Annual report AOb: 2019 was a successful campaign year
Two large campaigns and a growth of more than 850 members: 2019 was a successful year for it de Algemene Onderwijsbond. The actions made great demands on the union's resistance fund, according to the 2019 annual report, but it can cope with long-term struggle for better pay and less work pressure.
The year 2019 was another action year. On the - memorable - March 15, all education went down. No less than 40 activists from all sectors came to a muddy Malieveld to show how disastrous the failure to invest in education is turning out.
In the autumn, on November 6, schools for primary and secondary education closed again. There were manifestations all over the country. It generated a great deal of attention in both national and regional media for the need to invest in education. The turnout was high due to the enormous efforts of executives and work organization.
CLA
Meanwhile, the rest of the AOborganization and we reached an agreement at the end of 2019 a new collective labor agreement in primary education, our largest sector. In it, a salary increase of 4,5 percent and a bonus for the teaching staff were agreed. We also agreed the job descriptions for educational supporters and school principals.
De AOb now also represents employees at universities and research institutions: we are active from primary education to university.
Member development
In 2019 the AOb has grown: a total of 863 members were added in the current financial year. On the first day of 2020, another 1.573 members were added as a result of the merger with the Vawo, the Trade Union for Science. This started the AOb on January 1, 2020 with 84.064 members. The AOb therefore now also represents employees at universities and research institutions: we are active from primary education to university.
Compared to the trend in union membership development, the AOb positively above that for years. In the period 2003-2011, the membership numbers of all unions together remained more or less stable, but the AOb grew. In the period 2012-2019, membership numbers remained at AOb stable with ups and downs, while all unions together fell sharply.
Strike costs
The total cost for the AOb of the various actions amounted to 2019 million euros in 1,3, two-thirds being accounted for by the resistance reserve of the AOb and one third for the joint resistance reserve of the FNV. The AOb is financially healthy: our resistance fund can cope with long-term struggle for better pay and less work pressure.
Communication
The union's online communication was further strengthened in 2019. The website and newsletters remain an important means of sharing information and news with (potential) members. To reach a wider audience, we advertise and share messages on social media. So is the AOb active on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook en Instagram.
For the latter two social media, videos and vlogs were made for the first time this year, with the intention of being even closer to the members and communicating in an accessible way.
CLA specials for MBO and HBO have been published in the Education Magazine. The information and advice section of the magazine has been expanded. Two articles were also nominated for the National Prize for Educational Journalism.
The legal service of the AOb was successful in 2019 with a campaign for future mothers who work in secondary education.
President
A downer to the year was the covenant concluded on 1 November between unions, employers' organizations and the minister. This caused great anger among the members and several hundred canceled their membership. Chairman Liesbeth Verheggen resigned as a result.
Phone calls
35.198 phone calls were handled by the employees and executives of the Information and Advice Center (IAC). Most of the phone calls were about actions in primary and secondary education. In addition, the task policy in the CAO was a subject about which many questions were asked.
Legal Service
The legal service of the AOb was successful in 2019 with a campaign for future mothers who work in secondary education. If their maternity or maternity leave falls during a school holiday, they must now be compensated.
