Spring fever will take over UNISON with a major union-wide recruitment campaign in March.
For the first time ever, we’re gearing up every region and every part of the union to get out and recruit like never before.
General secretary Dave Prentis says: “We need to strengthen the union, we need to make sure that the activists are supported and we need to make sure our members and potential members know that UNISON is there for them.”
UNISON will start four weeks of intensive recruitment activity on 11 March with every region implementing detailed recruitment strategies.
Initially, some target employers have been identified but all branches will be expected to take part and develop their own local plans.
And all that activity on the ground will be supported by a massive recruitment advertising campaign including adverts on television, in national and local newspapers, online and on social media.
On top of that, there will be new recruitment materials and new members’ packs developed to welcome our new recruits. The March recruitment blitz is planned to be the first of several co-ordinated recruitment campaigns throughout the next 18 months.
We know that there are large numbers of non-union members in most large public service workplaces and we’ve undertaken some research to find out how they feel about unions, why they haven’t joined and what might persuade them to join.
All that knowledge has been fed into the new advertising campaign and new materials.
So keep an eye out for details and more info in future editions of eFocus, the website and the next edition of our sister print publication inFocus, which is mailing next week
In the meantime, your branch might want to consider:
- talking to your regional organiser about the regional strategy and how you can be involved;
- develping a branch recruitment plan;
- order our new materials as they become available, to help you recruit.
