Organising in the UK: Identifying future priorities for unions and the TUC Carl Roper TUC National Training & Consultancy Officer (Organising)

A quick ‘history’ lesson By mid 1990’s unions had spent 15+ years in decline Unions lost six million members between 1979 and the mid 90’s Union density had collapsed Harder to effectively represent our members in the workplace and beyond

Move to Organising Decline is neither inevitable or irreversible Growth needs to be sustainable New approach to organising − Strategically planning campaigns − Developing and sustaining member activity − Organising around workplace issues that matter to members

What we do makes a difference Increased union focus on, and investment in, organising and recruitment TUC Organising Academy Development of specialist organising teams and departments Internal ‘Academies’ Significant investment – training and resources Building organising into all our other work, for example union learning and H&S Gradual cultural change

Good, but not good enough! Future priorities Address members and potential members perceptions of unions and what they are for; Make unions fit for purpose; Continue to build capacity; Support for activists and activism.

Perceptions of unions “ I’ve got a miserable man here, he’s got a flat top haircut which he most probably did himself because he’s a bit of a scabby bloke. He’s miserable now – I’ve drawn a bloke striking at a dockers’ yard because it’s just like miners, you know you associate striking with miners, dockers, postmen, you know, it’s just certain professions… manual” (Male, over 25, Cardiff) Source: OLR research for Wales TUC, 2006

What’s the deal? Individual services and representation The union in the workplace Who is the union? What does it look like? Who gets involved and how? Getting the balance right between organising and servicing

Making unions fit for purpose Leadership Leading Change programme Union Modernisation Fund USDAW’s LEAP project Support for migrant workers Role of national centre? Strategic direction Building capacity and supporting members

Building capacity Scale up organising efforts –Increase investment –Move away from organising workplace by workplace, company by company –Engage lay reps Development of the Organising Academy programme –Strategic Organising –Busting the Busters

Support for reps and activists Facility time Building the reps team –ULRs –Equality Reps –Health and Safety Reps –Active members Increase access and relevance of Organising training Activists Academy

Summary Success by lots of measures – but there is NO silver-bullet! But we need to… Build on successes? Scale up? Engage reps and members? Keep a focus on what this is all about!