The importance of member retention
We all know that to build union power, we must recruit new members; we thrive on collective power and the engagement of many rather than the efforts of a few. But just as important to modern unions is member retention.
The IEU is renewing its commitment to the “member journey” to help attract more new members and ensure existing members feel connected to each other and engaged in the work of their union. We know that if we keep new unionists in the fold long enough, they often become “lifers” who get more out of the union and contribute more to it.
This builds on research conducted by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) which estimated that there are almost one million Australian workers who can be characterised as “union believers”, but who have not joined their union.
The ACTU research identified the key drivers and barriers felt by workers in Australia when it comes to joining and staying in their union and found most people join because of the promise of legal protection, including access to information about rights at work.
And the most common barrier to joining a union? Awareness! Too many workers, particularly in younger demographics, have limited understanding of the premise and power of unionism – making membership a much harder ‘sell.’
The union movement is using such data-driven insights to inform and shape its growth and engagement strategy.
At the IEU, our Member Journey Project is using this information to streamline and personalise the member experience from when they enter the profession until they retire.
We will also adapt the ACTU models to better identify the unique drivers and barriers in education.
Demographics
The education sector has an ageing workforce and is facing a reduction in new entrants. Early career teachers are less likely to join their union, and more likely to leave the profession within their first five years – two facts which are undeniably related!
The ACTU research labelled that the key barriers to union growth as relevance, value and pathways.
Relevance: many don’t see the union as being necessary to reaching their goals or needs. Half of those surveyed believed that individuals are best placed to negotiate for their interests despite also believing they were likely to have an issue with an employer in the future. We know that unions have a key role to play in ensuring fairness at work, both individually and collectively, through individual representation and broader campaigns. We must communicate that to potential members!
Value: some potential members don’t see the tangible benefits of union membership. They don’t know how fees are spent or whether membership is ‘worth it.’ It is important to clarify for them how unions function and how funds are spent to address such concerns.
Pathways: many say they don’t see a clear path to joining or don’t see themselves reflected in union imagery. Presenting a model of unionism that is simple to engage with and represents contemporary audiences is key to addressing this barrier.
The Member Journey project seeks to improve your experience as an IEU member – but we also want your input!
What barriers to union membership do you hear from non-member colleagues?
What do you think would best help us grow the union and retain members?
Send your thoughts to: thepoint@ieuvictas.org.au