Making sure we campaign effectively

(01/05/09) In order for UNISON to influence political debates – and win policy changes that will benefit our members – we need everyone to play their part in the union’s campaigning and lobbying.

But we know that this can be difficult for branches with many other demands on their time.

To that end, the union is sending a questionnaire out to activists, aimed at gathering information and ideas that will help UNISON improve the support it gives to branches in their efforts to campaign, lobby and organise politically.

The results will inform the current, two-year review of political fund effectiveness, called for by last year's UNISON conference, and which is to report back to conference in 2010.

The aim is to fully review the political fund arrangements, with a view to improving the union's operations and "ensure the highest levels of transparency, participation and activity."

The review steering group comprises the presidential team, chairs and nominees of the general political fund, Labour Link, policy development and campaign committees, and four regional convenors.

In its first year, the review has been gathering information on levels of activity, communications, operational rules of funds, participation of regions and branches, and political lobbying.

In addition, the steering group has gathered information about how other unions and campaigning organisations work, both in the UK and abroad, to see what can be learned from comparisons and examples of good practice.

A high priority that has emerged from initial discussions is to extend and deepen engagement with the union's political campaigning – ensuring members are aware of how the political fund is used, and how to access the union's resources to support their own lobbying and campaigning.

This theme was underlined at a recent seminar, Improving our political organisation and campaigning, which was attended by senior activists from our regions, the general political fund and Labour Link.

The seminar discussed whether UNISON did enough to inform its members of the way the two funds work, and whether enough members were involved at the political sharp end of the union's campaigning.

It was felt that UNISON did need to be stronger at branch level in terms of day-to-day contact with local MPs and councillors.

Such issues will be addressed in the questionnaire. Branches will be asked about their political contacts, the issues or campaigns they think are important to their members, and the extent to which the branch meets local councillors, members of the Scottish Parliament or Welsh, Northern Irish or London Assemblies and Westminster MPs to discuss local issues or UNISON national campaigns.

They will also be asked about the support they receive from the union for political campaigning – whether there is enough, and whether it's the right kind.

Questionnaires will be sent out in May, and must be returned by 30 June.

(InFocus, May)