
Tel 020 7412 7152
Fax 020 7412 7563
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Benefits of LA membership
Author: "Rowland; Jennifer" <[log in to unmask]> at Internet
Date: 25/05/2000 14:33
There is a big debate going on in lis-la-charter (a discussion list for
chartership candidates) at the moment about whether it is worth chartering
or even belonging to the LA at all- it seems to several participants that
the LA does not do enough to justify the fee. In particular, it is felt that
it does not do enough to ensure that salaries are at professional levels or
that chartership is respected. Do any ALAs/FLAs or those who have chosen not
to charter have any views they wold like to share here or on lis-la-charter?
Jennifer Rowland
Senior Library Assistant
Materials Department Library
Imperial College
Views expressed in e-mails are the member of staff's own and do not reflect
the position of the College.
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