Union partnership

The largest teaching union, the NUT, and the University and College Union last month launched a partnership to “avoid competitive trade unionism” and “maximise the voice of teachers and lecturers”.

The unions together represent nearly half a million members, and will be watched with interest by the NASUWT and ATL teaching unions. They have in the past rejected NUT advances towards forming a single teaching union.

Meanwhile, delegates at the conference of communications union Connect have endorsed leadership proposals to merge with the Prospect specialists’ union. If a Connect membership ballot confirms the decision, the unions expect to merge by the end of 2009.