An untapped resource for trade unions: Mapping potential active contributors to union work in 14 European countries
Vandaele, Kurt ; Zwysen, Wouter
European Trade Union Institute, Brussels
ETUI - Brussels
2023
11 p.
trade union ; trade union attitude ; workers participation
ETUI Policy Brief. European Economic, Employment and Social Policy
2023.01
Trade unionism
English
Bibliogr.
2031-8782
"Policy recommendations
• A critical mass of trade union members, i.e. beyond union activists, are willing to perform less-demanding tasks in support of their union; this is an internal union resource that is currently underutilised. As union tasks differ in terms of effort and time, they should be tested beforehand to estimate which kinds appeal to which categories of members.
• There is an opportunity for trade union representatives at the workplace as well: they should not shy away from interacting with members to involve them in union work. Also, members already active in online communities seem more likely to take on small tasks.
• Programmes forinvolving the rank-and-file in union work should be part of member retention policies. Strengthening union commitment through providing small tasks to ordinary members has the promise of stemming the outflow of members. While it is key to identify and address potential members interested in union activism, it is equally important to implement retention policies for members who are less strongly convinced."
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