Talking about the union
To bring in new members, you will need to get used to talking about the union.
Unions are made up of groups of colleagues who agree to work together to achieve positive change. They are built on relationships and trust.
Where you know your colleagues well, or the union is a visible presence in your workplace, talking about it with your colleagues might come naturally.
But when we are talking to new people (maybe identified in your map), you might need to take a strategic approach. We call these types of chat “structured conversations”.
We’ve provided some tips for talking about the union below. These are meant as guidelines, not a script.
Remember: it’s okay to feel nervous! Talking about the union takes practice and experimentation.
Check out our guide to talking about the union
FAQs: No more reasons not to join Prospect
Common reasons people give for not joining a union – and how to combat them
Six steps to talking about the union
Tip: It’s always easier to have something visual, like a stall or a lanyard.
You could say…
“Hi, I’m here today with Prospect the trade union. Have you heard of us?”
Tip: In the whole conversation, you should aim to listen 70% of the time.
If there aren’t any issues, you can tell them about what issues other staff are facing.
You could say…
“What are the biggest issues in your team at the moment?”
“If you could change anything at work, what would it be?”
Follow-up questions:
“What have you tried to do about it so far?”
“When you raised it with management, what did they say?”
Tip: Trade unions work by collectivising issues – if something is affecting one person, it’s likely that some aspect of their issue is affecting someone else.
If you like, you can talk about why you joined the union.
You could say…
e.g. “Several other staff members have told me the same thing. If we all raised it with management, it would be difficult for them to ignore us.”
“I joined the union because…”
Tip: It is very natural for people to have doubts about joining the union. What’s important is to encourage people to express these concerns, acknowledge them and help them overcome them.
The best way to overcome someone’s fear is to return to the importance of the issue they want to solve, and your strength acting together.
If someone says something and you don’t know how to respond, you can thank them for sharing, take their details and speak to another rep or organiser.
Check out this guide for common issues with recruiting
You could say…
“What concerns do you have about joining the union?”
“How do you think the employer will react if we all raise this issue?”
“thank them for sharing, say you’ll raise the issue, and use the opportunity to arrange a follow up conversation”
Tip: Keep it simple
You could say…
Will you join?
You should have a clear next step – for example, invite them to a meeting, or ask them to sign a petition.
Tip: You should have a clear next step – for example, invite them to a meeting, or ask them to sign a petition.
Want to start practicing?
Language matters
It’s important to use language that encourages people to join, participate in, and play a central part in your union and organising efforts. Members need to feel part of something, not that “the union” is an external organisation. Prospect isn’t separate from you – you are your union!
- Avoid ‘othering’ – say “your union”, not “the union”.
- Encourage ownership – your colleagues should feel they’re building their union together with you.
- Affirm people’s contributions and focus on the impact they are having on everyone’s working life, not just their own. Avoid saying “thank you” – they aren’t doing you a favour, they are helping themselves and their colleagues! Instead, affirm their contribution (e.g. “Great work!”).
Encourage members to get active
If your colleagues want change, they need to join and get involved
Change doesn’t happen overnight. People can lose momentum over the course of a campaign, so it’s important to keep reminding colleagues what they’re fighting for.
If members are angry about something, you can build hope that together, your union can tackle it, and you can move members to action. Sometimes a bit of agitation is useful!
Do: ✔
- Raise your colleagues’ expectations.
- Direct their anger towards their issue.
- Encourage people’s frustration and connect it with the ability to drive change.
- Listen to what they have to say.
- Ask open questions.
- Listen to their answers.
- Ask follow-up questions.
- Affirm their feeling – and direct them towards doing something about it!
Don’t: ✘
- Interrogate them.
- Display more anger than they do about their issues.
- Make assumptions about their issues.
Don’t spend a lot of time on a colleague’s objections to getting involved – but don’t let them off the hook and don’t ignore it. The best way to handle objections is:
- Acknowledge – the feeling, not the excuse.
- Answer – the question and don’t ignore the objection. Address it, but don’t spend too long on it.
- Redirect – always bring them back to their issues.