9th March 2006, 10:36 PM
WanderingApe, I agree! Thats why I'm not a member.
I believe that the IFA acts more like a trade association like 'the dairy industry federation' or the 'federation of bakers'. Those organisations act as pressure groups for employers/businesses within their sector and attempt to regulate their own marketplaces. Businesss owners join them becaus its in their interests to have a united voice, but nobody expects the poor sods who make the cheese or knead the dough to join them (they have differnt interests from their bosses)!
But the IFA wants to be a professional institute (that the whole profession is a member of), not a trade association. That involves representing the interests of the whole profession, not just the employers but the employees as well. That means, in our particular case, that they have to take serious action over pay (in the interests of the profession as a whole).
I believe that the IFA acts more like a trade association like 'the dairy industry federation' or the 'federation of bakers'. Those organisations act as pressure groups for employers/businesses within their sector and attempt to regulate their own marketplaces. Businesss owners join them becaus its in their interests to have a united voice, but nobody expects the poor sods who make the cheese or knead the dough to join them (they have differnt interests from their bosses)!
But the IFA wants to be a professional institute (that the whole profession is a member of), not a trade association. That involves representing the interests of the whole profession, not just the employers but the employees as well. That means, in our particular case, that they have to take serious action over pay (in the interests of the profession as a whole).