1. NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION/SOCIALIZATION PROGRAMS:
A KEY TO BUILDING MEMBERSHIP
COMMITMENT & PARTICIPATION

2. ORIENTATION/SOCIALIZATION
NEW MEMBER
ORIENTATION/SOCIALIZATION
PROGRAMS:
WHY IMPORTANT?

3. ORIENTATION/SOCIALIZATION
NEW MEMBER
ORIENTATION/SOCIALIZATION
PROGRAMS:
GOAL?

4. Building More Effective Unions Building More Effective Unions
Paul F. Clark
Department of Labor Studies
and Employment Relations
Penn State University
Paul F. Clark
Department of Labor Studies
and Industrial Relations
Penn State University
Building More Effective Unions
Building More Effective Unions
Building More Effective Unions
Paul F. Clark
Department of Labor Studies
and Industrial Relations
Penn State University

5. Member Participation
is the key
to building an
effective
labor organization.

6. Commitment to the Union is the key to increasing
Member
Commitment to the Union
is the key to increasing
Member Participation .

7. ATTITUDES/BELIEFS B E H A V I O R ATTITUDES/BELIEFS

8. COMMITMENT PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT

9. Many opportunities to influence member commitment

10. Many opportunities to influence member commitment.
#1. Orienting New Members

11. are lasting impressions.
1. Orienting New Members
First impressions
are lasting impressions.

12. Findings based on surveys of union members conducted over a period of ten years.

13. Longitudinal study:
Letter Carriers (NALC) members hired by USPS within the previous six weeks were surveyed in March 1991.

14. Also, included a scale to measure commitment to the union.
Longitudinal study:
Survey included questions about their formal and informal orientation to the union (i.e. did they have such orientations, and if so, what did they involve)
Also, included a scale to measure commitment to the union.

15. Longitudinal study:
Also, surveyed after one year, five years and ten years.
Same commitment to the union and participation items included.

16. NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION’S IMPACT ON MEMBER COMMITMENT
High C
OMM I
TME N T
Good Orientation
Bad Orientation
Low
YEARS

17. KEY opportunity to communicate the union’s VALUES and EXPECTATIONS.
New Member Orientation
KEY opportunity
to communicate the union’s
VALUES and EXPECTATIONS.

18. Union Values/Goals Building a Union Culture
 Your union works to ensure that its members are:

19. Union Values/Goals Building a Union Culture --Compensated reasonably;
 Your union works to ensure that its members are:
--Compensated reasonably;
--Treated fairly and respectfully;
--Provided a safe and healthy working environment;
--Have a voice in the workplace;
--Able to provide quality care.

20. Building a Union Culture
Union Expectations

21. Union Expectations --The union IS the members.
Building a Union Culture
Union Expectations
--The union IS the members.
--Members have a responsibility to participate, to work on behalf of the union.

22. Two Parts:
Formal Orientation
(initial)

23. 2. Informal Orientation (Follow-up)
Two Parts:
Formal Orientation
2. Informal Orientation
(Follow-up)

24. The Key: --systematic --organized --high quality
Formal Orientation
The Key:
--systematic
--organized
--high quality

25. Formal Orientation:
1. meeting w/new member

26. 1. meeting w/new member 2. relevant information *verbal *written
Formal Orientation:
1. meeting w/new member
2. relevant information
*verbal
*written

27. Formal Orientation: 1. meeting w/new member 2. relevant information
*verbal
*written
3. introductions

28. Formal Orientation: 1. meeting w/new member 2. relevant information
*verbal
*written
3. introductions
4. new member ceremony

29. --important role in shaping member attitudes/beliefs.
Informal (or Individual)
Orientation:
--important role
in shaping
member attitudes/beliefs.

30. New employees are impressionable
Informal Orientation:
New employees are impressionable

31. New employees are impressionable --anxious
Informal Orientation:
New employees are impressionable
--anxious

32. New employees are impressionable --anxious --looking for support
Informal Orientation:
New employees are impressionable
--anxious
--looking for support

33. Informal Orientation: New employees are impressionable
--anxious
--looking for support
--trying to fit in

34. Informal Orientation:
New employees are impressionable
--anxious
--looking for support
--trying to fit in
--modeling phenomenon

35. check-ins w/new member
Informal Orientation:
check-ins w/new member

36. check-ins w/new member posting picture/bio
Informal Orientation:
check-ins w/new member
posting picture/bio

37. Informal Orientation:
check-ins w/new member
posting picture/bio
follow-up invitations to meetings and events

38. Informal Orientation:
check-ins w/new member
posting picture/bio
follow-up invitations to meetings and events
invitation to participate

39. Hands On Activity
Every session should include an activity where participants:
--think about THEIR local’s new member orientation program
--if they don’t have one, design one
--if they do, how could it be done better
--then go back and try to implement