Becoming a Union Official

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Daz

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Hello!

I started a similar thread on trade unionism some time ago which was very helpful, but I have a new situation to contend with. I am a college lecturerin England, and I am in the process of joining the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), which is one of the unions available to me. They have asked if I would become an official of some description at my college, to promote membership and be a point of contact for anyone having problems at work. This sounds like something I would like to do, but I am very aware of the militant leftism that pervades some unions, and I don’t want to find myself associating or promoting something I cannot support. The ATL is certainly not as militant as some, which is why I have chosen it, but I would still need to support the rights of gay/transgender etc and probably other lifestyles that I do not approve of.

Am I right in thinking that helping such people be treated fairly at work and not be discriminated against is good work? I don’t want anyone to be unhappy, and I don’t want anyone to be discriminated against, but I also don’t want to give what might be seen as tacit approval of their lifestyle choices. Can anyone provide any help or guidance?
 
I think it’s appropriate to be a union official to work for the work-related goals of the union. The union may have non-work related issues which you do not support, but you are not obligated to support something with which you do not agree, and are entitled to work to change the policies you don’t agree with.
 
Daz said:
Hello!

I started a similar thread on trade unionism some time ago which was very helpful, but I have a new situation to contend with. I am a college lecturerin England, and I am in the process of joining the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), which is one of the unions available to me. They have asked if I would become an official of some description at my college, to promote membership and be a point of contact for anyone having problems at work. This sounds like something I would like to do, but I am very aware of the militant leftism that pervades some unions, and I don’t want to find myself associating or promoting something I cannot support. The ATL is certainly not as militant as some, which is why I have chosen it, but I would still need to support the rights of gay/transgender etc and probably other lifestyles that I do not approve of.

Am I right in thinking that helping such people be treated fairly at work and not be discriminated against is good work? I don’t want anyone to be unhappy, and I don’t want anyone to be discriminated against, but I also don’t want to give what might be seen as tacit approval of their lifestyle choices. Can anyone provide any help or guidance?
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It sounds like you might be able to make a possitive impact on this group.
 
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