Stronger Union: Better ResultsIMPACT organising activity and plans

Report to IMPACT biennial conference 2016

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Stronger Union: Better Results

IMPACT organising activity and plans

Report to IMPACT biennial conference 2016

Contents

1 Introduction 4

2 Strategic organising and union development 6

3 Information on IMPACT organisers and membership services officers 8

4 Preparing for a Better Future: Progress report 16

5 Branch organising activity 22

6 Next steps in IMPACT organising 32

Section 1 Introduction

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At the height of the economic crash, IMPACT’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) made a strategic decision to focus on organising to sustain membership and increase union activism and density. Our approach to organising built on the existing strengths of the organisation and put a renewed emphasis on recruitment, campaigning, effective communications, training, empowering activists, and building branch capacity to deliver for IMPACT members.

It was agreed that the initiative should be led by the union’s deputy general secretary. Staff from a number of existing roles and departments contributed to the organising effort, and dedicated organisers were recruited for the first time.

From a relatively small base in education, more and more branches have embraced our new approach to organising, with a particular acceleration over the last 18 months. In response, the number of organisers has risen from two to 12 over the last five years.

IMPACT’s membership levels naturally reduced during the recession, as employment numbers fell in traditional recruitment areas in the public, private, semi-state and voluntary sectors. But we have held our own in terms of membership numbers.

While all our branches, activists and staff – regardless of their roles – have contributed to this resilience in membership numbers, our new emphasis on organising has made a demonstrable contribution. Branches with allocated organisers have generally experienced higher than average membership increases, as well as a considerable strengthening of activism and organisation.

At the end of 2015, we have deployed full-time organisers with over 15 branches across the country, and in the Services and Enterprises Division. There are also four full-time organisers working with branches that represent members in schools. Some of these posts are co-funded with branches. The union has also appointed an organiser with responsibility for national projects and campaigns, while our established membership support team continues to contribute to the organising effort.

This report to IMPACT’s 2016 biennial delegate conference builds on the Preparing for a Better Future report on organising challenges, which was adopted by conference in 2014. It summarises the union’s general approach to organising, reports on activities and progress over the last two years, and sets out some ambitions for the coming years.

Kevin Callinan Deputy General Secretary

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Section 2 Strategic organising and union development

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IMPACT’s 2014 Biennial Delegate Conference adopted the Preparing for a Better Future report on organising challenges, which set out a series of priority areas for implementation under the following headings: Building density, strengthening structures, workplace visibility, developing leaders, campaigning, membership services and benefits, membership system, communications, and developing a ‘people plan’ to build an organising culture.

At branch level, the implementation of the report has involved the development of branch strategies, mapping and density building, establishing effective structures such as house committees, increasing participation in representative training courses, improved workplace visibility and communication with members, and organising branch initiatives and events.

At national level, implementation of the report has led the union to target potential membership among:

• Health and social care professionals (including through the development of IMPACT’s fitness to practise protection scheme)

• Special needs assistants (including through joint work with the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation)

• Retired members (including through seminars and the adoption by conference of a report on the rights of retired members), and

• Community and voluntary sector workers (including through the Health and Welfare Division’s Caring: At What Cost? Campaign).

The union has also initiated campaigns on housing and homelessness, marriage equality, and early years’ provision where we have worked with other representative bodies in the sector.

In the area of union development, we have continued to train significant numbers of members through the Making an IMPACT representative training course. We have also revised the 2007 cooperation agreement with SIPTU and been active in ICTU-led projects such as One Cork and Union College.

This report updates delegates on the considerable progress which has been made in these different areas, and on the significant levels of branch and national activity that has been supported by the union’s organising team over the past two years. It also sets out the current strategic action plan of the organising team, focused on setting ambitious objectives and pathways to delivery on these objectives.

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Section 3 IMPACT organisers and membership support officers

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Bernie Aston

Membership support services

Bernie has worked for IMPACT for 16 years and was appointed as a membership support officer in 2011. Before that she worked as a personal assistant in the Services and Enterprises Division, working in aviation, before moving to the Local Government and Education Division where she worked with special needs assistants and school secretaries. As well as providing administrative support, she worked to improve communications between branches and members including by developing the first SMS messaging service used by the union. Before joining IMPACT she managed the sales and customer service department of a leading manufacturing company for 15 years. Becoming a membership support officer was a natural next step for Bernie because of her experience in customer service.

Lisa Connell

Organiser, Institutes of Technology and Education No.1 branch

Lisa joined IMPACT as an organiser in July 2015. Before that she was employed by the Housing Agency where she worked on the national mortgage-to-rent scheme, which assists home-owners who can no longer afford their mortgage repayments. She became a union representative when working for McDonalds as a student and became active in SIPTU’s Fastfood Worker’s Action Group. This group was established to coincide with a fast food workers’ union campaign that was gaining momentum and success in the United States. The action group articulated and fought on issues that were the most pressing workplace conditions for fast food workers including zero-hour contracts, entitlement to minimum break times, rest periods and the minimum wage. Lisa graduated from UCD with an MSc in equality studies.

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Úna Faulkner

Organiser, SNA North Dublin North Leinster Branch

Úna has been an IMPACT organiser since 2012, working first with the Boards and Voluntary Agencies branch before moving to the education sector in July 2015. Before that she worked on an Atlantic Philanthropies initiative called ‘We the Citizens.’ This was a year-long programme aimed at testing deliberative democracy in Ireland. She worked for the GAA for three years, when she was based in Croke Park. Prior to that, Úna was welfare officer in Trinity College’s Students’ Union. This was a year-long full-time elected post.

Julie Healy

Membership support services

Julie was appointed as a membership support officer in 2011 and contributes to a range of projects, including event management and helping branches to recruit and raise the union’s workplace profile. She previously worked in the United States naval industry and started her public service career in Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council). She recently completed a course in project management with the Institute of Public Administration.

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Keivan Jackson

Organiser, Dublin Care Services and Boards and Voluntary Agencies branches

Keivan spent ten years as a social care worker with the Simon Community, Focus Ireland and Peter McVerry Trust, gaining experience in the homeless sector, women’s projects, supported accommodation for young people, and street work. Immediately prior to joining IMPACT’s organising team in July 2015, he spent a short time in the union’s Communications Unit and the Oxfam International policy unit. Keivan studied for a history degree in Scotland, before doing his masters in conflict resolution and development in Ireland. He was an active shop steward with Mandate from 2003, and served as branch secretary in IMPACT’s Boards and Voluntary Agencies branch.

Linda Kelly

Organiser, Cork branch

Linda joined the IMPACT team as an organiser in the education sector in 2012. Prior to that, she worked with AHEAD, a charity that supports students and graduates with disabilities. She served as USI’s equality officer for two years following her graduation from University College Cork with a degree in speech and language therapy. In 2015, Linda completed a masters in leadership and strategy, which she studied through the IPA. Her thesis focused on leadership amongst trade union organisers. She is currently working with the Cork branch and is also involved in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ One Cork project on behalf of IMPACT.

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Joan McCrohan

Organiser, SNA Munster branch

Joan became an activist in IMPACT’s Kerry branch in 2002, where she was encouraged and supported in campaigns for recognition of the value of the special needs assistants’ role. She was chair of the union’s SNA branch, where she worked to improve support for members in isolated workplaces. Joan became an IMPACT staff member in 2011. The following year she was appointed as one of four organisers in the union’s new Education Division.

Deirdre O’Connell Hopkins

Organiser, Carlow, Wexford and South Tipperary branches

Deirdre has been an IMPACT organiser since 2012. She was an organiser in the education sector, before being assigned to the Carlow, Wexford and South Tipperary branches in July 2015. Deirdre previously worked as a social care worker in Ballydowd special care secure unit. During that time she was IMPACT’s local workplace representative and became a branch executive member and branch officer.

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Joe O’Connor

Organiser, national projects

Joe was appointed as an IMPACT organiser in the Boards and Voluntary Agencies branch in 2014, before being assigned responsibility for national projects in 2015. He is a former president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and GMIT Students’ Union. He was a director of the Higher Education Authority and member of the Expert Review Group on Future Funding of Higher Education. Joe is currently a director with youth information website SpunOut.ie. He worked for the Social Democrats in the 2016 general election. He recently completed an advanced diploma in employment law in the King’s Inns.

Olajide Ogidan

Organiser, SNA South Dublin South Leinster branch

Olajide was appointed as an IMPACT organiser in 2015. He worked in St Vincent’s Hospital from 2002 and became an IMPACT representative in 2004 when he was co-opted onto the Dublin Hospital branch executive. He was subsequently elected branch equality officer, which motivated him to achieve a masters in equality studies from UCD in 2015. Olajide was previously elected as the students’ union official in the University of Lagos, from which he graduated with a first in philosophy.

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Adam O’Maolagain

Organiser, Services and Enterprise Division

Adam worked as an organiser in the private sector for five years before joining the IMPACT team in 2015. He was previously a representative on the Communication Workers’ Union’s Vodafone Dundalk Branch, which had over 500 members. After graduating with BA in public relations he worked as an organiser in the CWU from 2011. While working there he represented members and grew branches and membership across different employments before being recruited by the Irish Bank Officials’ Union (IBOA) in 2013.

Eimear Ryan

Organiser, SNA Connacht Ulster branch

Eimear took up her post as an IMPACT organiser with the Education Division in 2012. A union activist since 2005, and a workplace representative since 2006, Eimear chaired IMPACT’s Local Enterprises branch prior to joining the IMPACT staff. She graduated with an MSc in regional and local development in 2004, when she began working as an education co-ordinator with Breffni Integrated Ltd in County Cavan. She was the first woman ever to be designated club ‘person of the year’ by Cavan Rugby Football Club.

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Sinead Wynne

Organiser, Mid-West regional branches

Sinead joined the IMPACT organising team in 2014. Prior to that she worked for the HSE and was an IMPACT member for over 25 years. She first became involved with the union as a local representative before becoming a member of the Clare branch executive. In 2007 Sinead became chair of the health section of the Clare branch, and she was elected to the national Health and Welfare Divisional Executive in 2009.

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Section 4 Preparing for a Better Future: Progress report

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Building densityBetween September 2014 and July 2015, seven full-time organisers were assigned to 11 branches. Between them, these branches accounted for 37% of the union’s overall recruitment, with 1,030 of the 2,812 new members joining IMPACT in this 10-month period being attributed to these branches. This was an increase from 30% reported to the CEC in the 2015 organiser report ‘Sustaining Progress’.

From July 2015 to February 2016, 11 full-time organisers were assigned to 18 branches, a dedicated resource for national projects and campaigns was established, and a dedicated organising resource was allocated to the Services and Enterprises Division. During this eight-month period, union recruitment in these 18 branches, and in the Services and Enterprises Division accounted for 53% of the union’s overall recruitment, with 1,126 of the 2,117 new members joining IMPACT attributable to these sections of the union.

Targeted campaigns have been designed to build IMPACT membership and activism in challenging sectors including the early years’ sector, the community and voluntary sector, and Irish Water.

A campaign to reach out to potential members in core grades before they enter the workforce has been designed through the IMPACT@Third-Level campaign, which has seen the union deliver on-campus presentations to core grades, participate in the Student to Practitioner programme, and attend

general recruitment and graduate employment events such as the Graduate Careers Fair and Aftergrad.

Specific promotion and recruitment material for other professions and categories has been developed and deployed at branch level, such as with special needs assistants, health and social care professionals, and in homeless services.

Strengthening structuresThe organising team has taken actions to improve organisation through different mechanisms of engagement with branches, which are the basic organising unit in the union. This has included the creation of workplace representative forums and the development of strong in-house committees.

The development of branch strategies by a number of branches has helped to set strategic targets and develop action plans for organising and improvement of structures at branch level.

A number of branch membership surveys have been developed to assist with training needs analysis, elicit the views of workplace representatives, identify areas for improvement and increased focus, and identify potential interest in new membership services and benefits. These surveys have been evaluated and plans have been drawn up at branch level to take action based on their findings.

Impact of organising on recruitment

37%

63%

Recruitment by 11 branches

Recruitment by 108 branches

September 2014–July 2015

2014

37%

2015

53%

Increased recruitment following 2015 expansion of organising staffing

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Visibility in the workplaceThe union’s Communications Unit and Membership Services teams continue to promote IMPACT visibility in workplaces with communications and promotional materials. Our organising team has prioritised the importance of ongoing union visibility through a variety of workplace initiatives. Monthly and annual branch reports have identified targets for ongoing workplace visits in strategic employments.

Workplace mapping is being conducted by organisers to identify density gaps and to prioritise targeted employments for strategic organising and recruitment.

Maintaining union visibility outside of visits is also important, and the use of noticeboards and specific recruitment and campaigns materials have allowed for this to be improved significantly.

Developing leadersThere were 82 level one and 37 level two graduates from the Making an IMPACT representative training course in 2014. In 2015, 69 members graduated at level one and 27 graduated at level two. All eight modules in the Making an IMPACT representative training course are to be reviewed and, where necessary, revised in 2016.

IMPACT has been involved in ICTU discussions on the establishment of a new Union College, which will develop and deliver advanced courses to union members. The union is also actively exploring the provision of online training.

The union continues to promote bursaries for members’ education and training in relevant specialist fields, particularly industrial relations.

A structured mentoring programme has been introduced for local leaders, with the IMPACT ‘Step Up’ programme helping emerging and newly established activists to get more involved in the union, and facilitating learning and development for mentees and mentors.

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CampaigningIn August 2014, the CEC adopted a written document outlining a strategic approach to IMPACT campaigning, on foot of the adoption of Preparing for a Better Future by Conference. Informed by previous IMPACT campaigns, this included criteria for campaign selection, prioritisation, planning and execution.

IMPACT has led or contributed to a significant number of campaigns over the past two years including initiatives on housing and homelessness, our community and voluntary sector pay recovery campaign, Caring: At What Cost?, active participation in the ‘One Cork’ project, and campaigning on the reform of JobBridge and labour activation programmes.

The IMPACT@Third-Level campaign has been designed as a longer-term campaign to attract younger people to IMPACT and increase density amongst recent college graduates.

Membership services and benefitsIMPACT’s core industrial relations benefits and additional membership services continue to be promoted regularly on the union’s website and in its electronic communications, workplace promotional leaflets, branch-specific emails and bulletins, and workplace-specific targeted recruitment materials.

As well as emphasising our core membership benefit of quality industrial relations representation, support and advice, marketing of financial benefits to members has been developed in collaboration with the relevant service providers.

Branch materials have given a greater focus to issue-based and sectoral campaigns, while workplace-specific materials have focused on established in-house committees and local issues and achievements.

The benefit of IMPACT’s legal defence scheme for fitness to practice cases has been actively promoted to current and potential members in the relevant health professions.

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Membership systemThe development of the union’s membership system is ongoing, and it has enabled the provision of data to support recruitment and organisation strategy and initiatives at local and national level. The union’s membership support staff have prioritised the gathering of membership data, while organisers continue to prioritise the increase of e-mail catchment and ongoing updates of information in the branches they support.

CommunicationsCirculation of the IMPACT members’ ebulletin has grown by 18% since 2014 and is now delivered to over 41,500 members each fortnight. The number of subscribers continues to increase and almost 50% of users now access the ebulletin on mobile devices, which indicates that more members are using personal email addresses for correspondence. There is a growing tendency for subscribers to share ebulletin content on social media.

More than 380,000 users visited the IMPACT website between April 2014 and April 2016, with the site attracting 1.9m page views during the same period. New visitors to the site accounted for over 60% of total traffic. IMPACT’s social media presence also continues to grow, particularly on Twitter.

During the 2016 general election campaign, IMPACT put a series of policy questions to the political parties and groups contesting the election. The responses attracted 7,500 views when they were published on the website.

The union’s Communications Unit produces generic and bespoke recruitment and information materials – as well as media support – to organisers and other union staff. The Work & Life magazine is published four times a year.

A ‘people plan’ to build an organising cultureRecent years have seen a significant change in IMPACT’s staffing structure with the introduction of industrial relations officers, membership service officers and organisers. This facilitates a level of career development that was not previously in place. IMPACT has put in place a clear policy regarding training and development, with an application process and support for courses which can enhance or further develop staff skills. Several staff members have undertaken further education including the ICTU and other courses on employment law, learning and development, project management, and other subjects.

There has an increased level of security in HQ car park and building and there are plans to re-establish the union’s Health and Safety committee, as well as a formal procedure for dealing with staff welfare issues.

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Section 5 Branch organising activity

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Boards and Voluntary Agencies branch • Branch strategic plan adopted in November

2014 under the following headings: Communications and visibility, branch development, organising and recruitment, training, campaigns, democracy and accountability.

• Quarterly workplace representative fora established to improve communications between the branch and workplace representatives. Full survey of workplace representatives conducted at first forum meeting to gauge satisfaction amongst representatives, and used to inform branch strategic plan

• Monthly branch bulletins issued and specific workplace bulletins to improve communications with members

• Development of branch branding and distinct identity. New logo, with promotional merchandise such as executive committee polo shirts, pens, uniform campaign materials and information leaflets

• 122 new members recruited between January 2015 and August 2015, an average of 16.5 per month in a branch of just over 1,000 members. 191 in total recruited in 2015

• Five new BEC members and 27 new workplace representatives and points of contact between July 14 and September 15. Now 69 representatives across 41 employments

• Mapping conducted and workplace-specific campaigns rolled out in targeted employments such as HIQA, NCBI and Crosscare Youth Services. In-house organising committees, workplace surveys, specific workplace info leaflets and materials, and regular drop-in clinics

• Issue-based sectoral campaigns for Section 39-funded agency workers (Caring: At What Cost?), homeless service workers (Roof is a Right/sleepovers) and in state boards (Lansdowne Road Agreement)

• New full-day training initiative ‘UPSKILL’ took place in November 2014 and September 2015, with over 75 attendees. Follow-on ‘UPSKILL 2’ for those who attended the first session. Programme developed based on direct member feedback via survey

• Other branch training included a ‘wellness workshop’ ran by Suicide or Survive with 25 attendees, significant increases in interest and participation in IMPACT workplace representative training, updates on relevant union and legislative developments at the work representative fora, and bullying and harassment training for members of the BEC and very active workplace representatives.

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Dublin Care Services • Annual strategic planning, development of

a branch newsletter, and utilisation of a text messaging system for communicating important notices to members

• In advance of June 2015, 77% of new members and re-joiners came directly from targeted employments in the organising strategic plan

• 108 new members were recruited to the branch in 2015

• There are now 67 workplace representatives across 33 employments, with eight active in-house committees

• Workplace representative fora previously held by the BVA now split across both branches. These include guest speakers, campaign updates and debates

• Over 25 attendees from Dublin Care Services at UPSKILL training in September 2015, organised in conjunction with the BVA branch

• Significant project of work undertaken to update 162 email addresses for branch members, to improve the communications reach of the branch. Regular branch e-mail updates and bulletins are now sent out

• Campaign focus on CORU registration for social care workers.

Cork • 39% increase in branch recruitment

(May-November 2015 compared to May-November 2014)

• House committees established in COPE Foundation and Mallow general hospital. Branch organising strategy developed to help branch identify weak areas

• Ongoing workplace visits to strategic employments. At Christmas, the branch paid for lunch for members in employments with representatives. There was a stand with IMPACT merchandise and vouchers. Visited over a dozen employments in a fortnight

• Very successful Christmas event organised in Rumleys Farm. 100 families won tickets to visit Santa at open farm outside Cork City. Members asked to bring donations to SVP

• New members of house committees attending workplace level one training

• Members of branch executive committee involved in cycle two of the ‘Step Up’ mentoring programme.

• Local organising campaign in January 2016 with amnesty on arrears for re-joiners.

• Interview skills training organised for members in local government attracted a third of entire membership in Cork city council

• Communications - branch update emailed at Christmas recapping on the work of 2015. Employment specific newsletters developed to highlight key IR issues.

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Carlow, South Tipp and Wexford branches • Activities in all locations including pension talks,

Kickstart training for new points of contact, and ‘UPSKILL’ seminars

• Branch strategic action plans put in place in South Tipperary Health in July 2015 and Wexford in November 2015

• Organiser half-year action plans were initiated in January 2016 for all three branches

• Easter fundraising event was held in the Delta centre in Carlow, with a very high level of involvement and engagement by the branch

• Union visibility is very high and membership is steadily increasing in all three branches under the direction of the new organiser.

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Midwest branches • First time IMPACT level one workplace

representative training has taken place in the Midwest with 16 participants and all Midwest branches represented. Level two training will take place in Autumn 2016

• A number of new branch committee members following the AGM with Kickstart training to be held this year. A hospital group in-house committee was established by the Limerick Health branch in January 2016 and Kickstart training is being organised for these members

• Limerick Local Government branch published a newsletter in 2015 as outlined in their strategic plan. Distributed to members with a branded ‘goodie’ bags following significant investment in merchandise

• A mapping and data collection exercise was carried out by the organiser in distributing these materials to all members in Limerick local government offices, area offices and libraries

• Limerick Health established a communications sub-group and are now in the process of developing a newsletter

• As HSE job evaluation commences, IMPACT is providing members with training on form-filling smart thinking on their roles and responsibilities. Interview skills and coaching to follow. Interview skills and CV training is also being offered for promotional posts in the health sector

• The organiser is now providing information and training on areas of union interest including the sick leave scheme and the Workplace Relations Commission

• A series of lunchtime information meetings for members have been scheduled for the Limerick local authorities on membership benefits and other areas of interest. This is to be rolled out to all Midwest branches. CORU information meetings will also be held for health and social care professionals, and a housing seminar is also being planned.

Institutes of Technology branch • Symposium on mergers in higher education

held in DIT Grangegorman with a wide range of national and international speakers

• House committees have been established in each of the 14 IOTs

• House committee training took place in four regional locations in October 2015, with 99 people trained over the two-week period

• The branch strategy session is to take place in June 2016 in Cork with the branch executive

• IMPACT presence at induction days for new staff has been sought and established in employments

• Increased take up from the members of the house committees of level one and two workplace representative training

• Recruitment packs and relevant branch materials have been established as part of ongoing recruitment.

Education No.1 branch • 66% increase in committee members. All officer

positions on branch executive have been filled

• A branch representative now sits on the Education Divisional Executive Committee

• Training to be provided for the executive in Summer 2016

• Major mapping exercise of employments and potential employments within the branch completed

• Ongoing workplace visits of major employments and points of contact being established

• Ongoing workplace visits of identified employments as recruitment drive

• Regular communication with the members of the branch established.

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Schools: Connaught Ulster, plus north-east branches • Increasing visibility with workplace events

such as complimentary coffee and scones to members, in the HSE in Kells, while disseminating new membership cards and seeking points of contact

• Drop in clinics for special needs assistants in counties Cavan, Donegal, Galway and Mayo

• Ongoing workplace visits with promotional material

• Participants on level one training and ‘Step Up’ mentoring programme

• Branch events included ICT and autism and challenging behaviour training for SNAs in Cavan, autism and challenging behaviour training for SNAs in Donegal, early childhood care and education in Meath

• Senator Mary Moran addressed the Connacht/Ulster SNA AGM in November 2015.

Schools: North Dublin/ North Leinster • A strategic planning day for the North Dublin/

North Leinster set out the areas of organising focus for 2014-2015

• A strategic organising campaign, launched in September 2014 as part of national SNA effort to target counties with high recruitment potential, identified Kildare, Meath and Westmeath Branch, with Dublin remaining a focus because of its critical mass. This level of targeting was made possible by extensive mapping exercises, which were conducted to determine the total allocation in all schools in the region

• Activity and visibility was maintained during this period with three school visits a week, SNA training and Kickstart training

• Recruitment was targeted, with density calculated on an annual basis to inform the branch’s strategic plan

• In summer 2015, Kildare was identified as having the greatest potential for membership within schools. This led to an action plan where each Kildare school was being visited twice, resulting in new recruitment and more representatives on the ground

• Free CDP training was provided to over 210 IMPACT members in 2015-2016, with training on a variety of issues that SNAs encounter on a day to day basis including communication skills for children with autism.

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Schools: South Dublin/ South Leinster • Branch density in April 2015 was 61% - a net

increase of 122 members (7%) since May 2014

• By April 2015, there were 201 named points of contact for schools across all seven counties who formed the branch point of contact network

• Kickstart training sessions were held in Dublin and Portlaoise, with 40 ‘points of contact’ in attendance

• There was also a very successful POC event on the introduction of the new sick leave scheme

• Two members of the branch executive took part in the ‘Step Up’ mentoring programme

• All branch officer positions were filled at the 2014 AGM, with three new committee members co-opted after the AGM

• Postal recruitment campaign organised in specific areas in line with CPD training

• Over the 2014-2015 school year, 525 members attended CPD training ‘learning about autism’

• Email newsletter developed by branch and issued at Christmas and summer holiday.

• Increase in the number of branch committee members following awareness initiatives

• Increased attendance at branch AGM with 53 members attending

• 492 members received training from the branch between November 2014 and November 2015. Subjects included career development, union involvement, learning about autism, point of contact training, and mentoring sessions

• Between January and March 2016, the branch provided training for 170 members in stress management, with further training planned for April and May

• 364 new members recruited between 2014 and 2016

• Improved workplace visibility in schools made members more confident that the union can respond quickly to their issues

• Branch strategic planning day held in June 2015 enabled the branch executive to plan its activities with the support of the organiser. Next one planned for September 2016.

Schools: Munster • After a very successful training programme

in 2015, the 2016 programme is underway. Members were surveyed and chose the topic “dealing confidently with change”. Full evaluations of all branch training is taking place

• All training is being preceded by an information meeting two weeks prior to training.

• 2015 training in Cork, full attendance of 40. 2016 training in Kerry had 49 attendees with five new members. Limerick had 39 attendees and four new members. Upcoming training days organised in Tipperary, Dunmanway, Clare, Cork and Waterford.

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Services and Enterprises • A campaign has been run across the four Irish

Water sites (Colville House and Foley Street in Dublin, Mallow and Castlebar) on how Irish Water was being used as political football with no thought being given for the hundreds of employees that work there. Since starting the campaign we have two new representatives and number of new members

• A number of new representatives and points of contact have been recruited and trained across the two Stobart Air bases in Dublin and Cork. It has been quite challenging as Stobart Air is an anti-union company and is refusing to relate with IMPACT on a collective level. There are plans to run campaigns around pay issues and health and safety issues in the coming year

• The Marine branch has been rebuilt over the last eight months and the Marine Institute, SFPA and P&O Maritime have had their first AGM’s in several years. A good base of representatives and activists has been laid and there are campaign plans being formulated

• The IAESA branch has had its first AGM in several years and are running recruitment campaigns across DAA, Aer Lingus and SAA. A new committee has been elected for the coming term and new points of contact are being sought

• Mapping of the entire CE scheme is currently being conducted at the moment, as well as visits to CE network meetings. New members and points of contact will be recruited to the CE Supervisors’ branch through these meetings, which will also raise IMPACT’s profile within the sector.

National projects • Community and voluntary sector pay

restoration campaign involves the coordination of a research project with UL, development of website and platform for general election campaign, and roll-out of regional road show to increase awareness, support and recruitment potential

• Housing and homeless campaign includes participation in national homeless and housing coalition, December 2015 national demonstration, general election pledge campaign, follow-on political lobbying meetings and engagements, working on proposals on security of tenure with NESC

• Steering Group for a Coalition on Public Education, following completion of work on the Expert Group on Future Funding of Higher Education

• Coordination of union support for marriage equality ‘Vote With Us’ campaign, and Dunnes demonstration

• Design, preparation and pilot of new module eight for IMPACT workplace representative training (introduction to political economy)

• Organisation of IMPACT 2016 conference fringe session on international challenges

• Contributing to development of a new IMPACT membership card, loyalty scheme and app

• Ensuring IMPACT presence and engagement at relevant national graduate employment fairs and events, through the IMPACT@Third-Level campaign

• Coordination of ‘JobBridge - Time to Start Again’ research project with Maynooth University on internships and labour activation policy

• IMPACT submission to National Strategy for Future Skills Needs 2015-2025

• IMPACT Submission to ICTU working paper on TTIP

• Prepared IMPACT submission for University of Limerick zero hour contracts study commissioned by DJEI.

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Section 6 Ambition for the future: Next steps in IMPACT organising

In October 2015, the IMPACT organising team developed a strategic action plan to position the union to respond to its organising opportunities and challenges. The strategic action plan aims to heighten IMPACT’s visibility to its members and potential members, and promote the value of being a member of IMPACT trade union. As a natural progression from such visible union activity, it is envisaged that this will also increase union membership.

The following ten actions were identified:

1 Develop improved recruitment materials including an ‘invitation pack’ and a ‘welcome pack.’

2 Make the process of joining IMPACT easier, including by developing an online application, with ‘invitation packs’ automatically issued following online application. The production of a smartphone mobile app for the union is also being considered.

3 Prioritise issue-based campaigning. An organising working group will work with other IMPACT staff and branches to identify campaign issues of concern to one or more branches and to target campaigns and develop methods and materials.

4 Develop a new package of products and services, to provide added value for members and reduce the cost of living. There will be a focus on identifying the potential for a membership loyalty scheme, based on a card and app. Areas for potential savings will be identified and a review of current partners and schemes for membership benefits will be conducted.

5 Improved management tool for industrial relations with standardised logging system for queries to improve consistency and efficiency of responses to membership issues and casework, and enable organising efforts to reach their full potential.

6 Further strengthening of local branch structures. This would include fully representative branch executive committees with diverse membership, to reflect union demographics and key strategic organising targets. Further concentration on developing and empowering committee members, including the provision of organising and recruitment training. Liaison lists to be developed to improve communication between branches and workplace representatives.

7 Regular branch activity and events to provide value before, during and after employment. Events to be planned at branch level, including ‘get ready for work’ training days with workshops targeted at children of IMPACT members currently looking for work, evening seminars to be held once a month on issues like money management, time management, mental health, and ‘preparing for retirement’ days.

8 Finding new ways to ask. This will include an emphasis on member-led peer recruitment, the establishment of regular workplace clinics, a pilot scheme for recruitment incentives for existing IMPACT members and branches, and continued promotion of IMPACT benefits and services.

9 Cooperation between branches and coordination of organising activity. This identifies the importance of cooperation between organisers, relevant branches and other IMPACT industrial staff in coordinating organising activity and running issue-based campaigns effectively across different branches and divisions.

10 Research international campaigns. Identification of successful international campaigns and in particular the methods and tactics used to create organising wins. This will requires contacts and links to be established with unions abroad, which are organising and campaigning in sectors relevant to IMPACT.

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Head officeNerney’s CourtDublin 1, D01 R265T: 01 817 1500info@impact.ie

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