Your Welding Union: Recruiting Members
Posted on: 20 January 2019
Once you've decided to unionize the welding contractors in your city or county, you may be thrilled to run it. You could be eager to start collecting dues and perform tasks that will benefit all the contractors in the area. However, you may find your membership numbers aren't as high as you'd hoped. What recruitment ideas could help?
Inform People
Sometimes, contractors aren't sure why a union would be anything they want to join. They may be unaware of benefits and reluctant to part with income to pay union dues. For that reason, you have to be very good at making a case for the union; you must make benefits clear. When interacting with welders, talk about your own personal journey and describe why you're convinced that the union can help all of you.
If there are special, unexpected benefits, mention them. For example, if the union will offer health insurance, this could be very attractive to welders with families. The purchasing power of your union should be able to bring down prices so that your members get a better insurance premium from the union than they would on their own.
Be Transparent
Being honest about your membership and officers will make new members more comfortable with the idea of unionizing. Have regular Q&A sessions which allow you to be honest about how dues are spent, what deals are being negotiated with business partners and other issues. Transparency will make prospective union members feel better about trusting the union to do what you're promising them.
Write Articles
Reaching out to welders to find people who can join the union might be challenging. You may not know how to find enough welding contractors to join up. For that reason, writing articles in trade magazines and local newspapers is important. Whether your articles focus on welding work or union issues, being able to be out front and represent your union will attract some members to your ranks. You may post articles online on blogging sites or welding forums too.
Check with National Office
Your union's national office may have templates for you or other recruitment materials. If you struggle to bring people onboard, the national office might offer support or have specific recommendations.
Welding contractor union recruitment can be a slow process at times, but as you remain focused on providing member value and helping contractors, you should see membership rise. Use these recommendations for local welder unions, like UA Local 100, and soon your numbers should increase.
Share