Facing the future in a hostile environment

Federation needs to improve recruitment and activism. BARRY JOHNSON examines the options to achieve this.

Delegates to the Annual Conference 2004 carried a resolution entitled "Recruitment and Activism and the Future of the Union". This decision included models for changing the timing and frequency of meetings of Federation Council and Conference. February Council 2005 authorised the distribution of documents for discussion of these matters by members at association meetings. The documents provide information as to what rule changes would need to be made at Annual Conference in 2005 if certain changes canvassed in the Annual Conference decisions from 2004 are to be implemented. There are essentially three models for members to discuss.

Model 1 proposes that:

• the Annual Conference be replaced by a biennial conference. (The size of the Conference would be larger in order to increase participation of grass-roots activists at the major policy making forum of Federation);
• further, in the year of a biennial conference, there would be six meetings of Federation Council; and
• in other years there would be eight meetings of the Federation Council.

Model 3 would see the continuation of an Annual Conference and eight meetings of the Federation Council each year.

Federation has to recruit members to remain viable. Over the next few years, many existing members will leave the teaching service and the union. Recruitment strategies are already under development and some are currently being implemented.

Federation must also involve new members in the activities of the union. Over the years, new and innovative ways to communicate with members have been developed and implemented. We are no longer simply involving members through set formal meetings and the sending out of our decisions on paper. The rate of change of communications with and involvement of members is accelerating.

The Annual Conference decision of 2004 noted many programs currently in place which have provided diverse pathways for members and potential members to become involved with their union: beginning teachers conferences; professional forums; professional conferences; expanded TUT courses for new teachers; expanded TUT courses for Federation Representatives and Women Contacts; expanded TUT courses for activists;campaign courses for new educators; skills courses for association presidents, secretaries and treasurers; a trainee teacher scholarship scheme; and a country conference.

In the areas of recruitment and activism much yet is to be done.

The Conference listed some 26 initiatives which require further exploration and stated unequivocally: "Conference further notes that such initiatives require input by the members and funding by the Federation. Conference recognises that such activities cannot simply be further additions to what the union and its activist members currently undertake."

Of the 26 initiatives, some are already under development or are operational. The others are either yet to be addressed; are dormant, having been previously or partially addressed; or not even in the development stage at this time.

The changes being proposed for discussion to the cycle of formal meetings of Conference and Council should not be seen in a vacuum. Conference has been changed in the past in relation to the number of delegates and its timing in the school year. The number of Council meetings has been changed several times over the years, the last being a change to two Council meetings per term when the four term year was introduced. The format of Council business has also changed considerably over the years.

The changes now being proposed should be seen in the context of what has already been done and what is yet to come. The diversification of pathways for members to access their union, as indicated earlier, has been underway for some years. It will and must be continued.

Further, the current Officers' structure will be examined in 2006 with a view to make appropriate changes for the ensuing triennium.

Federation must continue to develop and implement other initiatives to ensure this union reaches out to its members so that collectively we can protect and enhance working conditions and make certain that public education remains strong and vital. These goals cannot be achieved by simply doing what we have done in the past and by adding on some further initiatives. We must start to set the platform which will take the Teachers Federation through the next few difficult years, in what will be an increasingly hostile environment to unions, if we are to ensure these goals are achieved.

Barry Johnson is the General Secretary.

For further information

March 2005 contents