Lara Norris

To be or not to be (a union member) that is the question

One of the wonderful things I get to do is to work alongside charities to help them decide how to listen to the voices of the people that work with them and for them.  Some of the time that’s about how to best represent their staff in the long term.

That could mean creating a really strong internal body that acts as a representation and listening structure to make sure that everyone’s views are heard. This helps the organisation be more thoughtful and agile to the needs of the people that work there and set strategy with the people who know best how things work in the real world.

Certainly no organisation is made worse by listening to the voices of the people in it, if people who are in charge of strategy can hear first hand from the people who do the job, mistakes stop happening, bridges are built, and networks are created making a system that is efficient, impactful and saves charities money.

Within these structures, one thing that charities consider is whether adopting a union to act as a highly skilled critical friend and partner is a way to give staff an independent voice and to challenge the organisation to be the best it can be around pay conditions and job protections. 

Unions have long been a driving force in securing better pay, working conditions, and job protections. If you’re part of a recognised union, you get direct access to support, advice, and representation in the workplace. 

One thing I sometimes find difficult to explain is how adopting a union can affect you even if you’re not a union member.  Because you are still likely to benefit from the improvements negotiated on behalf of unionised workers, and potentially be negatively affected should (in very rare instances) things go very wrong and industrial action takes place.

Studies show that unionised workers, on average, receive around 10-15% higher wages than their non-unionised counterparts in similar roles. But here’s the thing—when a union negotiates better pay and conditions, those benefits often extend to the wider workforce. Employers rarely limit pay rises or improved benefits solely to union members; instead, they apply them across the board. 

Having members and non-members working alongside each other does mean that part of your workforce has a benefit – the right to vote on pay and conditions, that non-members do not. And although benefits are felt across the whole organisation, this can make people feel as if their voice is not being heard and that the system favours those who have chosen to join the union. This is especially true when the reason for not joining is a financial one.

Being a non-member in a unionised workplace is a bit like having access to a golf course without joining the club. You can enjoy the scenery, walk on the grass, and appreciate the well-maintained fairways—but you can’t play the game or step inside the clubhouse unless you’re a member. Likewise, union members get to shape negotiations, vote on agreements, and access direct representation, while non-members can only observe and benefit from the view.