Approaches to organising Carl Roper National Organiser, Trades Union Congress

TRADES UNION CONGRESS managers bureaucracy CLIENTS SOCIAL SERVICE organisers Civic Organisation Members/Citizens SOCIAL ACTION entrepreneurs markets CUSTOMERS SOCIAL MARKETING TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Defining organising 1 Its about the union drawing its strength from its good workplace organisation That means; high membership/density, good bargaining coverage and the presence of workplace reps and activists. Whatever else we do, wherever else we operate, if we don’t have strong workplace organisation then our power and influence is limited. TRADES UNION CONGRESS

© Marshall Ganz Harvard University TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Defining organising 2 It’s not about ‘organising vs. servicing’ because representation is important! All unions need to be able to represent and service their members BUT the key is how is this done Issues and concerns should as far as possible be dealt with by well-trained, local workplace reps Freeing up union officers and staff to play a more strategic, facilitating role. TRADES UNION CONGRESS

TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Defining organising 3 Campaigning is KEY! Campaigning that is VALUES and ISSUES focused Campaigns that are targeted – who can give us what we want? Campaigns that develop leverage – what will make the target give us what we want? Campaigns that are empowering – they create opportunities for activity and build capacity TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Cycle of organising Issue Research Analysis Plan Implement Evaluate

to get what we (and our members) want Strategic approaches STRATEGY in organising is how we… organise what we have to create what we need to get what we (and our members) want TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Strategic planning for unions Creates a vehicle for involving officers, staff and members, in… Creating a framework about problems and challenges that face the union, that... Places an emphasis on action, rather than reaction TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Strategic planning for unions Environmental priorities – shaped by external factors Membership priorities – current and prospective Core Strategy – Why are we here? Institutional priorities – political and organisational TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Strategic Choice Framework Organisational Capacity Strategic Leverage High Low Third position: Stronger internal organisation; increased opportunity to shape external factors Second position: Stronger internal organisation; low leverage Initial position: Weak organisation; low leverage © David Weil: Boston University / Harvard University TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Factors affecting strategic leverage Economic Climate/ Product Market Union Labour Market Features Political / Regulatory Institutions Social Attitudes Technology / Work Organisation © David Weil: Boston University / Harvard University

Some challenges? How do we engage key stakeholders within the union? How do we turn members into contributors to - rather than just consumers of - union resources? How do we do this as PART of the unions day to day activity rather than as separate process?

“In democratic countries, knowledge of how to combine is the mother of all other forms of knowledge; on its progress depends that of all the others.“ Alexis de Tocqueville TRADES UNION CONGRESS