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Posted By David J.
Got my renewal for membership £100.00 seems a steep increase since last year. Can anyone tell me what I get for this increase as it seems to me, other than the magazine and a card saying I am a member, we up here in the frozen north get little in return. Courses in Leicester aren’t really that accessible. O and this Royal carter has really made a difference. I am sure my employer, in recognition will give me a 20% increase in salary. Inline with IOSH inflation
cheers.
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Posted By Roger the Dodger
My thoughts as well
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Posted By JJ
I was going to make a posting on just this subject but David has beaten me to it.
Hear hear David !
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Posted By anna salamone
Fair enough, but what about the added extra's like legal and technical advice when you need them. It can be useful when you need these services in a hurry.
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Posted By Hazel Harvey
David,
You should refer back to the November 2003 issue of the SHP when a full explanation of the proposed rises to IOSH subscriptions was made. (I believe it was also on the IOSH web-site at the time). The rises were agreed by Council following a period of several years when no increases to subscription were made and were made to bring the fees back into line with what they would have been had inflationary rises been implemented each year. It also now includes free CPD administration and membership of one specialist group.
Although it is a substantial rise it would be fair to say the IOSH subs are still well below the rates charges by other chartered professional bodies (I suggest you have a look at some other bodies web-sites if you want to confirm this).
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Posted By JULIE SANDERS
here, here
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Posted By Paul Adams
An increase of 54% Worth?
Must admit that cost of membership is quite reasonable, but an increase of 54% must be hard to justify. Will we see a proportional increase in services to members?
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Posted By George Wedgwood
Don't forget YOUR Council agreed this increase! Have you spoken to a Council member and asked why? If IOSH has to continue doing what its Council want it to do - and Council is elected by its Members like you - then it has to have a planned income. Ony a small proportion of that can be 'extracted' from Membership Fees as fortunately, IOSH Services, through things like training courses, books, etc., provides the lion's share. Without that, your IOSH would not have a presence, and the Membership Fee would only provide a Membership Card and poor quality Magazine! get real and try and understand a little ablout what it takes to grow an organisation like IOSH and why so many Members are actually happy to vote for more of the same progress - clyping is fine but try and find out more about it first - read the Website pages and much will be revealed, or ask for a copy of the relevant Council minute on fees from one of the Council members - you will then realise it is a fine balancing act! but, at the end of the day, if IOSH does not provide you with the right kind of professional arena, networking, support, advice, voice, international influence, value for money, etc. etc. just pack it in!
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Posted By Nick Egan
I agree whole-heartedly. this must be 6 or 7 times the rate of inflation! How can IOSH justify such a rise? Would someone from HQ please respond.
The NOS earnings survey shows that most of our profession are in lower to middle management and earnings accordingly are only slightly above the national average.
I would like to see IOSH doing a lot more to get the profession properly recognised and rewarded by employers. Their "Supply-side" engineering (qualifications & cost of membership) of demand will probably just make employers look elsewhere and not members help in the long run.
Nick
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Posted By Heather Aston
I understand the issue that the profession is about to gain chartered status and that this increase is supposed to be to bringing membership fees in line with other chartered professions.
However to say that we've held the increases down for several years - presumably to benefit members - but now we've decided we need to catch up again so we're going to do it all in one big chunk is a bit unfair. Could we not have brought this in more gradually over several years?
Heather
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Posted By David J.
Wow, seems like questioning the “council” and IOSH is forbidden in some eyes! I have no wish to “pack it in” but would question such an annual increase. Also in case you haven’t noticed employers are “looking” for membership of IOSH in job adverts. We may need to be on a parity with other professional associations re subs. Be nice if we could get on the same re salaries and recognition. Personally I am better qualified and have at least as much experience and in my view more responsibility and a wider job remit than most of my colleagues in personnel section, training section etc. yet within my organisation and most others that I know they are much better paid than I am. And, in many cases have their fees paid for them.
Seems that The Royal Charter is something sought by those in the organisation that like the “feel of it. the kudos” as opposed to it making any real difference to/for the ordinary member. I am not disputing the rights of the council and have no desire to look at back copies of SHP to confirm their legitimacy. I would just ask again what extra benefit do we get? And would ask members why they feel personalised attacks, which are sadly an increasing feature in here, take anything forward.
Cheers.
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Posted By Roger
No what you mean David J - look at what happened when I dared critcise the IOSH Conference in my thread......
All I wanted was to see if we could do things differently, improve and increase the attendance figures... of course they had to get personal with the exception of Neil and Lawrence.
Doesn't do much for those wanting to get involved if thats the attitude to questioning the status quo.
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Posted By Paul Oliver
Phone the Taxman and you will get tax relief on your subscriptions.
Paul
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Posted By Nick Egan
Checked out another chartered institute web pages as advised. Sure enough CIPD membership (all grades) is £104.
But I would like you to compare the average earnings (NOS earning survey 2003) "personnel, training and industrial relations Managers" £47064. "Occupational Hygienists and Safety Officers" £29049.
Well "lets have a heated debate" as to the intrinsic worth of the sackers vs the life savers.
Tell you what, I will even give IOSH the other Four Quid, but only when my earnings reach the same level as the sackers.
Nick
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Posted By David J.
Tut Tut Roger a NO when you meant KNOW.. Expect a critic on use of language, spelling, gramma, semantics, et al
apologies to the sane..some times my off the wall sense of humour brings me down to their level.. or should that be the level hmmm advice please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted By Neil Pearson
Nick - we've had a response from IOSH HQ - see Hazel's post above.
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Posted By Bill Bircham
Dear All
Every now and then the cost of IOSH raises its head, some are happy with what they pay, others are not. That’s life, get over it, you always have the ultimate sanction, resign from IOSH.
However, it always brings out a few key issues.
Firstly, it was in the Nov edition of SHP, how many people actually read it that thoroughly?
Secondly, it is OK to criticise Council decisions, provided you understand how & why decisions are made but, and it is a BIG but, Council don’t help themselves by creating the appearance of acting behind closed doors.
George suggests we should ask for the minute concerning the issue of raising costs form a Council member. Fine now we know one exists, we can ask.
Much more helpful to us members who take an interest would be a published agenda, possibly even carefully constructed summary of the actual minutes for consumption, available from the website, access limited to fully paid up IOSH members with voting rights of course!!!
Rant over
If the readers of this forum (a benefit of membership if you ask me!) don’t like the way IOSH is being run, get involved, or get out, but don’t criticise from the sidelines and do nothing about it.
Regards
Bill
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Posted By Peter Longworth
Can someone explain to me what benefits this much vaunted chartered status actually has, if indeed there are any benefits. Or is it just there for the snob value. At the moment it sems to me that it is just another barrier to career advancement to anyone who is taking the L4 Diploma and started in January.
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Posted By Raymond Rapp
I like many others have been surprised at increase for full-membership fees and presumably other grades. And the level of criticism from some of the more 'prominent' members at those that dare to complain. Hardly good PR!
Mr George Wedgwood suggests that if the cost of membership is not worth it, then 'pack it in'. Which is a little unfair as many jobs require membership of IOSH, and as such, members are being held to ransome, if that is not too melodramatic.
However, my fee is for Graduate status at £82.00, which is not much below the cost of full-membership. Incidentally, I was given a 'free' upgrade last year from TechSP. The irony is, had I been granted full-membership status I would have been delighted to pay £100!
Regards
Ray
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Posted By J Knight
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists charges £250 pa, starting salary for a physio is 18.5K, rising to about 26K for managing an NHS physio service. What happens? Physios go private. We can more or less do the same, I also lament my relatively low status vis a vis my personnel colleagues, but I see that as a battle to be fought within the organisation, and at the end of the day, there is always £50 an hour as a consultant.
We don't get paid enough, £100 is a chunk of dosh to put up front, but it is in line with other professional bodies, and I reckon we get returns for our money,
John
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Posted By Nick Egan
John's point about Physio's is interesting. But I don't think you can make a fair comparison with OSH practitioners.
Physio's are regulated by statute and it would be unlawful to practice if you are not a member of the recognised body (CSP). I think that the tax rules are different for regulated membership and they may be able to claim back 100% It is though rather shocking, that they are given such low status withing the NHS, I suspect that other "Professions" see themselves as pre-eminant, rather than part of a team and take the lions share.
Nick
Currently, any Tom Dick or Harry can be a Safety Officer, if the employer considers them competent. So chartered status will only mean something when you have to have it in order to practice. What price subs then?
Nick
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Posted By Chris Black
A steep increase indeed, but as someone who has made a habit of attending a series of excellent seminars at my regional branch i dont think i could have got access to the same oportunities for learning and networking elsewhere for the same money.
However
IOSH in its current guise is a leicester-centred and leicester-focussed group that does littlefor the members in the regions, on the odd occassion that i have asked for some assistance to promote workplace safety i could only class the response as a damn good ignoring. The lack of local training and events sponsored by IOSH is frankly insulting to anyone living outwith the leicester triangle. Branch leaders have often expressed exasperation to me regarding the lack of support that comes from Leicester. This makes me wonder how high a service level we could expect from the branches if a larger proportion of our fee was spent locally.
I think that I reflect the views of a great many other members who have only joined because of the perennial empoyers pre-requisite for membership.
The "get involved or shut-up" type postings are not helpful either, i know most of my colleagues are too busy running fast to stand still in the day job to contemplate becoming more active members. Also, this is a members forum to allow members to express their opinions, i am uncomfortable with self-appointed moderators trying to quell open and honest debate.
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Posted By J Knight
Hi Nick,
True, they are regulated in a way in which we're not, but that just means surely that the CSP (far more than IOSH) is fleecing a captive audience with no choice in the matter. After all, as a previous poster has pointed out, if we don't like it we can take our balls home, physios can't. So CSP don't have to justify their charges on any reasonable grounds, whereas IOSH does, and I feel I get a better bargain from IOSH than my partner will when she (finally!) graduates in June,
John
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Posted By Nick Egan
Interesting points John. But regarding OSH "taking their balls home", you have to persuade the Unions and Managers to let go of them first, (metophorically of course)
Nick
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Posted By Jez Corfield
Folks, we are talking about a relatively low sum of money – I was a little surprised at the bill when I opened it but the magazine is good, this website is great, helpline useful and the local meetings, for those that have the time to get involved are OK. To the critics, please get involved if you don’t like it, I am not trying to stifle discussion, quite the opposite, if you think IOSH are giving a bum deal, why don’t you try to go for the council on the platform of reducing conference fees and keeping annual fees down.
IOSH is the way it is because of the council we voted in. I appreciate that some people are too busy to get involved, perhaps you might feel you were getting good value if IOSH offered free time management courses…?
Jez
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Posted By Mark Jacobs
Don't forget that there are some who belong to more than one professional body. You have to pay for the letters after your name either in study time, hard earned cash or both.
I belong to IOSH and the CIEH which is charging me £138 this year for a similar service.
I will continue to join both as they are respected professional bodies which in turn gives me the status of a professional.
I do however sympathise with those that feel it is necessary join every single professional organisation.
Perhaps we could find the member with the most letters after their name and calculate how much this costs them every year?.
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Posted By Chris Pope
also not happy with paying more - members should consider the wealth of technical help given to BOHS members for only £40 per year. I hope IOSH are not surprised with the number of late payers this year.
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Posted By Peter Lee
Same too IIRSM, £68 (full member) for the same "services" as IOSH.
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Posted By David J.
To quote a well known TV show. “I started so I may finish”. Firstly let me say that I and I suspect most can afford to pay the £100.00 as I said just not sure what I am getting esp for the extra subs this year. Thanks to all for responses. Some interesting some not. some agreeing - some not. That’s every member’s right. But I do object to the attackers as it is an OPEN forum for discussion, even if it does sometimes get “high jacked” I suppose my concern is that I still don’t know what extra I am getting, how the new status will improve my (collective here), IOSH etc. standing. I must agree with the view that it is a midlands based group or at least appears so. I would example from SHP our course list does not state one single venue Thus I assume all courses are HQ or surrounding area based. Not helpful or particularly accessible for most members. This forum I find useful and have exchanged various things with others. SHP not sure.. other than the jobs if we are looking to change. although unfortunately for me most are south of my current abode. Local branch. not sure about others but I haven’t found mine particularly welcoming with the same faces at the same tables year after year. Afternoon meetings can’t always be attended by members although they now have some in the evening.
Sorry but I tend to agree that a large portion of members are here because employers demand it.
Ok enough from me.. cheers every one.
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Posted By Ian Harper
I must register my dissapointment at some of the postings here, as many people see IOSH as a card and a magazine. Just remember that there are a lot of us who pay the money AND donate time to IOSH and you the members. As a branch secretary, I spend time late in the night doing minutes and agendas and genrally doing "Branch stuff". Every single member of every committee works very hard as well as SG's and HQ staff as well as the giant network of people that fit everywhere else. Many of us do it for nothing.
IOSH is like anything else, don't just pay the money and wait, get involved. Your branch is the best way to see some of the money being cascaded directly for advancing H&S in your area. Don't like what's going on? Stand for committee. Haven't got the time, neither have I!
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Posted By Aidan Toner
29 Responses and still going strong-Sadly it takes money to bring some (I do say some) persons to engage in the debate as to what iosh is and is not doing for the membership.
Centralisation of training in Leicester,Support for Branches etc are all valid discussion points.-BUT with hand on heart can respondents say that they have already brought these issues up at Branch or through their specialist group.Speaking as someone who has just recently become officially involed with a local branch , I am amazed at the demanding attitude of 'some'members who show a proportional disinterest in terms of getting involved.I dont have a particularly strong viewpoint on this 'well above inflation increase'.What I do have a strong viewpoint on is the current inability to pay the subscription by installments.AND Yes I will be lobbying to change this through Branch and specialist group. AND Yes I would be hopeful the situation will be rectified.
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
Aidan,
For what its worth, I think that paying by installments sounds like a very good idea.
When y'all discussing the benefits, don't forget the website - were all using it but it doesn't fund itself (to my knowledge anyway).
While £100 is steep, I still think when you add up all the extras (website, SHP, branch meetings, CPD & helplines - see te back of your membership card for details) it's worth it.
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Posted By GeoffB
I just can't believe this discussion - over a measly £100 a year.
Chartered status, letters after name, professional journal (even if a substantial number of members can't spell proffesionall) tax relief on subscriptions, an authority in the eyes of the HSE, free legal advice, a forum where help is immediately at hand.
Come on guys, stop acting like cheapskates.
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Posted By Frank Cooper
One thing that does surprise me is that there is no reduced membership fee for retired members.
Whilst I am not sure how many there are in total I do know that there are quite a few around that having come to the end of their working life still feel that they have a contribution to make to other members and the Branches.
For example, my local industries H&S group reduces the fee by 50% for such people.
Such people can often be found to be active on committees etc because they perhaps have more time to give to such things.
I wonder how many of these people will pay their increased subscriptions to IOSH this year?
Frank Cooper
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Posted By Martin R. Bessant
IOSH do offer Retired Membership for those who are no longer active at work. It is very reasonable and details can be obtained from Norman Walton in the IOSH Membership Department.
I became a retired member five years ago when I took early medical retirement from the NHS and instead of working for an employer, became even busier as a "volunteer" with IOSH.
The secret of retirement is keeping active and not vegetating!
Regards,
Martin.
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Posted By Ron Young
Geoff,
Are you feeling OK? kind words for IOSH, what is the world coming to.
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Posted By Sylvia Tyler
I'm only disappointed as my fee has risen for TechSP - but I feel that the qualification has been devalued by the Charter!
I'm fortunate my company pays the fees.
Tried Branch Meetings - not worth the fee
Tried IOSH conference - not worth the fee
Do read the SHP - but jobs page depresses me as where TechSP was a good indication of competence when ypou read the IOSH value of it now it has been reduced to a low risk, low level qualification working under others I'm unable to get another job if I wanted one!!
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Posted By Stephen Woods
Re:the comment on seminars. I went to our AGM and the speaker a proffesor no less was boring and more to the point wrong on a lot of the points he raised.
Bradford Area Occupational Health and Safety Forum's free seminars have been excellent, top speakers from the HSC/E Unions, Industry, and you get free coffee and a biscuit.
Got to say the web site isn't that inspiring but don't let that put you off.
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Posted By Mark Darmody
In my opinion you get what you want for your £100.00.
As well as the benefits pointed out ealier I attend regular branch and district meetings meet lots of folks, network, presentations, social etc not forgetting the buffet ! yum yum
I also got myself involved on the branch executive committee (Midland).
All in all I think it is reasonable value for money.
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Posted By GeoffB
No, no, no Ron. look at it laterally.
I was griping at the miseries griping at paying an insignificant amount of money for which most employers pay anyway, and if not then the subscriber gets tax relief.
Can you think of any other profession where members would gripe at £100.
So you see it has got nothing to do with IOSH, ...... the money grasping, cheapskate .............
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