- More pay and more benefits, NITO is a better solution
- If you have atechnological background and work in engineering, then you belong at NITO. convince more people to change unions or to get one if they don't already have one.
Kristel Bredahl lives in Harstad and is a subject teacher at the Fire and Rescue School. This school, with 320 students, is under the authority of the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning.
"My experience is that more people than you think can become a NITO member," she says.
"I know of colleagues, friends and acquaintances who are members of other unions because they believe they do not have enough technological background. But they would rather have a NITO membership.
NITO is Norway's largest trade union for engineers and technologists. Here are people with doctorates, civil engineers, master's and bachelor's. The common denominator is that they have a technological background and have a profession that engineers like to work in, and then are in a working community with other technologists and engineers.
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"Everyone should pay up"
Bredahl talks about people in his network who were members elsewhere and who were dissatisfied with the wage development there. And about cases where they felt that the union was not active enough in meeting them when they needed help in their employment relationship.
"As a union representative, I work every day to ensure that all members have their salaries increased and that we get good arrangements in the workplace," she says.
"I myself have needed legal help during my career, and the lawyers at NITO are very helpful. For example, I have had my employment contract reviewed when I got a new job, I got good advice quickly.
"In meetings with you who are not a member, I also tell you about all the courses and continuing education offered through NITO.
"In some cases, it may be that more competence enhancement is recommended before NITO membership is in place," says Bredahl.
"Building competence is useful for everyone anyway!
She continues: "And then there are the discount schemes, especially with NITO prices on insurance at Tryg, discounts at Fjellsport.no, Sumo, hotels and more.
"And at Nordea, you become a Premium customer with good advice and favourable mortgage rates. If you travel abroad, you can enter the airport lounge for free four times a year, if you have a credit card from Nordea," she says eagerly.
Recommends letters of recommendation
Bredahl encourages those who are in doubt about whether they can become a member to contact NITO to ask. Or preferably seek out a NITO union representative at the workplace where you work, to hear about the possibilities.
"The union representative will be able to help you and see how you can become a member, and he or she will be able to write a letter of recommendation that is attached to the registration process," she explains.
Bredahl finds that if you have a technological background and work today as if you were an engineer, but lack the formal engineering education, you may still be eligible for NITO membership.
"You may need an extra justification to be able to become a member," Bredahl explains.
She herself has written letters of recommendation for several of her colleagues, here the technological background and expertise are emphasized and the environment in which she works is told.
"It's nice to be more, and I would like to have you join NITO!"