1. Approaches to organising
Carl Roper
National Organiser, Trades Union Congress

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

3. 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.
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4. © Marshall Ganz Harvard University
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5. 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.
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6. TRADES UNION CONGRESS

7. 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
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8. Cycle of organising
Issue
Research
Analysis
Plan
Implement
Evaluate

9. 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
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10. 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
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11. 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
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12. 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

13. 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

14. 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?

15. “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
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