PROTECT YOUR CAREER JOIN TUI TODAY

WHY JOIN TUI?CONGRESS 2008 AUTHORISED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEETO CARRY OUT A VIGOROUS NATIONWIDE RECRUITMENTCAMPAIGN. OUR AIM IS TO INCREASE OUR MEMBERSHIPAMONGST NEW RECRUITS TO TEACHING AND LECTURINGAND ALSO THOSE WHO FOR VARIOUS REASONS DID NOTJOIN TUI WHEN THEY STARTED TEACHING.Even though TUI is a growing and vibrant union there is no room for complacency: if weallow our numbers to decline our influence and our capacity to represent our membersdeclines. The strength of the union, especially in negotiating with employers and with thegovernment lies in the fact that we represents and speak with authority for a significantnumber of employees.In common with all trade unions, TUI’s core purpose is to protect our members’ conditionsof employment. The circular letters, agreements and directives that determine our payand conditions as well as ensuring the best possible quality of education provision for ourstudents have been hard won, they are not the gift of a benign management. They are theproduct of hard fought campaigns by the membership and of skilful negotiating and bargainingby the leadership of the union over many years. We need a strong union both at local andnational level, to safeguard the gains made by our predecessors and to improve further ourconditions of employment.The decision of the Executive Committee to invite literacy tutors and research staff in theInstitutes of Technology to join the union is to be welcomed. Our willingness to recruit andrepresent teachers and lecturers from diverse sectors of the public education system inIreland has been one of the cornerstones of our success. Representing members workingin these areas allows us to influence education provision in a wide sphere and enables thegeneration of the resources necessary to provide a quality service to all our members.However the current recruitment drive is focussed on recruiting new or reluctant teachersand lecturers as much as on widening our representative base.I encourage every new entrant to the teaching and lecturing profession and those who forvarious reasons have not yet become members to join TUI immediately. The main benefitof being a member of TUI is in knowing that in times of need there is a great wealth ofexpertise and experience available to each individual member of the union and also knowingthat the support of your union colleagues is always there if needed. Thousands have benefiteddirectly from membership of TUI but un-associated teachers and lecturers leave themselvesextremely vulnerable should a complication of any kind arise within their professional lives.Membership of TUI offers you protection. It also makes you part of a strong coherentnational voice promoting the profession as a whole.Don Ryan,President,TUI