{"id":1133,"date":"2018-10-23T06:00:15","date_gmt":"2018-10-23T06:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uniontrack.com\/blog\/?p=1133"},"modified":"2018-10-23T01:36:29","modified_gmt":"2018-10-23T01:36:29","slug":"engage-union-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniontrack.com\/blog\/engage-union-members","title":{"rendered":"How to Open Up Communication to Engage Union Members"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ken Green
\nCEO\/Founder
\nUnionTrack, Inc.<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret that good leadership is dependent on healthy interchanges with members. <\/p>\n

But Jim Kouzes<\/a>, the Dean\u2019s Executive Fellow of Leadership at Santa Clara University, puts it best: \u201cLeadership is about relationships, and strong relationships are built on mutual understanding. You can get to that mutual understanding only through conversation and dialogue.\u201d <\/p>\n

For unions and other large organizations, the possibility of building this mutual understanding with individual members has become greater with new communication, collaboration and outreach tools. <\/p>\n

So, how can we go about having this dialogue at a union-wide level? <\/p>\n

Step 1: Recognize Changing Membership Needs<\/h2>\n

Unions aren\u2019t what they used to be. That doesn\u2019t mean they are weaker, just that their roles have changed in the eyes of US workers. In response, union leadership should shift their focus accordingly. <\/p>\n

Union coalition DPE<\/a> argues that ceremonies and rituals are important to organizations. Members of these organizations feel more engaged when they participate in these rituals. The main way for members to feel connected to each other is their shared vision of the labor movement. But unions should be proactive in recognizing the changing needs of membership if they want them to remain engaged. <\/p>\n

For example, trade unions may consider investing more heavily in skills training for their members. Jeff Bridgford<\/a> at the International Labor Organization makes the case for trade unions to invest in skills development beyond entry-level training. It would benefit both individual members and the union on the whole, Bridgford argues. <\/p>\n

New technologies have left union members not simply wanting to be represented. They want to be connected. This bottom-up approach of direct member communications is already paying dividends<\/a> for unions like the Peoria Federation of Teachers<\/a>. \u201cNew technology and social media has changed the paradigm of how workers can organize on limited resources,\u201d writes Dan Schladerman<\/a>, co-director of Organization United for Respect. \u201cEnsuring that our models include training workers on how to organize through social media, and creating tools to support them, is critical.\u201d <\/p>\n

Using these tools isn\u2019t a tactic; it\u2019s a means of encouraging engagement. Labor writer Hannah Finnie<\/a> argues that successful unionization campaigns go beyond better wages and benefits, instead instilling \u201ca sense that your voice will be heard.\u201d <\/p>\n

Unions can encourage that sentiment internally as well as externally. Kevin Eikenberry<\/a> of the Leadership & Learning blog describes dialogue as a process that allows people to \u201cthink together.\u201d For unions, it\u2019s a two-way street: members describing what their needs are and leadership responding with what\u2019s possible. <\/p>\n

Through the process, the horizon comes into focus. <\/p>\n

\"chairs<\/p>\n

Step 2: Identify New Channels of Engagement<\/h2>\n

Now, let\u2019s get into the specifics. <\/p>\n

\u201cOccasionally, past crises for labor gave rise to new tactics \u2014 corporate campaigns, going global, minority unionism, and others,\u201d Jamie McCallum<\/a> writes at Jacobin Magazine. This is not necessarily the time for that. <\/p>\n

Instead, McCallum recommends going back to the fundamentals of building up a labor union\u2019s power. That means \u201chaving direct and repeated conversations with current members to engage them in the daily life of the union\u201d and \u201cidentifying leaders that will help restore the union\u2019s membership.\u201d <\/p>\n

Building an engaged membership<\/a> is about doubling down on authentic conversations with union members and finding new ways to connect. <\/p>\n

Engagement isn\u2019t just about written or in-person communication. You can get creative. The California Teachers Association<\/a> covers a swath of engagement ideas for union leaders, including:<\/p>\n