Trade Unions
New arrangements for consultation and negotiation were introduced at the beginning of the 2016 academic year.
The Trust recognises the following trade unions:
What are Trade Unions?
Trade unions are organisations whose members are usually workers or employees. They exist to protect and further the interests of their members by negotiating over working conditions such as wages. They do this by consulting and negotiating agreements with employers to represent the views of their membership, known as collective bargaining.
Union members pay a membership fee and elect representatives to represent them on areas of common interest in the employment relationship, such as pay, and give individual advice when they have a problem at work.
What do Trade Unions do?
- Trade unions speak on behalf of their members
- Trade unions provide members with information, advice and guidance about work-related problems
- Trade unions provide members with a range of services including training, insurance, financial services and legal advice
- Trade unions campaign on particular issues, for example low pay, discrimination and bullying
Why join a Trade Union?
- They can help you if you have a problem at work
Trade union membership: your employment rights
You have the right to:
- choose to join or not join a union
- decide to leave or remain a member of a union
- belong to the union you choose, even if it’s not the one your employer negotiates with on pay, terms and conditions
- belong to more than one union
The Trust wishes to support employees with time off for trade union activities. Please see section 10 of the Leave of Absence Policy below for further detailed information.
