By | 2 min
On the 16th of November Unions21 Director, Jenny Simms, spoke to delegates at the RCM Workplace Representatives Conference on overcoming the barriers of recruiting new members.
Alongside Alice Sorby, an RCM London Project Worker who is piloting innovative methods of recruitment and engagement, Jenny outlined the 4 main barriers that prevent young people from joining the union movement. These were:
1) Lack of awareness- low visibility and understanding of unions.
2) Lack of ‘push factors’ - many young people stated that they were happy with their workplace and did not feel they had come across any issues which might lead them to need a union’s support.
3) Lack of ‘pull factors’ – young people found it difficult to articulate anything that would attract them to join a union. Unions were widely seen as being impotent to affect change or improve working conditions.
4) Repellent factors – often the cost of membership is off-putting for some, particularly for those young people who find it difficult to perceive of any tangible benefits for joining a union. Some young people find it difficult to identify with current union members. Unions being seen as militant, old fashioned, bureaucratic and aggressive, turns young people off.
Alice Sorby from the RCM detailed some of the tools they are now using to help improve attendance and engagement in London and how they are encouraging members to become Workplace Representatives. These include ward based ‘Trolley Dashes’ with recruitment and campaign material and online community forums for those who are unable to attend branch meetings.
