Teachers vote to affiliate with proposed C.T.U.

Press, 30 August 1985, Page 4

Teachers vote to affiliate with proposed C.T.U.

PA Wellington Secondary schoolteachers yesterday became the first big union of State employees to vote for affiliation with the proposed Council of Trade Unions.

The Post-Primary Teachers’ Association voted overwhelmingly, 110-8, in favour of joining. Some delegates to the association’s annual conference expressed reservations that their association would be swamped by the C.T.U. but the junior vice-presi-dent, Mr Peter Allen, said

those doubts were unfounded.

The P.P.T.A., already one of the large affiliates of the Combined State Unions, would still be in the “big 10” of the C.T.U. structure, he said.

The P.P.T.A. initial concern on joining the C.T.U. was over membership participation, he said. This worry had been overcome with the increase in C.T.U. regions from six to 22 or 23.

“We can play an active part in this new organisation,” he said. Mr Allen said the C.T.U. draft constitution ruled out

the affiliation of any political party, he also discounted fears that the P.P.T.A. might be called out regularly on industrial action, and said the association’s obligations would be no different from those already in force with Combined State Unions affiliation.

The decision to join, greeted with applause, is expected to cost P.P.T.A. members $2.50 a year, compared with their present C.S.U. levy of about 57c a member.

A call from one delegate for a referendum on C.T.U. membership was lost.