Bit of context:
NUT has c100 000 members. How many were in the conference? 500?
In my school, I regularly throw out all the union bumph after about a month- unopened.
In 2003, 35000 votes were cast on an issue; 86% were in favour of boycotting the tests (in England), and that number couldn't swing the action.
The current pay ballot is by no means certain to win.
The people on the telly ARE NOT representitive of 'Joe Teacher': none of my staff wear sandals, are gay or lesbian by trade, and are by no means lefties.
CG
(who's helping this story live way past its chip paper threshold.)