Membership Services
REPORT 2001

Membership steady but we all must recruit to keep us strong

After an increase of 700 last year, membership has levelled out this year. But in a climate where change is constant and services are controlled by budget demands we should be increasing membership.

The increase in Associated Bodies and decrease in the Finance Department are due to the transfer of the IT services to BT. The decrease in Corporate Services is largely due to the reduction in catering and cleaning staff. Housing's drop is partly explained by vacancies and slow turnover.

We must all get into the habit of approaching new employees and existing non-union staff to join. Ask them if they are aware who negotiates their pay rises, their working hours, their leave provisions, their safety at work etc etc and are they aware it costs money to provide a union organisation which is effective. We will go anywhere at any time to discuss membership. If you want us to attend your workplace contact the branch office.

While representing members will always be the main role of the union, members do get many other benefits. Discount on mortgages, all types of insurance, holidays, legal and other services (see Members Benefits) are just some of the offers open to members. If you know any company or service provider who may wish to consider offering discount to union members please advise us at the Branch Office.

The most important thing in the next year is that we all accept a responsibility to bring more members unto the union.The more members we have, the stronger we are in negotiations and protecting individual members.

TOM McLEOD
Recruitment/ Membership Services Officer

 

Membership Figures
at 31 December 2001

 Department  31.12.2000  31.12.2001  Var
 Associated Bodies 120  224  +104
 Career Development 93  118 +25
 City Development 592  553  -39
 Corporate Services 844 747  -97
Edinburgh Leisure 283 264 -19
 Education  1375  1418  +45
 Envt & Cons. Services  312  321 +9
 Finance 424  336  -86 
 Further Education  427  434  +7
 Housing 634 631 -3 
 Recreation   514 559  -72
 Social Work 3024  2913  -111 
 Valuation Joint Board 132  131  -1 
 Voluntary Sector 642    680  -126 
 Unallocated 15   6  -9 
 TOTAL 9,426 9,144  * -688
  Student 3   5  +2
 Unemployed 27   37  +10
 Retired Members 727  739  +12
  10,183  9,925  -258 

Recruited 1/1/01 - 31/12/01 = 693 Officially resigned = 83
* See notes in the report on above.

Audit for proportionality and fair representation

Proportionality is slowly progressing with improvements in many areas but slippage in others. The figures still demonstrate the need to encourage more women members - and more young members to take an active part in their union. The branch is commissioning a study to give us more ideas how to achieve this.

The figures are clouded by the department breakdown, eg places left vacant if there is no woman and a two delegate dept meets proportionality by having 50%.

Figures in brackets show 2000 figures

1. Women

 Branch  Branch Ctte  Officers  Stewards
 66% (66)  50% (33) 35% (31) 42% (34)


2. Branch Committee breakdown

Women, Manual & Craft and APT&C (and CO) breakdown at 31/12/01.

a) Women on dept. delegations
NOTE: (2) denotes only two delegates.

 Department  Should be  Actual
 Associated Bodies 50% (65%)  No reps.
 Careers (1) 76% (75%) No reps.
 City Development 24% (25%) 33%(50%)
Corporate Services 67% (68%) 75%(0%)
 Edinburgh Leisure 48% (50%) 0% (0%)
 Education 77% (75%) 50%(33%)
 Env & Consumer 28% (29%) 0% (33%)
 Finance 65% (60%) 50%(0%)
 Further Education  62% (62%)  No reps
 Housing 47% (47%)  50%(50%)
 Recreation 55% (52%) 100%(25%)
 Social Work 80% (81%) 66%(21%)
Valuation  Joint Bd 48% (48%) 75%(50%)
Voluntary Sector 73% (75%) 75%(60%)

b) Manual/Craft on dept. delegations

 Department  Should be  Actual
 Associated Bodies  10% (18%)  No Reps.
 City Development 18% (19%) 33% (0%)
 Corporate Services 44% (46%) 25% (0%)
 Edinburgh Leisure 25% (35%) 33% (0%)
 Education 3% (16%) 0% (17%)
 Env & Consumer 34% (29%) 100% (33%)
 Finance 0% (0%)    0% (0%)
 Housing 8% (63%) 0% (0%)
 Recreation 20% (27%) 0%(25%)
 Social Work 27% (29%) 26% (14%)
 Valuation Joint Board  0% (0%)  0% (0%)
 Voluntary Sector 4% (4%) 0% (0%)

c) Manual & Craft breakdown

% of Branch Membership = 21% (24%)

% of Branch Committee = 15% (13%) (Conditions drift should be noted with Manual jobs being regraded to APT&C)

d) Women on Manual/Craft delegations

% of Women in MC membership = 61% (61%)

% of Women among Manual & Craft delegates to Branch Committee = 50% (6%)

e) APT&C (and CO) breakdown

% of Branch Membership = 78% (76%)

% of Branch Committee = 85% (87%)

f) % Women on APT&C delegations

% of Women in APT&C members = 66% (66%)

% of Women among APT&C delegates to Branch Committee= 43% (37%)

Conditions breakdowns show the percentages where conditions are known. There are a large number of members, especially in Associated and other bodies where the conditions category is not clear. There are members where gender is not recorded. Stewards breakdown by conditions not available. Machinery not yet in place to identify shift workers, disabled, lesbian or gay, or black members. Part time and job share figures are unreliable

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