David Markle over at Japan Probe has a pretty good rundown on how the General Union is not doing much in the Nova crisis, plus an analysis of the union itself. It gets deeper into the nature of the union than I have seen in my two experiences observing the NUGW (once at a workplace in the 90’s, and recently at a school associated with my workplace), but generally confirms what I have seen.

In a previous article on the Nova situation, I left a long comment on the union and its worth, in response to a mention of the union in the article. In short, the NUGW can be an albatross for a workplace, doing far more bad than good. They immediately turn the negotiating situation into an acrimonious one, make ludicrous demands, and grandstand as much if not more for their own high profile than for the good of the teachers. In the end, they leave the workplace more tense, restricted, and distrustful–and usually accomplish little or nothing at all for the teachers. In short, the union is good for little unless you’re really at the end of your rope with your employer.

If you’re interested in getting a better idea of what the union does and what it’s like, read both linked articles and their comments.