8 Strategies for Union Member Recruitment

Key findings from Trade Union Congress’ webinar

Trade Union Congress (TUC) recently hosted a webinar on how to ‘Grow your union – strategies for member recruitment’. The webinar was hosted by Anna Kalsi, E-Learning Officer, and Carl Roper, National Organising & Education Manager, at TUC.

What Union Reps are Thinking

Kicking off with audience participation, union reps shared how long they have been a representative for (mostly over 10 years!) and sharing what a union meant to them. Common themes presented were the ideas of solidarity, strength and support.

When polled on the biggest barriers for recruitment:

1. Lack of awareness and understanding of unions came out on top
2. The perception that a union isn’t effective was a close second

The top 3 most common issues in the workplace reported were:

1. Pay
2. Workload and stress
3. Poor management
   

Most representatives found out about these issues through internal chats and meeting with members.

The discussion continued on to proven strategies for effective union recruitment. Here are eight that were discussed.

8 Strategies to Recruit Union Members

1. Address widespread workplace issues

Focus on issues that several workers are affected by. This can help draw people to the cause and encourage them to engage. One way to they can face the issue is by joining the union.

Related article on the iMIS Blog: A Modern Union: 10 Organizing & Campaigning Tactics

2. Embrace diversity and generational differences

Ensure your union reflects the workforce by actively engaging with underrepresented groups and understanding the unique concerns of different generations.

3. Encourage members to voice concerns

New members often join when they see that their concerns are taken seriously. Raising their concerns can help others join and you can all work towards a positive outcome.

4. Rebuild trust after negative experiences

If someone comes to you and is put off by a previous experience with a union, the most important thing is to listen to their experience. Be empathetic and then you can outline how your union works differently.

5. Shout about your successes!

When you do have a win, no matter how small it may seem, it’s important to celebrate. This helps build trust with your members and also raises awareness among non-members about the amazing work you're doing.

Related article on the iMIS Blog: Top 3 Goals for a Modern Union Website [with tips]. Boost union membership with a website that showcases your value, personalizes content, and drives member engagement.

6. Identify your influencers

In terms of finding people to join the union, look to people who could be influencers, the people who are natural leaders that others gravitate towards. You can also identify the people who show the most concern about an issue.

7. Use technology to help overcome hybrid-working challenges

You can organise video calls, add resources to your company’s intranet, and give updates on social media.

If there are days when people are in the office, make sure reps are present and doing public campaigning.

8. Data is essential to grow your membership base

There are various channels you can use to communicate with potential members:

• Learning management systems can draw in new members with educational opportunities. Get The Ultimate Guide to LMS Selection & Implementation from the learning experts at TopClass.
• Email is a great outreach option.
• Phone calls help you connect on a personal level with potential members.
• Podcasts can help you raise awareness about your union's purpose and successes.

One thing all these channels have in common is the need for a solid membership database. Activity with your union should be recorded in your membership management system so you can learn from every interaction. This helps you personalise your communications much more effectively because you have all this historical activity data to work with.