No ‘dinosaurs’ at pragmatic union in great position

In his final interview before retiring as General Secretary of Voice, Philip Parkin told TES that he was happy to be leaving his union in a "great position":

"Some of the (other unions) are probably more dinosaurs than we are. We are quite a pragmatic union. We like it when the government has ideas when they are reasonable ideas. We don’t object for the sake of it.

"We know we are never going to be a big union. That's not our aim. Our aim is to provide a home for like-minded teachers" [and the whole team of education and childcare professionals].

A former NUT rep who joined Voice in 1978 after he was asked to take part in industrial action that he felt was "completely unjustified", Philip also told the TES that he thought that that the majority of teachers had no interest in industrial action:

"I just don't detect an appetite out there among teachers for any action.

"If they [NUT and NASUWT] couldn't get a bigger response last year, they are unlikely to get one this year. And I am not aware that the NASUWT's ongoing non-strike action is having much impact."

Further information on Voice is available on the website.

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Best wishes to Philip from everyone at Voice.