Get Involved

Get Active

If you are already a member of UNISON and would like to get more active in the union there are a number of ways in which you can do this. These are listed below.

Stewards

A UNISON steward is an elected rep who helps organise, recruit and represent members in their workplace.

Workplace Contacts

This is an ideal role for someone who is interested in becoming a steward or safety rep and wants to find out more about what's involvedor for someone who does not have the time to carry out the full role of a steward.

Officers

Branch Chair

Someone who facilitates branch and committee meetings and ensured that rules are followed.

Vice Chair

Chairs meetings in the absence of the chair.

Branch Secretary

The main contact person with the wider union who handles branch admin and leads on negotiations.

Branch Treasurer

Responsible for managing branch finances, including keeping accounts.

Branch Youth Officer

Advises and helps recruit young members while ensuring their voices have an influence across the union.

Equality Officer

Works on equal rights issues including sex, race, disability and lesbian and gay issues 

Health & Safety Officer

Leads on Health and Safety issues and co-ordinates the work of the other safety reps.

Service Conditions Officer

Plays a major role in negotiations over local conditions of service

Education Officer

Helps arrange training courses and education programmes for members, stewards, health and safety reps and branch officers.

Communications Officer Officer

Co-ordinates branch newsletters, websites and other media.

International Officer

Develops and leads on international solidarity activities including campaigns, twinnings and support for projects abroad.

Political Officer

Liaises with the local Labour Party and makes sure the views of UNISON members who pay the APF levy are heard.

Membership Services Officer

Ensures that members are aware of all of UNISON's exclusive benefits and services for it's members.

Welfare Officer

Gives support and advice for members encountering problems.

Officers are elected at the AGM in February. Details of the current officers can be found in the About Us section of the site.

Health & Safety Reps

A UNISON health and safety rep helps to make sure that people's jobs and their workplaces do not cause injury or ill-health.

Want to meet new people, learn new skills and go places?

Be active in UNISON and you'll get a lot more out of your union. Getting involved means:

• Helping make a difference
• Getting together with work friends and colleagues and meeting new people
• Doing things you usually couldn't or wouldn't do alone
• New opportunities for education, training and personal development
• Helping yourself and improving your life at work, home and the wider world
• Having fun and doing something you enjoy

Having an equal say

Different groups of members meet together under the UNISON umbrella. These groups:

• Ensure the union reflects particular experiences
• Enable members with common interests to come together on an equal basis to work on key issues affecting them.

For more information go to the following pages on the national UNISON site:

Young members | Retired members | Lesbian and Gay | Disabled members | Women | Black members