association of teachers and lecturers

ATL is the union for teachers which also accepts support staff.

other unions are available!!!
I must echo Cindys post - all staff should be in a union

I've been with ATL for 3 years, they are absolutely fantastic.

well I think so but may be biased as am on the wakefield branch committee

I'm with ATL as well and they have been very informative and were brilliant support when dealing with a violent pupil at work. Have not had much turn to use them and you hope you never have to... but knowing they are there is a massive bonus. I think doing the jobs we do you have to be in a union now.... i just wish i'd known about a union when i worked in the day nurseries!

I am in ATL, Peter Morris is very helpful, he is a full time official for support staff in London.

yes he is helpful and he has put up with my emails on a number off occasions

i'm with unison are they any good? i've never had any reason to use them but was encouraged by colleagues to join the union. have only seen the outside union representative once about a year ago talking about single status, i think. at work we used to have a union representative but not sure whether she's still doing it! with all the money i've paid in i should really know abit more than that!

Yes, you should be in a union most definitely. not because of any militant reason, but for your protection in school.
I was with Unison for 30 odd years and when I and colleagues needed them they didnt help. However that is only one case, there may be many they have helped with. But it did make me resign. x x

oh wow Jayne lovely avatar!!!!!

Unison seems to be the union which most support staff belong to - I didnt want to join them because they arent just a teaching union and they seem quite militant which is not me at all

wow lady Jayne, that sounds serious!
maybe i should start looking elsewhere, i will look into ATL and let you know what i think and if i change

I have been with Unison since they started - we were all transferred from another Union, was it NALGO??? I haven't personally had to use them, but have known several people who have. They were very helpful in a 'serious' event (where a colleague was the subject of horrific accusations from a parent) - but that's a rare occasion, thankfully - but have been no help at all in the many more mundane queries re pensions, hours, jds, etc. I also don't like how militant they are, it's just not me. Have been thinking of a change for a long time and will look into ATL - will let you know if I do it!

have a look at all the unions you could be in -as I say I'm biased but other unions may be as good