Assist with organising and campaigns
Organising goes beyond getting someone to sign on the dotted line – it means involving members more directly in the work of the Union, particularly at the local level, and building a culture that supports and encourages involvement. This includes being able to easily identify and contact members and non-members, as well as educating members to recognise that recruitment, campaigning and ‘talking union’ is the job of all union members.
The key characteristics of an organising Branch can be summarised as follows:
- The members are the Union.
- Members understand the importance of working together.
- Members are trained and encouraged to work collectively to campaign on workplace issues, and for improvements.
- The Union is proactive - it gives members the power to take up and resolve issues themselves and non-members are recruited around these issues and this philosophy.
- Union staff and activists provide support and advice to help members win in the workplace.
- The Union is member-led – everyone plays their part in ensuring the Union is active in every workplace.
- The Union cannot be separated from the workplace as members and management understand that the workers are the Union.
Member activists – Branch Committee members, delegates, ordinary members – play a vital role in working with Branch, Division and National staff around organising and campaigning in the workplace.
If you are interested in being more involved in organising and campaigning in your workplace and your Branch, or finding out more information about what is involved, contact your Branch Organiser or a Branch Committee member (details at your local Branch homepage).
