Organising your branch

This toolkit has been structured as a series of web pages - links to the different sections can be found in the menu on the right. If you need a print copy of any page click on the 'printable version' link at the bottom of the page. You can also view the toolkit as a single Word document.

NATFHE exists to improve the lives of academic and related professional staff. It fights for dignity, respect and inclusion at work; bettering terms and conditions so members can enjoy quality of life in, and outside, the workplace and defending quality education.

Our influence and effectiveness comes from our membership strength. A large active membership increases our capacity to make gains in every sphere.

Large active branches have more bargaining power when negotiating terms and conditions, resisting erosion of contracts and fighting for fairer procedural arrangements. Strong, active branches have sufficient trained and experienced representatives to best represent individual members in times of need.

Regionally and nationally a large active membership gives us the power to negotiate national agreements, the credibility to tackle governments on education policy issues and the finances to support and advise branches and mount campaigns.

Non-members do not automatically seek out NATFHE, and when they do join they do not instantly become active. Identifying, involving and educating members, and non-members, across the country is essential to NATFHE’s existence. Those who do this work, the workplace representatives and activists, are the lifeblood of the union.

The toolkits here provide many tips on union organising at work – involving members and encouraging people to help out, recruiting non-members, being a union rep and building and running a branch.