Modernising our union

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Conference
2015 National Women's Conference
Date
13 October 2014
Decision
Carried

Conference notes that, in a time of austerity and job cuts, our recruitment figures for the past year are still encouraging. We commend our activists and staff for their efforts.

However, there is still a need to recruit and organise more young members in our union. Given that the majority of public sector workers are women, it is essential that we devise ways to attract young women into our movement, and ensure that our agenda is one in which their aspirations are met, and that our organisation is one in which they can reach their full potential as UNISON members.

Conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to work with other appropriate bodies in UNISON to:

1) Collaborate with student unions, nursing and technical colleges etc to raise awareness of the benefits of union membership and to recruit eligible students into membership at the end of their period of study;

2) Ensure that our branches, regions and formal structures are “user friendly” and easy to access – including by the use of social media;

3) Work with regions to identify appropriate student events where UNISON could have a recruitment and information stand;

4) work with the national young members’ forum to identify the issues which are of concern to potential young women members, and the barriers to them joining a union;

5)request that the NEC consider introducing a reduced flat rate fee for students wishing to join UNISON, and to consider an appropriate rule change.