Having lots of members not directly employed by public sector employers can be a challenge for any branch. With little or no facility time just how do you represent members? Organising the fragmented workforce is one of our major challenges.
That’s why last year we created a new branch to help organise the fragmented workforce across Essex. UNISON Essex branch is now the third largest branch in our region with over 6,500 members working in over 900 employers. The branch is an excellent example of how UNISON is adapting to reach out to our membership in private companies and improve our ability to organise these workers.
Oladipo Ogedengbe who works in the care sector is branch treasurer told us “The branch has a single focus. Its only priority is its members working in private contractors, and this helps us to organise ourselves and stand up for our members against their employers.”
The branch celebrated its first birthday on 1 July 2017 and on reflection so much has been achieved. It has a large and active branch committee – the vast majority of its members have never taken a leadership role in their union before. It has the resources to employ two organisers who work with regional staff and build union power in workplaces. It has recorded a steady rise in the number of activists – seven completed their organising steward training in June alone.
Jane Dabbs, branch secretary, said “In just one year we have grown from a small project group to an employer with a fully staffed branch office including two branch organisers and a team of caseworkers. A group of dedicated members have filled key branch committee positions. We are now successfully meeting the needs of a broad range of members.”