MAKE A POINT OF INFLUENCING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT YOU
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOINPlease fill in one of our NTEU Application Form 2012, including the authorisation for salary deduction, and return it to the Administrator at the Branch Office, Room 5, Lower Ground Floor, Geography Department. Alternatively, contact one of the members of the Executive to come and discuss how to join and how the union could serve you. WHAT DOES IT COST TO JOIN NTEU?The Union raises two subscriptions one is set at national congress level and there is provision of a Branch to set its own local subscription in addition to that. The NTEU (Rhodes) Branch's subscription, deducted from salary, is R90.00 per month. As you might expect these subscriptions change from time-to-time. One way of looking at this is to compare it with the costs of an insurance policy, which you hold in case problems arise although you don’t particularly expect them to. However, for those interested in having a say, NTEU membership offers far more scope for resolving your disciplinary, grievance, information and gains your participation, through the Branch Executive Committee activities, in deliberations than most insurance policies! |
WHY JOIN A UNION AT ALL?There are 3 main reasons:
1. Support for individuals in trouble Unions exist to serve their members, and rely on members’ subscriptions for their survival. If you have a disagreement with your boss - e.g. a Head of Department or Division - it is very helpful to have someone (a) to turn to for advice, and (b) who can join you in making representations or indeed take up a matter on your behalf if you are being unfairly treated. 2. Being represented in negotiations with our employer The employer negotiates salaries and conditions of service with the unions - in this university, NTEU and NEHAWU - as elected representatives of the staff. If you want a say in the positions your representatives are taking on your behalf, pay your subscription and join in the discussion! 3. Having a say in national level discussions The government, with a strong mandate from the voters of S. Africa, wants a coordinated national higher education system that meets the needs of the country. The Higher Education Act, with amendments, gives the national Minister of Higher Education and Training substantial powers to help him/her achieve this, and of course universities depend on national funding from the taxpayer as well as fee income from students. In July 2000 the Council on Higher Education published recommendations to the Minister on restructuring Higher Education in S. Africa. NTEU not only submitted its views on what should be done, but also participated in a meeting with, then, Minister Asmal in discussing these recommendations. The NTEU has taken a lead in organising meetings with other unions locally and internationally. We emphasize it is important that staff be fully involved in decisions affecting their futures, and watch developments closely. We have consistently pushed for a co-determinative approach so that (even if it takes a lot of time to agree) all unions are presenting a common front. The NTEU is active in making submissions on national policy on Higher Education. |
OUR NEGOTIATING STYLEOur basic stance has been one of “joint problem solving” rather than “confrontation”, as we want the University to succeed in the difficult times that face us, and feel that good working relationships amongst all categories of staff are important. Openness, and seeking a consensus solution which all will support, are important features and will give much more reliable results than procedural manoeuvring and short-term tactical approaches. We mostly use e-mail to keep our members informed of developments. Many staff members ask what happens if there is a call to strike, do I have to down tools if the issue only relates to the general staff and not my sub-sector? Well, the answer is yes, if a ballot supports a strike, but, people watching discussions at the University can see that the NTEU comes from a tradition where a primary aim in negotiations is to present a case so well argued that it is very difficult for the other side to refuse. Remember when your issues are disputed you would want the support of members from other sub-sectors to help achieve your goals. |
INVOLVEMENT IN THE ETDP SETANTEU has been awarded seats on the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) for Education, Training and Development Practices, which is responsible for overseeing the use of Skills Levy funds for staff development in schools and universities, and members of NTEU have been particularly active in SETA discussions on Learnerships and Quality Assurance, as well as in the “Levy Chamber” promoting the interests of university staff and others in the working of the SETA. We also occupy a full seat on the Board of the SETA. We will do everything we can to promote high quality programmes for staff development. |
THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES IN OUR NATIONAL CONSTITUTION
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The following appears in the Preamble Statement to the Union's Constitution
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Last Modified: Thu, 30 Aug 2018 12:39:47 SAST