From employment to employability Connect is the union for professionals in communications. We are a unique resource which brings together expert advice and information, professional representation and specialist services tailored to the needs of our members to provide them with career-long support

From employment to employability 20 years ago we didn’t have a proposition – the reasons for being in a union were obvious We’ve developed a clear proposition to help organise in a changed world Change in 1990 when monopoly encumbent embarked on downsizing In 1990 BT employed 240K Today it employs < 110K

From employment to employability 1990 to K employees have taken redundancy Included 30K M&P They left the company completely – either retiring, going to a competitor, leaving the sector or suffering a period of unemployment

From employment to employability Key problem for union was membership loss Members who left the company, left the union To survive we needed to reposition as an industry union

From employment to employability In 1990 we introduced a portable membership scheme Tested two levels of subs – free and 50% Set up special branches But what was value to individual of staying in union?

From employment to employability In 1990 we could only offer a residual service – basically membership services Including: accident insurance, sickness benefit, legal advice and death benefit plus financial/insurance/consumer benefits No direct representation to an employer

From employment to employability This “proposition” was too weak – our retention levels were too low 1990 – 1997 – 45% membership loss Over this period we started to develop a portfolio of services designed to support an individual’s career We knew stable workforces gone forever

From employment to employability We had to provide a “union for life” independent of any specific employer or type of employment Focussed on three elements Job Search Training Careers advice

From employment to employability Job search – set up Opus2 in 1995 Employment agency for union members Set up database of skills and experience Matched against vacancies in market Based on introduction fees or percentage commission for contactors Professionally run

From employment to employability Commercially run and profitable Seen as very positive by members Successful retention tool Also supports organising work

From employment to employability Training – Way Ahead Training set up in 1997 Joint venture between UK and Australian unions Company designed to develop and market career training for M&P employees MBA and CFM

From employment to employability Mixed results MBA – contested and congested market CFM – successful, now being converted into on-line training package Marketed directly to employers

From employment to employability Union learning representatives specialist role to investigate training needs identify and promote training opportunities assist union to negotiate on training issues

From employment to employability Careers advice Developed in response to gap in Opus2’s service Developed using focus groups Launched January 2002 Two benefits – service to members but also opportunity to train

From employment to employability Delivered by telephone Trained counsellors Three products: career assessment, getting interviews, hourly advice Fees Government accreditation – the first union to get it

From employment to employability Workplace seminars Newsletter Job clubs Seen positively – both a retention and a recruitment tool

From employment to employability Other services Mutual assistance agreements UNI passport Contractor’s branch

From employment to employability Another helpful factor was change in law in 1999 – Employment Relations Act We can now offer individual representation Still some retention problems Market research in 2001

From employment to employability Even though retention at about 40%, 75% of those leaving the union plan to continue working in the sector Developing a programme to help local representatives improve retention rates Over 30% of membership is outside BT and growing