Unions 21 is dedicated to supporting unions increase their influence and effectiveness. We understand the unique pressures of the trade union movement because we are part of it.
Led by our Head of Union Support, Niamh Sweeney, we will in 2026 focus on building resilient organisations that can navigate both industrial challenges and rapid technological shifts.
Working with union leaders offering bespoke programmes of training, in-depth reviews and stakeholder engagement, we deliver support across four key areas:
Culture
Structure
Staffing
People - Activists and Members
Get in touch if you think we can help.
Culture
We believe that a union fit for the future is built by design, not default. Our work in this area focuses on capacity building and growing influence, ensuring that your organisation doesn’t just survive change but leads it.
Defining culture: we help leaders identify their existing culture type and support unions develop positive organisational culture, aligning personal values with organisational safeguarding responsibilities.
Developing capacity: we empower your frontline by developing modern organising skills in a digital first world.
Technological adaptation: we help organisations move from fearing technology to embracing it as a tool that enhances human effort.
Structure
As the starting point in assessing a union’s capacity, culture is a key component of ensuring a union is fit for the future and able to deliver on its strategy.
We believe that for a union to be effective, its structures must be agile. We provide oversight and a governance framework to maintain member trust, whilst allowing for rapid decision making.
Future planning: through strategic reviews we help map out long term goals that align with your structural resources and your industrial purpose.
Comms reviews: we work with Agenda to improve your marketing and communications.
Governance reviews: we conduct deep dive audits to ensure your decision making structures are transparent and compliant with 2026 standards.
Rulebook changes: we assist in modernising your constitution to allow for digital participation and more flexible operating models.
Staffing
We treat your internal staff with the same industrial importance as your membership.
We develop and deliver training and development programmes to meet your industrial and workforce needs.
Strategic HR: we move beyond compliance to help you build a workforce strategy that anticipates the people and skills you will need in the future.
Recruitment and selection: we provide guidance on finding the right talent to fill emerging roles and to future proof your workforce.
Casework and investigations: we offer expert casework reviews and manager internal member or staff investigations with a focus on fairness, transparency and rigour.
AI for Communication Leads: mastering hyper personalised member messaging and digital campaigning at scale.
AI for Education Leads: developing adaptive learning paths for members and activists to ensure training remains relevant and accessible.
Culture development: aligning personal values with organisational safeguarding responsibilities.
People - Activists and Members
We provide high quality bespoke training and development, designed specifically for the unique environment of trade unionism:
Future Leaders: our flagship programme for emerging officials. Covering strategy, resource management and change management.
AI for Industrial Officers: practical training on using AI to summarise legal presidents, analyse density data and how to automate casework admin.
Culture development: aligning personal values with organisational safeguarding responsibilities.
At the start of the pandemic, Unions 21 worked with the NAHT to put into place a digital engagement programme to reach members at what was a turbulent and difficult time for them.
Our projects explore the shared challenges of unions. Previously, they focussed on the themes: good work; new workers, new economies; and innovation and change.
