Information for members 

A union is an organised group of workers who collectively use their strength to raise issues and have a voice in the workplace. The most important strength of a union is its members, and that members participate in building that strength by supporting each other is one of the most important tenets of unionism.

Instead of an individual representing yourself, the union acts as a collective body of workers representing your best interests and the interests of other workers.

Keep in mind that union staff are not the union - union members are. Union staff are in place to assist members in recognising their strength as part of a collective and provide tools to enable members to act for positive change in our workplaces and our communities. This is where the strength and power of a union truly lies.

Being a union member also gives you access to advice and support from experts and workplace representatives (WPRs). Should you ever get into trouble at work, union membership means that there is someone there to help and provide you with knowledgeable and professional advice.

Using the collective strength and influence of each other, union members have helped improve working conditions and won important changes for people in the workforce including annual leave, workers compensation, parental leave, superannuation, and sick pay.

As a union member you are never alone when trouble strikes - your membership gives you access to expert workplace advice and support.

Here are some examples of how you can be supported as a union member:

• If you are called to attend a meeting with a supervisor or manager about a work issue, you have the right to bring along a support person. On request, your Workplace Rep (WPR) or another union representative might go with you to the meeting to ensure you are treated respectfully and fairly.

• You can register a work issue online through the Help@Work pages in the NTEU Member Portal. Your issue will be assessed by our Member Services team and potentially passed onto a member of the union industrial team if deemed to be an industrial issue.

• If you want to bring a matter to your management's attention and need some advice about framing your issue, you can contact a WPR. They will also have access to the union's workplace experts for advice. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, your union may escalate the matter to involve an Industrial Officer and/or a member of the legal team for assessment. For example, in the case of underpayments/wage theft, your union may investigate to see whether the issue is more widespread and take the matter to the Fair Work Commission or pursue the matter in the courts to ensure all staff are paid correctly.

• With recent changes to workplace legislation in WA, your union also has more provision for tackling psychosocial threats in the workplace, such as bullying and harassment, unsafe workloads and insecure work. Unions have always agitated for members who find themselves targeted by these unacceptable behaviours.

The NTEU as the union for tertiary workers is the vehicle for workers to support each other and to work together to improve their working lives.

Nominated union members negotiate pay increases and key working conditions, support each other when problems arise in the workplace, and lobby for changes that will benefit workers.

Members pay fees to the NTEU which collectively allows them to employ expert staff to provide training and support to allow members to build a stronger union.

Paid union staff also assist with industrial issues, workplace campaigns and support for members.

We're so glad you asked!

There are many ways to get more active as a union member from having a conversation with your workmates about why you're a member to volunteering for branch activities. Depending on how much time you want to give, there are often call-outs to members for assistance with campaigns. Activities can range from handing out flyers on campus or putting up posters in your area. You can sign up to be a Workplace Rep or find out more about becoming a branch committee member or an elected official of your Branch.

One of the easiest ways to learn more is to contact one of your Workplace Reps or your Branch Organiser - you can find details on your Branch's About page. There are also Branch Questionnaires in each Branch's section - fill it in and someone from the Branch will contact you!

Easy!

While we understand that circumstances can change, before you resign, we'd love you to contact us to talk it over. Contact your branch and have a conversation with your branch organiser (you can find them on the About page for each branch. Sometimes an issue you have can get sorted through a quick chat. One of the most common reasons (understandably, in this financial climate) is that members think they can no longer afford to stay a member. Our response to that would be that you can't afford to not be a member. Union membership is a strong safety net for you at work and from a purely financial standpoint, if you make use of the many savings opportunities of membership, including through Member Advantage and remembering that your union fees are fully tax-deductible, your membership contributions can be completely off-set over the course of a year, if not make you back money.

However, it is absolutely your decision so if you need to resign, please follow these steps: Complete the online resignation form to cancel your membership (you will need to login to the Member Portal) or send an email to membership@nteu.org.au including the following information:

• Your membership details

• If possible, the reason for your resignation

• Your feedback and experience of being a NTEU member

If you are retiring of leaving the sector but want to stay connected, there is an Associate membership option which keeps you in touch with union news and events.