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About us

Unions 21 was founded over 30 years ago during a pivotal moment of change for the UK movement. Since then, we have constantly evolved alongside our supporter unions, helping them build for tomorrow.

We believe that societies are more equal and provide better opportunities when workers are part of strong trade unions. However, unions today face a dual challenge: long-term membership decline and the increasing difficulty of delivering outcomes for workers in a hostile environment.

While government policy and restrictive legislation play a role, the rapid shifts in the world around us, from technology to new operating models, have fundamentally challenged how unions work.

We want a future where unions are strong, innovative and central to building fairer, more inclusive workplaces.

We work with unions and trade union centres of all sizes and sectors, providing the insight and support they need to deliver for workers in this rapidly changing world.

We are from the union movement, which means we deeply understand not only the challenges but also how tricky it can be to change. We're here to help.

Unions 21 team

Executive Director Becky Wright
Head of Union Support and Director, Ireland Niamh Sweeney
Engagement Manager Gareth Gillespie
Director, Trade union AI Nick Scott
Research Fellow Adam Ives

Board

Chair Dave Penman
Vice Chair Sarah Woolley
Vice Chair Martin Furlong
Treasurer Dean Rogers
Trustee Helen Kelly
Trustee Chris Morris
Trustee Paul Day

Unions who support us