Red Union Support Hub, your state association and TPAA
Red Union Support Hub (RUSH) is a company that provides services to your relevant state-based association and TPAA, including administrative support and funding. RUSH is authorised by subscribers to join them as members to any relevant organisations for workplace protection.
RUSH organises the subscribers' membership to a state-based association, which is part of this network of state-based associations and institutions. It is a professional association that campaigns to advance the interests of the teaching profession and its members.
RUSH organises the subscribers' membership to the Teachers' Professional Association of Australia (TPAA), an industrial association whose principal purpose is to protect and promote the interests of members in matters concerning their employment or professional engagement, including coverage under the TPAA Professional Indemnity arrangement.
The state-based associations' constitution provides the basis for a new type of organisation that focuses exclusively on protecting and promoting the workplace interests of its members.
By subscribing to RUSH and then being joined to a state-based association and TPAA you get access to workplace support, enterprise bargaining, professional indemnity protection and more.
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A 'go local' structure
The state-based association is built around each branch. It's a "ground-up" organisation rather than a "top-down" one. The Branch Executive, who you elect, will deal with all matters in your region. The branch also sends delegates to the State Convention, who elect the State Executive.
Our goal is to "go local": to put decision-making in the hands of local workers rather than a centralised bureaucracy.
Your subscription, collected by Red Union Support Hub (RUSH), also grants membership of a state-based association, TPAA and the sister organisations detailed below. That gives you access to our full suite of services.
Four components of your membership
1. A Red Union Support Hub subscription
Your subscription to RUSH grants you access to all of the services detailed here. RUSH is appointed as your agent and applies on your behalf to various other sister organisations under the "Red Union" banner, so you are joined to each one that provides your membership benefits.
2. Membership of a state-based association
A membership to a professional body run by teachers, for teachers and dedicated to the furtherment of their workplace rights.
As part of your subscription, RUSH will then apply for membership on your behalf to the state-based association and will pay for your membership fee (at no additional charge) to this organisation. As our services expand, we will also apply for membership of any relevant state-based associations that fall under the "Red Union" umbrella. All fees paid to this organisation go towards paying honorariums and expenditures of the executives of the association and are presented for audit annually at our AGM.
3. Membership of TPAA, an incorporated society in Victoria that will be an industrial association nationally
RUSH will also apply for membership to a second incorporated society registered in Victoria, VTeachers First Inc (ABN 84 500 241 935) t/a TPAA. This incorporated association will act as a sister-organisation to the state-based association and will work to protect your industrial interests. Your vital Professional Indemnity Protection is also included with this organisation.
4. Legal funding and representation
The final service provided by Red Protect is access to Red Union's network of lawyers. Red Union can fund legal representation for matters that require a lawyer, in line with its terms of service.
No one can stop you from selecting the organisation of your choice. None of your fees go to the ALP or any other political party. Our current fees are on the join page, so you can compare them with what you pay now.
Our friendly staff are always happy to answer any further queries you may have.
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The TPAA Constitution
The Teachers' Professional Association of Australia (TPAA) is an industrial association registered by Consumer Affairs Victoria (VTeachers First Inc, ABN 84 500 241 935). The constitution sets out the rules under which TPAA runs, and it is the same for every teacher member across Australia, whichever state association you also belong to.
Its constitution may be read here (PDF).
TPAA is independent of the ALP and the registered trade union movement, and none of your fees are donated to any political party.
International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions support the right of workers to organise, and to form and join trade unions of their choice. Whatever barriers are put in place, we believe the defence of your right to choose is essential.
Six things that set us apart
1. Members' interests are our first and only interests
The associations do not have a party political wing, or any other body set up which could take priority over our members' interests. Teachers' interests are our only interests.
We only support public education policy issues which benefit teachers first and foremost.
2. Party political contributions
Our constitution not only prohibits party-political financial contributions, but any future executive who attempts it will find themselves personally liable for any members' money contributed to a political party or a party political cause.
This means that members' money or resources can in practice never be used for any party political purposes.
3. Executive refreshment
Other than for the inaugural period (whilst we are developing systems and training) the State Executive, meaning the State President, Vice President and Treasurer, must change every two years. There are no jobs for life in these associations.
4. Separation of policy determination and service provision
The elected teachers' executive makes policy. The contracted service providers, who are the business people and the legal and industrial relations specialists, conduct service delivery. We keep both arms separate. Support for member issues needs to be tightly managed to keep the association financially viable.
5. Devolved branch structure
Members can form branches to better represent regional, sectional or facilitative interests. The state-based associations run from the members up, not from the top down.
Branches automatically get a share of the membership fees, with the support of their branch members. They can also raise voluntary levies of the branch members involved to help fund their specific branch interests.
The branch finances are not controlled by the state executive, but by the branch executive, so branch money is spent on what branch members want.
6. Policy developments and focus on member benefits
The constitution sets out a policy development process. It is driven by the teachers, and policy on teacher safety, bureaucrat overreach into classrooms, workplace bullying and more is already being advocated for.
Policy will continue to be developed by working and practising teacher members and will, as a result, promote what working teachers see as important.
Choose who represents you
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